Placement guide, language arts
Which level of Fix It! Grammar should my child start?
How Fix It! Grammar levels line up with school grades, how to choose a level without a placement test, what to do if your child lands between two levels, and the mistakes parents most often make.
The short answer. Books are named by level and story, not by grade. IEW says any student with little or no grammar background starts at Level 1 regardless of age, so a 7th grader in Level 1 is expected. IEW recommends starting the series at about age 9 or 4th grade. Each level is a full year, and the current edition launched in 2022, so used copies from before then are a different edition.
Fix It! Grammar has no formal placement test, so the level comes from the publisher's guidance below. If you are not sure where your child really is, check their level first: it is quicker than a wrong book.
Fix It! Grammar levels and the grades they usually suit
| Level | Usually suits grade | Main topics |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1: Nose Tree | 4 and up | Assumes no prior grammar. Basic parts of speech, end marks, phrases, clauses, homophones. |
| Level 2: Town Mouse and Country Mouse | Not given by the publisher | Continues parts of speech, adds basic comma and capitalization rules, introduces complex sentence patterns. |
| Level 3: Robin Hood | Not given by the publisher | Refines earlier concepts, adds comma rules, phrases and clauses, quotation punctuation, indefinite, demonstrative and reflexive pronouns. |
| Level 4: Mowgli and Shere Khan | Not given by the publisher | More punctuation rules, essential and nonessential clauses, complex sentence patterns, transitional prepositional openers. IEW names it a good start for high schoolers with some grammar. |
| Level 5: Frog Prince | Not given by the publisher | Verb types, noun functions, pronoun cases, the grammatical roles of clauses and phrases. |
| Level 6: Little Mermaid | Not given by the publisher | Verbals, active and passive voice, parallelism, advanced punctuation. |
Grades are the publisher's own guide. Many children sit a level above or below, especially after switching programs.
How to choose a Fix It! Grammar level
- There is no placement test.
- IEW says to read the book descriptions and the free student sample pages for each level on its Fix It! page and place the student where the grammar is new.
- Students with little or no grammar background begin at Level 1 regardless of age.
- For high schoolers with some grammar knowledge, IEW names Level 4 as a good starting point.
- IEW also offers three free weeks of lessons to try the program.
If your child lands between two levels
IEW gives no score rule. Its 2022 launch slides say a family that buys the wrong level can return it under the satisfaction guarantee and buy the right one. A reviewer (Cathy Duffy Reviews) notes that starting past Level 1 means teaching the marking system and reviewing earlier grammar first, and that it is usually easier to begin with Level 1.
Problems parents often run into
- Some parents report the daily rewrite step, copying the corrected passage into a notebook, is tedious for their children.
- Parents are unsure whether to start an older child at Level 1. Reviews and forums mostly say yes unless the child has had a lot of grammar.
- Starting too far into the series can overwhelm a student, since later levels assume the marking system and earlier rules.
- A parent still needs to go over each week's new concept with the child, even though the daily work is short.
Point of Progress in 20 seconds
Ready to see where your child stands?
See where they stand →Switching to Fix It! Grammar from another program
- Coming from another grammar program, read the samples for Levels 1 to 4 and start where the content is new. IEW's general rule still puts students with little grammar at Level 1.
- Placement tests for students switching in existed for the earlier edition. A reseller (Exodus Books) notes they are no longer on IEW's website.
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
How long is a Fix It! Grammar lesson?
15 minutes a day
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
- iew.com/fix
- iew.com/fix-info
- iew.com/sites/default/files/Announcing_Fix_It_Grammar_Improved_Editon_
- iew.com/support/blog/introducing-new-fix-it-grammar
- iew.com/support/blog/learn-about-new-fix-it-grammar-fourth-edition-pod
- cathyduffyreviews.com/homeschool-reviews-core-curricula/composition-an
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.