Common Core State Standards
7th Grade ELA Standards
All 41 Common Core English language arts standards for 7th grade, grouped into strands and written in plain English. The official wording is one click away. 1 has free practice you can print today.
41 standards
Reading: Literature RL
9 standardsKey Ideas and Details
RL.7.1
Support a point about a story, play or poem with several quotes or details from it, not just one, for both what it says outright and what it only suggests.
Official wording
Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RL.7.2
Name a story's or poem's theme, follow how it grows from the opening to the ending, and summarize the text without your own opinions.
Official wording
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.
RL.7.3
Explain how the parts of a story or play act on each other, like how a setting such as a snowbound cabin shapes what the characters do.
Official wording
Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how setting shapes the characters or plot).
Craft and Structure
RL.7.4
Work out figurative and emotional meanings of words in a poem or story, and explain what rhyme or repeated sounds like alliteration add to a stanza or scene.
Official wording
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of rhymes and other repetitions of sounds (e.g., alliteration) on a specific verse or stanza of a poem or section of a story or drama.
RL.7.5
Explain how the form of a poem or play, like a sonnet's fourteen lines or a character's soliloquy, adds to what it means.
Official wording
Analyze how a drama's or poem's form or structure (e.g., soliloquy, sonnet) contributes to its meaning
RL.7.6
Explain how an author builds the differing points of view of two or more characters or narrators and plays them against each other.
Official wording
Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different characters or narrators in a text.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
RL.7.7
Compare a story, play or poem with its film, stage or audio version, and explain how tools the page lacks, like lighting, music or camera angles, change the effect.
Official wording
Compare and contrast a written story, drama, or poem to its audio, filmed, staged, or multimedia version, analyzing the effects of techniques unique to each medium (e.g., lighting, sound, color, or camera focus and angles in a film).
RL.7.8
(RL.7.8 not applicable to literature)Not applicable
RL.7.9
Set a historical novel or story beside a factual account of the same time or person, and show where the fiction keeps the history and where it changes it.
Official wording
Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character and a historical account of the same period as a means of understanding how authors of fiction use or alter history.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
RL.7.10
Read and understand 7th-grade stories, plays and poems in the grades 6 to 8 range by the end of the year, with support only on the hardest texts in the band.
Official wording
By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 6-8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
Reading: Informational Text RI
10 standardsKey Ideas and Details
RI.7.1
Prove a point about an article, speech or other nonfiction text with several pieces of evidence from it, covering both what it states and what it implies.
Official wording
Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RI.7.2
Find two or more central ideas in a nonfiction text, trace how each one develops from start to finish, and give a neutral summary of the text.
Official wording
Determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.
RI.7.3
Explain how the people, events and ideas in a nonfiction text act on one another, like how a new idea changed what a leader did or how one person shifted an event.
Official wording
Analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and ideas in a text (e.g., how ideas influence individuals or events, or how individuals influence ideas or events).
Craft and Structure
RI.7.4
Work out figurative, emotional and technical meanings of words in an article, and explain how one chosen word, like calling a crowd a mob, shifts the meaning and tone.
Official wording
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.
RI.7.5
Map how a nonfiction text is organized and explain what each major section contributes to the whole and to the way the ideas build.
Official wording
Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, including how the major sections contribute to the whole and to the development of the ideas.
RI.7.6
Find an author's stance or purpose in a nonfiction text and explain how the author sets that position apart from what other people think.
Official wording
Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author distinguishes his or her position from that of others.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
RI.7.7
Compare the written text of a speech or article with an audio or video version of it, and explain how the delivery changes the force of the words.
Official wording
Compare and contrast a text to an audio, video, or multimedia version of the text, analyzing each medium's portrayal of the subject (e.g., how the delivery of a speech affects the impact of the words).
RI.7.8
Follow an author's argument claim by claim and judge whether the reasoning makes sense and whether the evidence is on point and enough to support each claim.
Official wording
Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the claims.
RI.7.9
Compare two or more authors on the same topic and show how each stresses different evidence or reads the same facts differently.
Official wording
Analyze how two or more authors writing about the same topic shape their presentations of key information by emphasizing different evidence or advancing different interpretations of facts.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
RI.7.10
Read and understand 7th-grade literary nonfiction, like memoirs and speeches, in the grades 6 to 8 range by the end of the year, with support on the hardest ones.
Official wording
By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades 6-8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
Writing W
10 standardsText Types and Purposes
W.7.1
Write an argument that states a claim, acknowledges the opposing view, backs each reason with credible evidence, and keeps a formal style through its conclusion.
Official wording
Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.aIntroduce claim(s), acknowledge alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.bSupport claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.cUse words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), reasons, and evidence.dEstablish and maintain a formal style.eProvide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.
W.7.2
Write an informative piece that previews its topic, sorts the facts by a plan like cause and effect, uses precise subject terms and a formal style, and concludes.
Official wording
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.aIntroduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information, using strategies such as definition, classification, comparison/contrast, and cause/effect; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.bDevelop the topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.cUse appropriate transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.dUse precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.eEstablish and maintain a formal style.fProvide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented.
W.7.3
Write a real or invented story with a set narrator and point of view, dialogue, pacing and sensory detail, transitions that mark time shifts, and a reflective ending.
Official wording
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.aEngage and orient the reader by establishing a context and point of view and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically.bUse narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, and description, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.cUse a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence and signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another.dUse precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events.eProvide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on the narrated experiences or events.
Production and Distribution of Writing
W.7.4
Write clearly and keep every piece organized, developed and styled for its purpose and readers, whether a lab report, a letter to the principal or a short story.
Official wording
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1-3 above.)
W.7.5
Plan, revise, edit and rewrite a draft with some help from classmates and adults, asking how well it serves its purpose and readers, and fix grammar through grade 7.
Official wording
With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1-3 up to and including grade 7 here.)
W.7.6
Write and publish online, add links to and citations for the sources you used, and use shared documents or comments to work with classmates.
Official wording
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and link to and cite sources as well as to interact and collaborate with others, including linking to and citing sources.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
W.7.7
Research a question across several sources in a short project, and let what you find spark new related questions worth looking into next.
Official wording
Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions for further research and investigation.
W.7.8
Pick good search terms to find print and online sources, check each for accuracy and reliability, and quote or paraphrase it with a citation in a format like MLA.
Official wording
Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
W.7.9
Bring evidence from literature and nonfiction into your own essays, like comparing a historical novel with a factual account or weighing an author's argument.
Official wording
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.aApply grade 7 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character and a historical account of the same period as a means of understanding how authors of fiction use or alter history").bApply grade 7 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g. "Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the claims").
Range of Writing
W.7.10
Write regularly in 7th grade, from research papers revised over weeks to a response finished in one class period, for science and history as well as English.
Official wording
Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Speaking and Listening SL
6 standardsComprehension and Collaboration
SL.7.1
Discuss 7th-grade texts having done the reading, cite evidence, keep the group on its goals and deadlines, draw others out, and change your mind when warranted.
Official wording
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.aCome to discussions prepared, having read or researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion.bFollow rules for collegial discussions, track progress toward specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed.cPose questions that elicit elaboration and respond to others' questions and comments with relevant observations and ideas that bring the discussion back on topic as needed.dAcknowledge new information expressed by others and, when warranted, modify their own views.
SL.7.2
Pick out the main ideas and supporting details in a chart, podcast, video or speech, and explain how they shed light on the topic or text the class is studying.
Official wording
Analyze the main ideas and supporting details presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how the ideas clarify a topic, text, or issue under study.
SL.7.3
Outline a speaker's argument and each claim in it, then judge whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is both on point and enough to prove the claim.
Official wording
Delineate a speaker's argument and specific claims, evaluating the soundness of the reasoning and the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
SL.7.4
Present your claims and findings in a focused way, spotlighting the key points with fitting facts and examples, with eye contact, enough volume and clear speech.
Official wording
Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with pertinent descriptions, facts, details, and examples; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.
SL.7.5
Use slides, charts, images or short clips in a presentation to make your claims and findings clearer and to drive home the most important points.
Official wording
Include multimedia components and visual displays in presentations to clarify claims and findings and emphasize salient points.
SL.7.6
Adjust how you speak to the situation, using formal English with full, correct sentences for a presentation or interview and relaxed talk with friends.
Official wording
Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate. (See grade 7 Language standards 1 and 3 here for specific expectations.)
Language L
6 standardsConventions of Standard English
L.7.1
Explain what phrases and clauses do in a sentence, choose among simple, compound, complex and compound-complex sentences, and fix misplaced or dangling modifiers.
Official wording
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.aExplain the function of phrases and clauses in general and their function in specific sentences.bChoose among simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences to signal differing relationships among ideas.cPlace phrases and clauses within a sentence, recognizing and correcting misplaced and dangling modifiers.*
L.7.2
Put a comma between coordinate adjectives, as in a fascinating, enjoyable movie but not in an old green shirt, and spell grade-level words correctly.
Official wording
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.aUse a comma to separate coordinate adjectives (e.g., It was a fascinating, enjoyable movie but not He wore an old[,] green shirt).bSpell correctly.
Knowledge of Language
L.7.3
Say things precisely and briefly, cutting wordy or repeated phrases like at this point in time down to now.
Official wording
Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.aChoose language that expresses ideas precisely and concisely, recognizing and eliminating wordiness and redundancy.*
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
L.7.4
Work out an unfamiliar 7th-grade word from its sentence, from Latin roots like bell in belligerent and rebel, or from a dictionary, then confirm the meaning.
Official wording
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 7 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.aUse context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word's position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.bUse common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., belligerent, bellicose, rebel).cConsult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning or its part of speech.dVerify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary).
L.7.5
Interpret allusions to literature, the Bible or myths, use synonyms, antonyms and analogies to pin down words, and tell apart polite, diplomatic and condescending.
Official wording
Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.aInterpret figures of speech (e.g., literary, biblical, and mythological allusions) in context.bUse the relationship between particular words (e.g., synonym/antonym, analogy) to better understand each of the words.cDistinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar denotations (definitions) (e.g., refined, respectful, polite, diplomatic, condescending).
L.7.6
Build and use a 7th grader's academic and subject vocabulary, like analyze or photosynthesis, and track down any word that is key to a text or to saying what you mean.
Official wording
Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
7th Grade Practice
Worksheet generators and printables already set up for this grade’s standards, free to use.
7th Grade ELA Standards: Questions
Common Core State Standards © Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved. Official wording from the Common Core State Standards PDFs at corestandards.org, last checked October 14, 2026. The plain-English lines on this page are EMStudio’s own explanations, shown beside the official wording. They are not part of the standard.