Shurley English
A scripted grammar and writing program for grades 1–8 that teaches parts of speech through memorized jingles and an oral Question and Answer Flow. Sold as print homeschool kits or a digital subscription with prerecorded video lessons.
What is Shurley English?
Shurley English is a grammar and writing curriculum from Shurley Instructional Materials, a publisher that has served schools and homeschools since 1989. Its signature tools are jingles, short chants and songs that teach definitions such as noun, verb and the list of prepositions, and the Question and Answer Flow, a fixed set of questions a child asks to classify every word in a sentence. Writing lessons are built in, so most families use it as their full grammar and composition course.
How it works
Each level is one school year for one child. You teach one lesson a day. Lessons usually take 20 to 45 minutes, and the first weeks run longer while kids learn the jingles. The Teacher's Manual is scripted, so you read the lesson, lead the chants and walk through the Q and A Flow together out loud.
A typical day looks like this:
- Recite the jingles.
- Classify a few sentences out loud with the Q and A Flow.
- Do a skill or practice exercise.
- Work on a writing step, from sentences in early levels to multi-paragraph pieces later.
There is no placement test. Shurley suggests starting at the child's grade level. Expect it to click after about six to eight weeks.
Print or digital? Print kits now come with a one-year online audio subscription in place of the old CDs. The digital edition adds SEDA, the Shurley English Digital Assistant: prerecorded lessons a parent can watch to prepare, or a child can watch for review.
What it covers
| Level | Grades | Format | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | 1–2 | Print kit or digital | Jingles, simple sentences, oral classification, early writing |
| 3–6 | 3–6 | Print kit or digital | Full Q and A Flow, parts of speech, paragraphs, vocabulary |
| 7–8 | 7–8 | Shurley Method for Home Use or digital | Grammar, writing, tests |
Shurley Grammar is a separate grammar-only digital course with 75 lessons per level, for families who already have a writing program.
Who it's best for
Shurley English fits parents who want a script and kids who learn well through repetition and rhythm. It is popular with families who never learned grammar themselves. Look elsewhere if your child needs to work alone, dislikes drills, or you want sentence diagramming. Shurley classifies sentences instead.
Pricing at a glance
Print homeschool kits list at $85 per level, and retailers often sell them for less. Digital Shurley English is $89.99 per student per year or $8.99 a month. Each child needs their own kit or subscription every year.
Can a scholarship or ESA pay for it?
Grammar and writing curriculum is a common allowable expense in education savings account programs, and Shurley publishes guidance on using ESA funds. Rules differ by state. Check the scholarships and ESAs by state page, or go straight to Arizona's ESA or Florida scholarships. Save Shurley English to your Edulist wishlist, and you can apply once to the programs that fit your family.
How it compares
- IEW teaches writing through outlines and style checklists and is less grammar-heavy. It suits grades 3 and up.
- First Language Lessons is a gentler, classical grammar program for grades 1–4. It adds poetry memorization and diagramming.
- Fix It! Grammar teaches grammar in short daily editing passages.
- Essentials in Writing offers video-taught writing by grade.
See more options in writing curriculum, elementary writing programs and secular homeschool curriculum.
Who Shurley English is for (and who it isn’t)
Best for
- Parents who want a word-for-word script and almost no prep
- Kids who memorize well through songs and chants
- Families who want grammar and writing in one program, by grade
- Students who need solid sentence analysis before formal composition
Look elsewhere if
- Independent learners who need to work alone
- Children who find repetition boring
- Families who want diagramming rather than classification
- Anyone looking for a phonics or literature program
Shurley English pros and cons
Pros
- Jingles and the Q and A Flow give kids a repeatable way to analyze any sentence
- Scripted Teacher's Manual means very little lesson prep
- Grammar and writing are both covered, so no separate writing program is needed
- Digital edition adds prerecorded lessons that can teach or co-teach
- Leveled by grade with a new kit each year, so it is easy to plan
Cons
- Repetitive by design; some families say the same content returns every year
- Mostly oral and interactive, so little of it can be done independently
- No placement test; you choose a level by grade and reading ability
- Print audio is now a one-year online subscription instead of CDs, and it needs internet
- Digital subscriptions cannot be refunded after the trial
What’s included
- Grammar jingles set to music for definitions and preposition lists
- Question and Answer Flow for classifying every word in a sentence
- Step-by-step writing lessons built into each level
- Print kits: Teacher's Manual, Student Workbook, one-year online audio subscription
- Digital edition with SEDA prerecorded lessons for Levels 1–8
- Chapter tests and cumulative review
Shurley English levels
| Level | Grades | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Levels 1–6 (Shurley English Homeschooling) | 1–6 | One kit per grade. Jingles, the Question and Answer Flow, sentence classification, vocabulary and guided writing. Early levels lean on oral work. |
| Levels 7–8 (The Shurley Method for Home Use) | 7–8 | Middle school grammar and writing in the same format, with test workbooks and a literature booklet available as add-ons. |
| Digital Shurley English (Levels 1–8) | 1–8 | Digital Teacher's Manual and Student Textbook for one level and one student, plus SEDA prerecorded video lessons. |
Shurley has no placement test. Its FAQ says to start most children at their grade level, weighing reading ability and maturity, and to slow down or drop a level if a child still struggles after about eight weeks.
Official Shurley English placement test ↗How much does Shurley English cost?
Print homeschool kits cover one student for one year and include a Teacher's Manual, Student Workbook and a one-year online audio subscription. Retail list price is $85 per level at Rainbow Resource and Christianbook, which often discount them. The digital edition costs $89.99 per student per year or $8.99 per month; digital Shurley Grammar (grammar only, 75 lessons per level) is $89.99 per year.
| Plan | Price | Billed | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Shurley English, yearly (per student) | $89.99/yr | Yearly | $7.50/mo |
| Digital Shurley English, monthly (per student) | $8.99/mo | Monthly | $8.99/mo |
| Digital Shurley Grammar, yearly (per student) | $89.99/yr | Yearly | $7.50/mo |
| Print homeschool kit, one level (retail list) | $85 | One-time | — |
Free trial: Digital subscriptions start with a three-day free trial, per Shurley's ordering page.
Prices from the provider, checked 2026-10-13. Always confirm on the official site.
Future opening updates
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View wishlistWhat parents say
A summary of public parent feedback we read on forums, app stores and review sites. It is not a set of Edulist family reviews.
Parent reviews split. Many say the jingles still stick years later and that the scripts made grammar teachable. Others find it corny and repetitive, and some say the grammar did not show up in their kids' writing.
Common praise
- Jingles help kids remember definitions and prepositions
- Easy for new homeschoolers and parents weak in grammar
- Little to no prep time
Common complaints
- Repeats the same material each year
- Writing assignments can move too fast for young kids
- Requires constant parent-child interaction
Sources: thehomeschoolmom.com · shurley english · jeather.wordpress.com · shurley english · atozmomm.com · review of shurley english homeschool level 1 2
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Shurley English FAQs
Is Shurley English Christian or secular?
The core lessons are religiously neutral. Rainbow Resource labels the homeschool kit as neutral content, so it works for both secular and Christian families.
What grade levels does Shurley English cover?
Levels 1–8, matched to grades 1–8. Print kits are Shurley English Homeschooling for Levels 1–6 and The Shurley Method for Home Use for Levels 7–8. The digital edition covers all eight levels.
Does Shurley English have a placement test?
No. Shurley's FAQ says to start at the child's grade level unless reading ability is well below it. If a child still struggles after six to eight weeks, split lessons over two days or move down a level.
Is there a free trial?
Yes, for digital. Shurley's ordering page says digital subscriptions start with a three-day free trial, and you should cancel before it ends if the program is not a fit, because digital purchases are not refundable.
What happened to the Shurley jingle CDs?
As of 2026, new print kits replace the audio CDs with a one-year online audio subscription that includes the jingles and Q and A Flows. It needs high-speed internet and the Shurley Portal download. Renewals are sold by the publisher.
Do I need a separate writing program with Shurley English?
Not with the full program. Shurley says Shurley English Homeschooling, Method for Home Use and the digital Core edition include writing. Shurley Grammar is grammar only, so pair it with a writing course.
Can I use Shurley English with more than one child?
Each child needs their own kit or digital subscription. Shurley says children one grade apart can often share a level, depending on maturity and reading level.
Can ESA or scholarship money pay for Shurley English?
Often, yes, as curriculum, but it depends on your program. Save it to your Edulist wishlist and check the scholarship page for your state before you buy.
Sources and last checked
Checked 2026-10-13 against these sources:
- shurley.com
- shurley.com · hs
- shurley.com · hs
- shurley.com · hs
- shurley.com · hs
- rainbowresource.com · 010824.html
- christianbook.com · shurley english
- cathyduffyreviews.com · shurley english
- thehomeschoolmom.com · shurley english
- jeather.wordpress.com · shurley english
- smarterlearningguide.com · shurley english review