Quick Reading Level Test
Morrison-McCall Reading Test
Parents, please also see Literacy Assessments!
Ask your child to spell/write these words on paper. Stop after 4 consecutive errors. Before the 4 incorrect in a row, the last word spelled correctly is the child’s approximate reading level decoding-wise. Comprehension is another story! 🙂
GL (Grade Level) refers to grade and month; for example, 1.5 is the fifth month of grade 1.
Say the word, say it in a sentence, and repeat the word. Good Luck!
The scoring scale attached to the sentences below is the universal scale for all 8 of the Morrison-McCall Spelling Lists.
quick reading level test
0. No words spelled correctly. GL 1.0 age 7
1. run The boy can run. run GL 1.3
2. top The top will spin. top GL 1.5
3. red My apple is red. red GL 1.7
4. book I lost my book. book GL 1.8
5. sea The sea is rough. sea GL 1.9
6. play I will play with you. play GL 2.0
7. lay Lay the book down. lay GL 2.1 8 years old
8. led He led the horse to the barn. led GL 2.2
9. add Add these figures. add GL 2.3
10. alike These books are alike. alike GL 2.4
11. mine That bicycle is mine. mine GL 2.5
12. with Mary will go with you. with GL 2.6
13. easy Our lessons are not easy. easy GL 2.7
14. shut Please shut the door. shut GL 2.9 9 years old
15. done Has he done the work? done GL 3.1
16. body The chest is part of the body. body GL 3.3
17. anyway I shall go anyway. anyway GL 3.4
18. omit Please omit the last verse. omit GL 3.5
19. fifth This is my fifth trip. fifth GL 3.6
20. reason Give a reason for being late. reason GL 3.9 10 years old
21. perfect This is a perfect day. perfect GL 4.1
22. friend She is my friend. friend GL 4.2
23. getting I am getting tired. getting GL 4.3
24. nearly Nearly all the candy is gone. nearly GL 4.5
25. desire I have no desire to go. desire GL 4.7
26. arrange Please arrange a meeting for me. arrange GL 4.9 11 years old
27. written I have written four letters. written GL 5.1
28. search Search for your book. search GL 5.2
29. popular He is a popular boy. popular GL 5.4
30. interest Show some interest in your work. interest GL 5.6
31. pleasant She is very pleasant. pleasant GL 5.8 12 years old
32. therefore Therefore I cannot go. therefore GL 6.0
33. folks My folks have gone away. folks GL 6.2
34. celebration There will be a celebration today. celebration GL 6.4
35. minute Wait a minute, please. minute GL 6.6
36. divide Divide this number by ten. divide GL 6.8 13 years old
37. necessary It is necessary for you to study. necessary GL 7.0
38. height What is your height? height GL 7.3
39. reference He made reference to the lesson. reference GL 7.5
40. career Her career as a doctor was long. career GL 7.7 14 years old
41. character He has good character. character GL 8.0
42. separate Separate these papers. separate GL 8.4
43. committee The committee is small. committee GL 8.8
44. annual This is the annual meeting. annual GL 9.3 15 years old
45. principle The theory is wrong in principle. principle GL 9.9
46. immense The man carried an immense load. immense GL 10.5
47. judgment The teacher’s judgment is good. judgment GL 11.2 16 years old
48. acquaintance He is an acquaintance of mine. acquaintance GL 11.7
49. discipline The army discipline was strict. discipline GL 12.5
50. lieutenant He is a lieutenant in the army. lieutenant GL College Freshman 17 years old