Free English Assessment for Children
Comprehension, grammar, spelling and vocabulary — benchmarked internationally
What is assessed
By age group
International benchmarks
Scores are mapped against the following frameworks:
- UK National Curriculum KS1–KS4
- Cambridge IGCSE English
- PISA reading literacy
- IB English Language & Literature
Read the full methodology on the Methodology page.
Sample questions
Click any question to reveal the answer.
Reading comprehensionThe ancient temple was shrouded in mystery, its stones worn smooth by centuries of rain. What does "shrouded" most likely mean in this sentence?
- A) lit up brightly
- B) surrounded or hidden
- C) recently constructed
- D) carefully decorated
B — "Shrouded" means surrounded or hidden, as in covered by mist or secrecy.
GrammarChoose the correctly punctuated sentence.
- A) The children, who were tired went home early.
- B) The children, who were tired, went home early.
- C) The children who, were tired went home early.
- D) The children who were tired, went home early.
B — The non-restrictive clause 'who were tired' must be enclosed in commas on both sides.
VocabularyWhich word is closest in meaning to "benevolent"?
- A) hostile
- B) cautious
- C) kind
- D) energetic
C — Benevolent means well-meaning and kind.
How scores work
Eduentry uses a standardised scale with a mean of 100 and standard deviation of 15 — the same scale used by Wechsler, NFER, and most UK standardised assessments.
| Score range | Classification | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| 120+ | Exceptional | Top 9% |
| 110–119 | Above Average | 75th–91st |
| 95–109 | Average | 37th–63rd |
| 85–94 | Below Average | 16th–36th |
| <85 | Needs Support | Below 16th |
Other subjects
Related reading
Frequently asked questions
Is the English assessment free?
Yes, completely free for all families — no subscriptions, hidden charges, or premium tiers. Every family receives the full adaptive assessment and standardised score report at no cost.
What English skills does the assessment cover?
The assessment covers reading comprehension, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and vocabulary. Questions are adaptively calibrated to your child's age and level using Item Response Theory.
How long does the English assessment take?
The English section contains 15 adaptive questions with a 30-minute total section time limit (2 minutes per question). Most children complete the section in 20–25 minutes.
What score will my child receive?
Your child receives a standardised score with a mean of 100 and standard deviation of 15 — the same scale used by NFER, GL Assessment, and CAT4. A score of 115 places your child in the top 16%; 130 in the top 2%.
How to prepare
- 1
Read a mix of genres daily — fiction, news, and non-fiction. PISA research shows reading for pleasure is the single strongest predictor of reading scores.
- 2
Learn the grammar terms: noun, verb, adjective, adverb, conjunction, clause. Most comprehension questions use them in their wording.
- 3
Build vocabulary systematically: one new word per day, used in a sentence. Apps like Anki work well for spaced repetition.
- 4
Practise spotting punctuation rules — apostrophes for possession vs. contraction are the most commonly tested.
- 5
Time yourself on reading passages: 2 minutes to read, 1 minute per question. Speed matters at KS3 and above.
Try the free English assessment
Takes 5–8 minutes per subject. Instant standardised score and percentile ranking.
Start free assessment