Placement guide, language arts
Which level of Explode the Code should my child start?
How Explode the Code levels line up with school grades, how its placement test works, what to do if your child lands between two levels, and the mistakes parents most often make.
The short answer. Book numbers are not grades, and the half books (1½, 2½ and so on) are extra practice on the same skills, not a step up. The whole series ends at Book 8, which EPS pitches at about grades 2-4, so for grades 3-10 this is a catch-up tool for decoding gaps, not grade-level work. Books A, B and C come before Book 1, not after it.
Use the publisher's own placement tool to choose the level (paid, print booklet). If you are not sure where your child really is, or the result surprises you, check the level first: it is quicker than a wrong book.
Explode the Code levels and the grades they usually suit
| Level | Usually suits grade | Main topics |
|---|---|---|
| Books A, B, C (Get Ready, Get Set, Go for the Code) | PreK-1 | Pre-reading primers: initial consonant sounds (Book A starts with b, f, k, m, r, t), letter formation, phonemic awareness. Together the three teach the 21 consonants. Listed for context only. |
| Book 1 | 1-3 | Short vowels a, i, u, e, o, including short a with final consonants |
| Book 2 | 1-3 | Initial and final consonant blends |
| Book 3 | 1-3 | Long vowels in open syllables and silent-e, y as a vowel, consonant and vowel digraphs and trigraphs |
| Book 4 | 1-3 | Compound words, common word endings, syllable types, syllable division with 2- and 3-syllable words |
| Book 5 | 2-4 | Sounds of -ed, words ending in -ey, word families, 3-letter blends, qu words |
| Book 6 | 2-4 | R-controlled vowels, silent letters (-igh), vowel diphthongs |
| Book 7 | 2-4 | Soft c and g, silent letters, sounds of ear, ei and eigh words |
| Book 8 | 2-4 | Suffixes and endings such as -ness, -less, -ous, -ity, -ture, -ment, -able, -ible, -sion, -tion, -ance, -ence, -ify, -ize. The last book in the series. |
| Half books 1½ to 6½ | Not given by the publisher | Extra practice on the same skills as the whole-numbered book (1½ practices Book 1, and so on). Not a new level. |
Grades are the publisher's own guide. Many children sit a level above or below, especially after switching programs.
How Explode the Code placement works
- EPS sells a separate placement test booklet with reproducible forms covering Books A-C and 1-8.
- A teacher or parent gives four required tests and two optional ones: primer-level tests check phonemic awareness and sound-letter knowledge, elementary and intermediate tests check spelling and reading, and the optional tests cover word identification and syllable division.
- A scoring and placement guide turns the results into a starting book and points to weak skill areas.
- As a free alternative, EPS says to match the child's skills to the skills introduced in each book using its online scope and sequence.
Open the publisher's placement page
If your child lands between two levels
Use the half book for the level just finished when a child needs more practice on that skill before moving on. EPS publishes no rule for choosing between two books beyond the placement guide and the scope and sequence.
Problems parents often run into
- Parents report it can feel repetitive and boring at times, since each book drills one set of phonics patterns on workbook pages.
- Parents report it works poorly before handwriting is comfortable, because almost every exercise is written.
- Most families use it as a supplement. Used as the main phonics program, it needs separate reading practice from other books.
- Some children need adult help to work out what the small black-and-white pictures are meant to show.
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See where they stand →Switching to Explode the Code from another program
- Families also use it with older children who have a weak phonics foundation (Cathy Duffy Reviews). Pick the book whose skills match the first gap, using the scope and sequence.
- After Book 8 there is no further Explode the Code level. The separate Beyond the Code workbooks (Levels 1-4, grades 2-4) add reading comprehension and thinking skills.
When you don't need a whole level
A placement test answers one question: which book. If your child is mostly on track but shaky in one area, say fractions or paragraph writing, a full lower level means months of review they do not need. Practising just the gaps is faster, and keeps them in the book that fits the rest of their skills.
Questions parents ask
Is it bad if my child places below their grade?
No. Programs pace topics differently, so a lower level often reflects the order things were taught, not how able a child is. What matters is starting where the work makes sense.
Do I need a placement test at all?
If you are switching programs or your child has had a hard year, yes. Starting too high is the most common reason a new curriculum stalls in the first month.
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Sources
- shop.epslearning.com/Explode-The-Code-Placement-Test-Book-2nd-Edition-
- support.epslearning.com/how-do-i-know-where-to-start-a-student-in-expl
- support.epslearning.com/explode-the-code-scope-and-sequence
- shop.epslearning.com/Explode-The-Code-Book-8-Literacy-Phonics-2nd-Edit
- shop.epslearning.com/Explode-The-Code-Get-Ready-for-the-Code-Literacy-
- shop.epslearning.com/popular/explode-the-code/beyond-the-code
Know where they stand before you buy the book.
About forty minutes at home, math and reading & writing, grades 3 to 10. The report is ready as soon as the test finishes.
Test your child, $9.99 →or with the ten-week workbook, $19.99This page is Point of Progress's own research, compiled in November 2026 from publishers' websites, placement materials and parent reviews. Publishers update their products, levels, placement tests and prices from time to time, so please verify all information with the provider before you buy. Point of Progress is independent and is not affiliated with any publisher named here.