Free tools and tests, sorted by stage
Classical education teaches in three stages, often called the trivium: grammar, logic and rhetoric. Here is everything on Owl sorted the same way. In each stage the free tools come first, then the tests that make sense at that age.
Updated October 30, 2026
The road at a glance
| Stage | Grades | Free on Owl | Tests ahead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grammar | K to 5 | Spelling, Math Facts, thinking games, grade checkups | CLT3 to CLT6 (year-end, optional) |
| Logic | 6 to 8 | Latin, vocabulary, grammar, classic readings | CLT7 and CLT8, National Latin Exam, HSPT, ISEE, SSAT |
| Rhetoric | 9 to 12 | Classic readings, vocabulary, test-day math | CLT10, PSAT/NMSQT, CLT, SAT |
Schools and families draw the lines a little differently. Use the grades as a guide, not a rule.
Grammar stage: the building blocks
Young children love to memorize, chant and collect. This is the time for spelling, math facts and the parts of a sentence, done a little every day.
- Spelling practicePre-K and upHear a word, type it, see the rule. Themed lists, or your own list from this week's lesson. Spelling words by grade
- Math FactsGrades K to 5 for the basicsAdding, taking away, then every times table to 12 × 12, in short timed rounds. Times tables chart
- Owl ThinkersAges 5 to 10Puzzles with patterns, shapes and memory. Thinking games, not test drills.
- Daily Grammar FixGrade 4 and upOne sentence a day: tap the mistake, pick the fix, learn the rule.
- Grade checkupsGrades 3 to 8A calm run before a year-end test: classic passages, language and math, then a report by skill to print.
- CLT3 to CLT6Grades 3 to 6 · from Classic Learning InitiativesA year-end test a parent gives at home. Its maker says practice is not recommended, so use our free checkup only to meet the format. Homeschool testing, explained
Logic stage: asking why
Children start to argue, compare and question. Latin grammar, word roots and close reading reward that, and the first real tests arrive.
- Latin practiceIntroduction and Beginning LatinEndings, sentences, vocabulary, derivatives, mottoes and myths, every question explained.
- VocabularyGrades 7 and upWord parts (prefixes, roots and suffixes), plain meanings, example sentences and flash cards.
- Reading libraryGrades 7 and upClassic readings in literature, science, history and the humanities, each with questions explained in full.
- Daily Grammar FixGrades 4 to 12Twenty rules, from commas to who and whom. All the rules
- Math Facts: mental math and fractionsGrades 5 to 8Two-digit sums, doubling and halving, fractions, decimals and percents.
- CLT7 and CLT8Grades 7 and 8 · from Classic Learning InitiativesVerbal reasoning, grammar and writing, and math, given at home. Practice the skills in Owl Junior. Open Owl Junior
- National Latin ExamLatin studentsTimed mock exams in the NLE's shape: 40 questions in 45 minutes, at the Introduction and Beginning levels.
- HSPT, for Catholic high schoolsGrade 8The entrance test many Catholic high schools use. Practice by skill, lessons and full practice tests. Schools that use it
- ISEEIndependent school admissionFor families applying to independent schools that ask for the ISEE.
- SSATIndependent school admissionFor schools that ask for the SSAT instead.
Rhetoric stage: saying it well
Students read the great books and learn to write and speak with force. The tests now count for college and scholarships, and the CLT was built around the same kind of reading.
- Reading libraryGrades 9 to 12Classic readings like the ones the CLT uses, with practice questions.
- VocabularySAT and CLT wordsThe words these tests use, with transitions, quizzes and Word Glide.
- Math Facts: test-day mathGrades 9 to 12The quick, no-calculator steps the CLT and SAT reward.
- Latin practiceKeep it goingFresh questions and mock exams for students still at the first two NLE levels.
- CLT10Grades 9 and 10A first look at the CLT, scored 0 to 120. Practice it in Owl Junior. Open Owl Junior
- PSAT/NMSQTGrades 10 and 11The junior-year score is the one that counts for National Merit. National Merit, explained
- CLTGrades 10 to 12Accepted by over 350 colleges, some with scholarships tied to it. Colleges that accept it
- Digital SATGrades 11 and 12The test most colleges know best. Owl's SAT practice follows the digital test. CLT or SAT?
Questions people ask
What are the three stages?
The grammar, logic and rhetoric stages come from the trivium, the first three of the medieval liberal arts. Dorothy Sayers matched them to a child's growth in her 1947 essay "The Lost Tools of Learning", and many classical schools and homeschools follow her lead: facts and memory first, then reasoning, then expression.
Which of these are free?
Spelling, Math Facts, Owl Thinkers, the Daily Grammar Fix, Vocabulary, the Reading library, Latin practice and the grade checkups are free to use, with no account needed to start. Each test also has free practice; the full study plans and extra practice tests are in the paid plans.
Should my young child prepare for the CLT3-8?
Classic Learning Initiatives, which makes it, says practice is not recommended, because the test is meant to show where a child is now. A short checkup to meet the format is enough. The year's work is the real preparation.
Is the HSPT only for Catholic schools?
It is used mostly by Catholic high schools for admission and placement. Check with the schools on your list; some ask for the ISEE or SSAT instead.
Is Owl connected with the CLT or any test maker?
No. Owl Test Prep is independent. CLT and Classic Learning Test are trademarks of Classic Learning Initiatives, which does not endorse this site. The same goes for the other tests named here.
Sources
Read on October 30, 2026. If something here is out of date, write to hello@owltestprep.com and we will fix it.
Owl Test Prep is independent and is not connected with the makers of any test named here. Every Owl question is original.