ISEE Primary 3 — Reading
For children applying to grade 3. Short stories and information passages, with questions on the main idea, details, inference and word meaning. 24 questions in 28 minutes.
- Grades:
- Grade 2
Series pass $14.99/month for the whole family · the first round and its summary are free, no card needed
Next official date
Date to be announced
What Primary 3 covers
Reading for children applying to grade 3 (now in grade 2): short stories and information passages about animals, science, history and everyday life, with questions on the main idea, details, inference and word meaning. 24 questions in 28 minutes.
Unit questions open after sign-in with a Series pass. Each child's first round is free, with its summary.
Understanding the Passage
What the passage says and what it is about.
1 unit
- Main Idea & Details — Main idea: what is the WHOLE passage about? Details: go back and find the exact sentence.
Thinking About the Passage
What the passage suggests and what its words mean.
2 units
- Inference — Use clues from the story plus what you know. Ask: which sentence makes me think this?
- Word Meaning — Put each choice in place of the word and reread the sentence.
More topics
Further topics from the exam's official scope.
1 unit
Moving up to Primary 4
- Cover at least 80% of this Level's knowledge points, with at least 50% of them mastered (confirmed by spaced review, not one good day).
- Pass 2 full-length practice exams on different papers, at least 7 days apart, within 60 days.
- Answer at a steady pace: a median of 70 seconds a question or less.
- Or, when the signs are there, take the next Level's entry check: 75% or more moves up straight away.
A sample question from Primary 3
Read the passage, then answer the question. Cactuses grow in hot, dry deserts. Their thick stems store water for a long time. Sharp spines protect them from thirsty animals. Their roots spread out wide to soak up rain quickly when it falls. Which is the best title for this passage?
Answer: Made for the Desert
Worked solution
- Every detail shows how cactuses fit desert life.
- 'Sharp Things' covers only the spines.
Read-only. Every other question opens after sign-in; each child's first round is free.
Questions families ask
- What does Prep cover for ISEE Reading Comprehension?
- Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level. Each Level has its own chapter map, practice rounds, sealed practice exams with every answer and worked solution at the end, and a published gate to the next Level.
- When is the next ISEE Reading Comprehension date?
- The next official date has not been announced yet. We update the page as soon as the organizer publishes it.
- How much does it cost?
- Each child's first round and its summary are free, with no card needed. After that, a Series pass is $14.99 a month for the whole family (up to 5 people) and covers every Level of the Series, so moving up never meets a new paywall.
- Does Prep guarantee a score?
- No. Prep shows exactly what your child has mastered, what comes next and when they are ready for the next Level. Nobody can promise a contest result.