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Year 3 English worksheets, free with answers.

Five printable worksheets from the Year 3 English topics in the New Zealand Curriculum. Ten questions each, an answer page and an explanation for every answer.

Updated 4 November 2026. Written and checked by the Study Compass team.

Each worksheet starts with two easy questions and finishes with two hard ones, so most Year 3 children can begin on their own and will have to think by the end. The harder questions often give a short piece of writing to read first. The answers print on a separate page, with a short explanation for every question, so you can mark it together.

A good habit: for two or three answers, ask your child to point to the word or sentence that told them. If they can't find it, the explanation shows where to look.

On this page

Subject and verb agree

Study Compass · Year 3 english

Subject and verb agree: worksheet 1

Name Date Score / 10

The questions get harder as you go. Circle the letter of your answer, or write it on the line.

  1. 1

    Which word fits? "The baby ___ loudly."

    • Acry
    • Bcries
  2. 2

    Which word fits? "The frogs ___ into the pond."

    • Ajumps
    • Bjump
  3. 3

    Which word fits? "Ava ___ her bike to the shop."

    • Aride
    • Brides
  4. 4

    Which word fits? "The rabbits ___ across the paddock."

    • Ahops
    • Bhop
  5. 5

    Which word fits? "Mum and Dad ___ dinner together."

    • Acooks
    • Bcook
  6. 6

    Which word fits? "The people on the train ___ quiet."

    • Ais
    • Bare
  7. 7

    Fix this sentence: "The boys plays football at lunch." Which is correct?

    • AThe boys play football at lunch.
    • BThe boys is play football at lunch.
    • CThe boys playing football at lunch.
  8. 8

    Which word fits? "The children in my class ___ to the library on Fridays."

    • Agoes
    • Bgo
  9. 9

    "Jai and his sister walk to school. Their dog follow them to the gate. Then it trots home." Which verb is wrong?

    • Afollow
    • Bwalk
    • Ctrots
  10. 10

    How many verbs need fixing? "The birds sings in the morning. Then they flies away. A magpie watches them."

Study Compass · Year 3 english

Answers: Subject and verb agree: worksheet 1

  1. B: cries The baby is one, so the verb takes an s: the baby cries.
  2. B: jump Frogs means more than one, so the verb has no s: the frogs jump.
  3. B: rides Ava is one person, so the verb takes an s: Ava rides.
  4. B: hop Rabbits means more than one, so the verb has no s: the rabbits hop.
  5. B: cook Mum and Dad are two people, so the verb has no s: Mum and Dad cook.
  6. B: are People means more than one person, so we use are.
  7. A: The boys play football at lunch. Boys means more than one, so the verb has no s: the boys play.
  8. B: go The subject is the children, which means more than one, so the verb is go.
  9. A: follow Their dog is one dog, so it should be follows. Walk is right for Jai and his sister, and trots is right for it.
  10. 2 Sings should be sing, and flies should be fly, because birds and they mean more than one. Watches is right for one magpie.

Syllables

Study Compass · Year 3 english

Syllables: worksheet 1

Name Date Score / 10

The questions get harder as you go. Circle the letter of your answer, or write it on the line.

  1. 1

    How many syllables are in "cat"?

    • A1
    • B2
    • C3
  2. 2

    How many syllables are in "pencil"?

    • A1
    • B2
    • C3
  3. 3

    How many syllables are in "dinosaur"?

    • A2
    • B3
    • C4
  4. 4

    How many syllables are in "helicopter"?

    • A3
    • B4
    • C5
  5. 5

    Find the misspelt word: "I can't rember where I put my hat."

    • Arember
    • Bwhere
    • Chat
  6. 6

    Which spelling is right? "Sleep is ___ for growing bodies."

    • Aimportent
    • Bimpotant
    • Cimportant
  7. 7

    Find the misspelt word: "Our class went to the musium on Friday."

    • Amusium
    • Bclass
    • CFriday
  8. 8

    Which spelling is right? "Every snowflake is ___."

    • Adifferent
    • Bdiffrent
    • Cdiferent
  9. 9

    Which food word has the most syllables?

    • Aavocado
    • Bpizza
    • Csandwich
    • Dspaghetti
  10. 10

    Which group of words ALL have three syllables?

    • Abanana, dinosaur, tomato
    • Bbanana, apple, carrot
    • Cdinosaur, caterpillar, cat
Study Compass · Year 3 english

Answers: Syllables: worksheet 1

  1. A: 1 Cat is one beat, so it has one syllable.
  2. B: 2 Pen, cil. Two beats.
  3. B: 3 Di, no, saur. Three beats.
  4. B: 4 Hel, i, cop, ter. Four beats.
  5. A: rember Remember has three beats: re, mem, ber. Rember skips the middle beat.
  6. C: important Im, por, tant. The last chunk is t, a, n, t.
  7. A: musium Say it slowly: mu, se, um. The middle chunk is spelt s, e, so the word is museum.
  8. A: different Said slowly, it is dif, fer, ent. Say the middle beat, fer, and keep the double f.
  9. A: avocado A, vo, ca, do has four beats. Spaghetti has three, and sandwich and pizza have two.
  10. A: banana, dinosaur, tomato Ba-na-na, di-no-saur and to-ma-to each have three beats.

Kinds of text

Study Compass · Year 3 english

Kinds of text: worksheet 1

Name Date Score / 10

The questions get harder as you go. Circle the letter of your answer, or write it on the line.

  1. 1

    "Step 1: Put the bread in the toaster." What kind of text is this from?

    • Aa poem
    • Ba story
    • Cinstructions
  2. 2

    "A cat called Pat sat on the mat, / She was round and fat and liked to chat." What kind of text is this?

    • Ainstructions
    • Ba fact sheet
    • Ca poem
  3. 3

    Which is a clue that a text is a set of instructions?

    • AIt has characters who talk.
    • BIt has rhyming words.
    • CIt has numbered steps.
  4. 4

    Which is a clue that a text is persuasive?

    • AIt has numbered steps.
    • BIt tells what happened to a character.
    • CIt uses strong words like best and must.
  5. 5

    "Every child should learn to swim. Swimming keeps you safe at the beach, and it is great exercise." Why does the writer think every child should learn to swim?

    • AThe beach is far away.
    • BIt keeps you safe and it is great exercise.
    • CSwimming is boring.
  6. 6

    "Then, stir the mixture until it is smooth." Which word tells you this is one step in an order?

    • Amixture
    • Buntil
    • CThen
    • Dsmooth
  7. 7

    "Dear Principal, I think our school needs a vegetable garden. Students could learn how plants grow, and we could use the vegetables in the canteen. Please say yes!" What is the purpose of this letter?

    • Ato persuade the principal to start a garden
    • Bto tell a story about a garden
    • Cto give instructions for planting vegetables
    • Dto thank the principal
  8. 8

    A writer wants to persuade Year 3 kids to join the school choir. Which sentence is best for that?

    • AJoin the choir and sing your favourite songs with your friends!
    • BStep 1: Open your mouth.
    • COnce there was a girl who sang.
    • DThe choir has 20 members.
  9. 9

    "Possums are nocturnal, which means they are awake at night. They eat leaves, flowers and fruit. If a possum lives in your roof, call a wildlife helper. Do not try to catch it yourself." This text gives facts. What else does it do?

    • AIt is a poem that rhymes.
    • BIt tells you what to do.
    • CIt tells a story about a possum.
    • DIt tries to sell you a possum.
  10. 10

    "Last Saturday, our class went to the aquarium. First, we saw the sharks. After lunch, we touched a starfish. It was the best day ever!" What kind of text is this?

    • Asomeone telling about a real trip they went on
    • Binstructions for visiting an aquarium
    • Ca fact sheet about sharks
    • Dan advertisement for the aquarium
Study Compass · Year 3 english

Answers: Kinds of text: worksheet 1

  1. C: instructions Instructions. Step 1 shows it is the first step, and Put tells you what to do.
  2. C: a poem A poem. The lines rhyme: Pat, mat, fat and chat.
  3. C: It has numbered steps. It has numbered steps. Instructions use numbers so you do things in order.
  4. C: It uses strong words like best and must. It uses strong words like best and must. Persuasive texts try to make you agree or do something.
  5. B: It keeps you safe and it is great exercise. It keeps you safe and it is great exercise. The second sentence gives the writer's reasons: swimming keeps you safe at the beach, and it is great exercise.
  6. C: Then Then. Words like first, next, then and finally put instructions in order.
  7. A: to persuade the principal to start a garden To persuade the principal to start a garden. The writer gives an opinion, two reasons and then asks: Please say yes!
  8. A: Join the choir and sing your favourite songs with your friends! Join the choir and sing your favourite songs with your friends! It tells kids what to do and makes it sound fun.
  9. B: It tells you what to do. It tells you what to do. The last two sentences use bossy verbs, call and do not try, to tell you what to do if a possum is in your roof.
  10. A: someone telling about a real trip they went on Someone telling about a real trip they went on. It says what happened, in order, on a day that really happened: last Saturday.

Writing a story

Study Compass · Year 3 english

Writing a story: worksheet 1

Name Date Score / 10

The questions get harder as you go. Circle the letter of your answer, or write it on the line.

  1. 1

    A story mountain has three parts. Which part is at the top of the mountain?

    • Athe ending
    • Bthe problem
    • Cthe beginning
  2. 2

    Which part of a story fixes the problem?

    • Athe problem
    • Bthe ending
    • Cthe beginning
  3. 3

    In which part of a story do you usually meet the main character for the first time?

    • Athe ending
    • Bthe problem
    • Cthe beginning
  4. 4

    "At last, the lost puppy was back home, curled up in its warm basket." Which part of a story is this?

    • Athe problem
    • Bthe ending
    • Cthe beginning
  5. 5

    Which sentence best shows that Isla is happy?

    • AIsla's dress was blue.
    • BIsla looked at the clock.
    • CIsla jumped up and down, grinning from ear to ear.
    • DIsla sat on a chair.
  6. 6

    Which sentence uses describing words best to help you picture the setting?

    • AThere was a shed in the yard.
    • BThe old, creaky shed smelled of damp wood and dust.
    • CThe shed was there.
    • DJake went to the shed.
  7. 7

    Read: "Ollie looked out the window. The sky was grey. Suddenly, a huge gust of wind ripped the roof off the cubby house!" Which sentence starts the problem?

    • AThe sky was grey.
    • BSuddenly, a huge gust of wind ripped the roof off the cubby house!
    • COllie looked out the window.
  8. 8

    Put these in order: "Finally, Hana carried the chickens home and fixed the fence." "One cold morning, Hana noticed the chickens were missing." "At the creek, she found the chickens hiding under a bush." "Then she followed a trail of feathers to the creek." Which happens third?

    • AOne cold morning, Hana noticed the chickens were missing.
    • BFinally, Hana carried the chickens home and fixed the fence.
    • CAt the creek, she found the chickens hiding under a bush.
    • DThen she followed a trail of feathers to the creek.
  9. 9

    Three of these sentences belong in the beginning of a story. Which one does NOT?

    • AIt was a frosty morning in the mountains.
    • BSuddenly, the bridge began to crack under their feet.
    • CThey were walking along a narrow track near a rushing river.
    • DIvy and her brother Tom were hiking with their dad.
  10. 10

    Ned's family is having a picnic when seagulls steal all their sandwiches. Which ending fixes the problem in a way that makes sense?

    • ANed's family packed up and bought fish and chips, then ate them in the car with the windows shut.
    • BThen the seagulls stole their drinks too.
    • CA friendly dragon flew down and gave them a basket of new sandwiches.
    • DNed's family had a picnic at the park.
Study Compass · Year 3 english

Answers: Writing a story: worksheet 1

  1. B: the problem The top of the mountain is the exciting part, where something goes wrong. That is the problem.
  2. B: the ending The ending is where the problem gets fixed, as we come back down the mountain.
  3. C: the beginning The beginning tells you who the story is about, so that is where you meet the main character.
  4. B: the ending The puppy was lost, and now it is home. The problem is fixed, so this is the ending.
  5. C: Isla jumped up and down, grinning from ear to ear. Jumping up and down and grinning are things people do when they are happy.
  6. B: The old, creaky shed smelled of damp wood and dust. Old, creaky and damp help you see, hear and smell the shed.
  7. B: Suddenly, a huge gust of wind ripped the roof off the cubby house! Losing the cubby house roof is the thing that goes wrong. Suddenly is a clue that something is about to happen.
  8. C: At the creek, she found the chickens hiding under a bush. The order is: the chickens go missing, then she follows the feathers to the creek, at the creek she finds them, and finally she takes them home. So finding them is third.
  9. B: Suddenly, the bridge began to crack under their feet. The other three tell you when, who and where. The cracking bridge is something going wrong, so it belongs in the problem.
  10. A: Ned's family packed up and bought fish and chips, then ate them in the car with the windows shut. They get new food and keep it safe from the seagulls. That fixes the problem, and it could really happen.

Kinds of verbs

Study Compass · Year 3 english

Kinds of verbs: worksheet 1

Name Date Score / 10

The questions get harder as you go. Circle the letter of your answer, or write it on the line.

  1. 1

    Which word is the verb? "Our cat sleeps all day."

    • Acat
    • Bday
    • COur
    • Dsleeps
  2. 2

    Which word is a doing verb?

    • Ablue
    • Bswim
    • Ctable
  3. 3

    Which word is a thinking verb?

    • Ahopped
    • Byelled
    • Cbelieved
  4. 4

    Which word is the verb? "Mia painted a picture."

    • Apainted
    • BMia
    • Cpicture
  5. 5

    Which word is a saying verb? "The teacher explained the game."

    • Aexplained
    • Bgame
    • Cteacher
  6. 6

    Which pair are both saying verbs?

    • Ashouted, replied
    • Bthought, shouted
    • Cran, replied
  7. 7

    Tom is scared and needs help fast. Choose the best saying verb: "Help me!" ___ Tom.

    • Amuttered
    • Bwhispered
    • Cscreamed
  8. 8

    Which sentence has a feeling verb?

    • AKim asked a question.
    • BKim walked home.
    • CKim enjoyed the concert.
    • DKim is ten.
  9. 9

    Which sentence uses a saying verb?

    • AElla wished for a puppy.
    • BElla was tired.
    • CElla muttered under her breath.
    • DElla grinned at her friend.
  10. 10

    Which word is the verb in this sentence? "The wind howled through the trees."

    • Athrough
    • Btrees
    • Cwind
    • Dhowled
Study Compass · Year 3 english

Answers: Kinds of verbs: worksheet 1

  1. D: sleeps Sleeps tells what the cat does, so it is the verb.
  2. B: swim Swim is an action you can do, so it is a doing verb. Blue is a colour and table is a thing.
  3. C: believed Believing happens inside your head, so believed is a thinking verb.
  4. A: painted Painted tells what Mia did, so it is the verb.
  5. A: explained Explaining is done by talking, so explained is a saying verb.
  6. A: shouted, replied Shouted and replied are both ways of speaking. Ran is a doing verb and thought is a thinking verb.
  7. C: screamed Tom is scared and needs help quickly, so he would say it very loudly. Screamed fits best.
  8. C: Kim enjoyed the concert. Enjoyed tells how Kim felt, so it is a feeling verb.
  9. C: Ella muttered under her breath. Muttered means spoke quietly and crossly, so it is a saying verb.
  10. D: howled Howled tells what the wind did, so it is the verb.

The full set for Year 3

With a subscription you can print up to three worksheets for each of the 24 Year 3 English topics from Grown-ups > Worksheets. Every sheet has its own answer page. These are the topics:

Grammar and punctuation

  • Subject and verb agree
  • Kinds of verbs
  • Tense and time words
  • Paragraphs
  • Words with two meanings
  • Strong and soft words
  • Nouns: naming words
  • Pronouns
  • Longer sentences

Spelling

  • Syllables
  • Prefixes and suffixes
  • Tricky letter patterns
  • Homophones

Reading

  • Kinds of text
  • Finding the answer
  • Reading between the lines
  • Headings and pictures
  • Characters and settings
  • Rhyme and rhythm
  • Reading smoothly

Writing

  • Writing a story
  • Writing to persuade
  • Same topic, different readers
  • Checking and fixing your writing

Print every Year 3 worksheet. The subscription comes with short daily maths and English lessons for your child's year, the full worksheet set and a parent view of what's going well. The first 14 days are free.

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