English in Year 3: what Lärkompis practises
In Year 3 of Swedish school (around age 9), Lärkompis practises 6 skills in English, linked to 7 of 11 items in the core content of Lgr22, the Swedish national curriculum, for Years 1–3. The areas are speaking, writing and conversation – production and interaction; listening and reading – reception; and communication content. Each skill has five difficulty levels, and the skills are practised in 7 mini-games, including Glosjakt (Vocab Hunt), Dörren med ordet (The Word Door) and Minikorsordet (Mini Crossword).
Lgr22 sets out core content for each stage (Years 1–3), not for each year. So Lärkompis spreads the skills across the years using its own time windows, and these are estimates. For Year 3, this means that 2 skills start this year and 4 skills started earlier and are still being practised. The figure 7 of 11 counts the items in the core content from Skolverket (the Swedish National Agency for Education) that at least one skill links to; it does not mean the whole item is covered.
What Lärkompis practises in Year 3
The 6 skills in English in Year 3 are grouped into 3 areas following Skolverket's syllabus. Under each skill you can see the first and the last difficulty level, so you know how far the exercises go.
Speaking, writing and conversation – production and interaction
- Greetings and introducing yourself (already starts in Year 1) Level 1: Understands “Hello”, “Thank you” and “Goodbye”. Level 5: Answers several different everyday questions correctly.
- Building simple sentences in English (already starts in Year 2) Level 1: Puts together three-word sentences (“I like cats”). Level 5: Longer sentences.
- Spelling common English words Level 1: Builds short words (“dog”, “cat”) from exactly the right letters. Level 5: Writes the word on their own without letter tiles.
Listening and reading – reception
- Reading comprehension of very simple English texts Level 1: Finds an answer stated directly in a three-line text. Level 5: Mixed questions on several texts.
Communication content
- Vocabulary: food, drink and clothes (already starts in Year 2) Level 1: Recognises “apple”, “milk”, “hat” with a picture. Level 5: Writes the word in English.
- Vocabulary: school things and weather (already starts in Year 2) Level 1: Recognises “book”, “bag”, “sun” with a picture. Level 5: Writes the word in English.
What the syllabus says, in short
The Lgr22 core content for Years 1–3 in English, summarised in our own words for the parts Lärkompis practises in Year 3. Read the full text in Skolverket's English translation of Lgr22.
- Subject areas that are familiar to the children, and everyday situations, interests, people and places.
- Clearly spoken English and simple texts that give instructions, describe things or make contact with someone.
- Songs, rhymes, poems and fairy tales, plus words and phrases in the world around them (signs, adverts).
- Simple presentations, messages, descriptions and dialogues, spoken and written, as well as simple conversations, songs and dramatisations.
How to help at home with English in Year 3
Year 3 is the last year of the first stage (Years 1–3). Schools use national tests in maths and Swedish in Year 3 to support the assessment against the criteria, and no grades are given. Before the tests, sleep, breakfast and a calm tone help more than extra drilling. Let English be part of everyday life: songs, TV programmes with subtitles and short conversations. Do not correct everything; respond to what your child says, so that they dare to speak.
- Sing songs and rhymes in English. Sing an English children’s song or nursery rhyme together (for example about the body or numbers). Actions help memory. It is about hearing and copying, not about understanding every word. As a game: about 5 minutes.
- Name things around the home. Put sticky notes with English words on a few things (door, table, cup). Use the words in everyday life, for example “pass me the cup”. Add a few words each week. Works in everyday life: about 5 minutes.
- Children’s programmes in English. Watch a children’s programme in English with Swedish subtitles. Pause now and then and ask what happened. Children pick up a lot by listening when the context is clear. When reading: about 15 minutes.
How you can tell it has clicked in Year 3
- Building simple sentences in English: Starts their sentences with the subject (“I”, “she”, “my”).
- Vocabulary: food, drink and clothes: Names clothes while getting dressed.
- Vocabulary: school things and weather: Your child describes today’s weather in one or two words.
- Reading comprehension of very simple English texts: Your child can retell in Swedish what a short English text is about.
Common pitfalls in Year 3
- Reading comprehension of very simple English texts: Stops at every unknown word and loses the thread.
- Spelling common English words: Forgets silent letters, as in “cheese” and “eight”.
- Greetings and introducing yourself: Mixes up “Good morning” and “Good night”.
- Building simple sentences in English: Puts the verb last, as in German.
If English practice in Year 3 often ends in tears or takes far too long, stop for the day and write a few lines to the teacher about what was hard. That is useful information for the school, not a failure.
Games that practise it
In Year 3 English, Lärkompis uses 7 mini-games. In these games, playing is the practice, so your child learns while they play. There are no points or streaks, and no ads.
Glosjakt (Vocab Hunt)
Creatures carry words, and your child catches the right creature or matches words with their translations. In Year 3, the game practises 4 skills: greetings and introducing yourself; reading comprehension of very simple English texts; vocabulary: food, drink and clothes; and vocabulary: school things and weather.
Dörren med ordet (The Word Door)
The picture and the word belong together, and every finished word opens a plank in the door. In Year 3, the game practises 3 skills: vocabulary: food, drink and clothes; vocabulary: school things and weather; and spelling common English words.
Minikorsordet (Mini Crossword)
A small crossword made from the skill’s own words, with pictures or meanings as clues. The crossing letters show whether the spelling is right. In Year 3, the game practises 3 skills: vocabulary: food, drink and clothes; vocabulary: school things and weather; and spelling common English words.
Ordgåtan (The Word Riddle)
Guess the hidden word letter by letter, with no time pressure and clues that light up one by one. In Year 3, the game practises 3 skills: vocabulary: food, drink and clothes; vocabulary: school things and weather; and spelling common English words.
Ordsökaren (Word Search)
A word hunt in a letter grid, with a picture or a translation as the clue. In Year 3, the game practises 3 skills: vocabulary: food, drink and clothes; vocabulary: school things and weather; and spelling common English words.
Sorteringsbandet (The Sorting Belt)
A calm conveyor belt of things that your child puts in the right box by following a rule. In Year 3, the game practises 2 skills: vocabulary: food, drink and clothes; and vocabulary: school things and weather.
Vändspelet (The Flip Game)
A memory game where two cards that go together stay face up, for example 3 + 4 and 7. In Year 3, the game practises 2 skills: vocabulary: food, drink and clothes; and vocabulary: school things and weather.
Questions about English in Year 3
What does Lärkompis practise in English in Year 3?
Lärkompis has 6 skills in English in Year 3, for example “Greetings and introducing yourself”; “Reading comprehension of very simple English texts”; “Building simple sentences in English”; “Vocabulary: food, drink and clothes”; and “Vocabulary: school things and weather”. Each skill has five levels. In “Greetings and introducing yourself”, for example, level 1 is “Understands ‘Hello’, ‘Thank you’ and ‘Goodbye’” and level 5 is “Answers several different everyday questions correctly”. The app adjusts the level to how your child is doing.
What is expected in English in Year 3 by the end of the year?
Skolverket's criteria at the end of Year 3 say, in plain words: The core content of the syllabus shows what teaching should cover: listening, understanding simple speech and short texts, and saying and writing simple things themselves. Lärkompis does not replace the teacher's assessment, but it shows you which skills your child is practising in Year 3.
Which mistakes are common in English in Year 3?
Common mistakes that Lärkompis covers include “Stops at every unknown word and loses the thread” in “Reading comprehension of very simple English texts” and “Forgets silent letters, as in ‘cheese’ and ‘eight’” in “Spelling common English words”. When an answer is wrong, the app shows how to think it through instead of just marking it wrong, and the parent panel shows what your child is practising right now.
Does Lärkompis follow Lgr22 in English in Year 3?
Yes. Every exercise in English in Year 3 is linked to an item in the Lgr22 core content for Years 1–3; 7 of 11 items in English have at least one linked skill. Lärkompis is a complement at home and does not replace teaching.
How much does it cost to practise English in Year 3 with Lärkompis?
Lärkompis costs SEK 49, once, for all subjects and every child in the family, with future updates included. You can try English in Year 3 for free first, without an account.
More years and subjects
The same year in other subjects:
