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Reading comprehension library

45 free printable reading passages with question sets, fiction and non-fiction, levelled from Grade 1 to Grade 8. Each builds the skills that matter: literal recall, inference, vocabulary in context and main idea, and comes with an answer key. Pick a grade to narrow the shelf, or browse the whole library. Print or save as a PDF, no login. How to teach comprehension.

Grade 1

Honeybees gathering nectar and yellow pollen from flowers near a wooden hive.
Bees at WorkGrade 1 · Non-fiction · 4 questionsLiteral recall
Milo finding his dog Biscuit holding the lost red mitten beside a snowy park tree.
The Lost MittenGrade 1 · Fiction · 4 questionsLiteral recallInference
Lila watching a large white moth rest on a red bucket beside night flowers.
The Moon MothGrade 1 · Fiction · 4 questionsLiteral recallInferenceVocabulary
Bea following a paper boat carrying a tiny green beetle along a rainwater stream.
The Paper Boat PassengerGrade 1 · Fiction · 4 questionsLiteral recallVocabulary
Tom happily showing his mother the baby tooth that came out when he bit an apple.
The Wobbly ToothGrade 1 · Fiction · 4 questionsLiteral recall
Sun warming the sea as water vapour rises and a cloud rains over a green hill and river.
Where Rain Comes FromGrade 1 · Non-fiction · 4 questionsLiteral recall

Grade 2

Emperor PenguinsGrade 2 · Non-fiction · 5 questionsLiteral recallVocabularyMain idea
KangaroosGrade 2 · Non-fiction · 5 questionsLiteral recall
The Lemonade StandGrade 2 · Fiction · 5 questionsLiteral recallInferenceVocabulary
Two children discovering a tiny green lizard beneath a reading chair in the school library.
The Library DragonGrade 2 · Fiction · 5 questionsLiteral recallInferenceVocabulary
Tomas and Leni discovering the moon reflected in a bucket of water in their evening garden.
The Moon in the BucketGrade 2 · Fiction · 5 questionsLiteral recallInferenceVocabulary
The Pancake PlanGrade 2 · Fiction · 5 questionsLiteral recallInferenceVocabulary

Grade 3

How a Volcano EruptsGrade 3 · Non-fiction · 5 questionsLiteral recall
Eli and his aunt noticing an orange scientific receiver secured inside a shallow seaside cave.
The Clock in the CaveGrade 3 · Fiction · 5 questionsLiteral recallInferenceVocabulary
Noah and Suri studying a purple hand-drawn map beside a vintage rocket lunchbox.
The Map in the LunchboxGrade 3 · Fiction · 5 questionsLiteral recallInference
The Quiet Library MysteryGrade 3 · Fiction · 5 questionsLiteral recallVocabulary
The Romans in BritainGrade 3 · Non-fiction · 5 questionsLiteral recallInferenceVocabulary
The Wrong BusGrade 3 · Fiction · 5 questionsLiteral recallInference
Why We Have SeasonsGrade 3 · Non-fiction · 5 questionsLiteral recall

Grade 4

Deserts: Life Without RainGrade 4 · Non-fiction · 5 questionsLiteral recall
The Go-Kart DerbyGrade 4 · Fiction · 5 questionsLiteral recallInference
The Great Barrier ReefGrade 4 · Non-fiction · 5 questionsLiteral recallInference
Imani examining an old brass railway signal lantern among boxes in her grandmother's attic.
The Lantern in the AtticGrade 4 · Fiction · 5 questionsLiteral recallInferenceVocabulary
Zara and her grandfather signalling from a lighthouse lantern room during a storm.
The Lighthouse CodeGrade 4 · Fiction · 5 questionsLiteral recallInferenceVocabulary
The Romans in BritainGrade 4 · Non-fiction · 6 questionsLiteral recallInferenceVocabularyMain idea
The UnderstudyGrade 4 · Fiction · 5 questionsLiteral recallInferenceVocabulary
Where the Fox HidGrade 4 · Fiction · 6 questionsLiteral recallInferenceVocabulary

Grade 5

From Clay to Keyboards: The Story of WritingGrade 5 · Non-fiction · 5 questionsLiteral recallVocabulary
Penicillin: The Lucky MouldGrade 5 · Non-fiction · 5 questionsLiteral recall
Sofia's class watching an archaeologist document an old cobbled lane uncovered beside the playground.
The City Beneath the PlaygroundGrade 5 · Fiction · 6 questionsLiteral recallInference
The Night the Lights Went OutGrade 5 · Fiction · 5 questionsLiteral recallVocabulary
Niko finding a curious octopus hiding inside a watering can at an aquarium.
The Octopus in Tank SevenGrade 5 · Fiction · 6 questionsLiteral recallInferenceVocabulary
The Signal in the StaticGrade 5 · Fiction · 5 questionsLiteral recallInference

Grade 6

How GPS Knows Where You AreGrade 6 · Non-fiction · 6 questionsLiteral recall
Invisible Rivers of the SkyGrade 6 · Non-fiction · 6 questionsLiteral recall
The FossilGrade 6 · Fiction · 6 questionsLiteral recallInference
Keira plotting mysterious radio coordinates on a map beside an old school radio receiver.
The Last Radio SignalGrade 6 · Fiction · 6 questionsLiteral recallInferenceVocabularyMain idea
Mei showing an elderly satellite engineer an old star atlas and its handwritten checkout card.
The Library Card from 1972Grade 6 · Fiction · 6 questionsLiteral recall
The Map DrawerGrade 6 · Fiction · 6 questionsLiteral recallInference

Grade 7

The Hidden Network Beneath the ForestGrade 7 · Non-fiction · 6 questionsLiteral recallInferenceVocabularyMain idea
Mateo recording sound inside a supervised anechoic chamber lined with grey acoustic wedges.
The Quietest Room in the CityGrade 7 · Fiction · 6 questionsLiteral recallInference
The UnderstudyGrade 7 · Fiction · 6 questionsLiteral recallInferenceVocabularyMain idea

Grade 8

Noor and Caleb comparing an old council register with school newspaper proofs in their newsroom.
The Last EditionGrade 8 · Fiction · 6 questionsLiteral recallInferenceMain idea
The RepairGrade 8 · Fiction · 6 questionsLiteral recallMain idea
Why Some Neighborhoods Run Hotter Than OthersGrade 8 · Non-fiction · 6 questionsLiteral recallInferenceVocabularyMain idea

Reading fluency passages

Shorter passages for building reading rate and expression, grouped by grade. Comprehension needs fluent reading first, so these pair well with the library above.

Grade 1

The Red KiteFluency passage · answer keyAll About FrogsFluency passage · answer key

Grade 2

The SandcastleFluency passage · answer keyHow Ants LiveFluency passage · answer key

Grade 3

The Loose FloorboardFluency passage · answer keyWhy Leaves Change ColourFluency passage · answer key

Grade 4

The Substitute GoalieFluency passage · answer keyThe Water CycleFluency passage · answer key

Grade 5

The Locked BicycleFluency passage · answer keyThe Deep SeaFluency passage · answer key

Grade 6

The Understudy ViolinFluency passage · answer keyHow Vaccines Train the BodyFluency passage · answer key

Need a passage on a specific topic?

Generate an original reading passage on any subject and grade, with comprehension questions and an answer key.

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Reading comprehension FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is a reading comprehension worksheet?

A short passage followed by questions that check whether a child understood what they read, not just decoded the words. ChalkBee's cover both fiction and non-fiction, with an answer key, levelled from Grade 1 to Grade 8.

Are these free to print?

Yes. Every passage is free to view, print or save as a PDF, with no login. The answer key is included.

How do I pick the right level?

Start at the child's grade. If they answer the literal questions easily but stumble on inference, that grade is right for building comprehension. Drop a level if decoding the passage is a struggle, comprehension needs fluent reading first.

How should I use them?

Read the passage together first, then have the child answer independently. Mix in the inference and main-idea questions, not just the right-there ones. See our guide on how to teach reading comprehension for a simple weekly routine.