Sometimes you don’t need a fancy graphic organizer with clip art and borders everywhere. You just need three even columns and enough room to write. That’s the whole idea behind this set of 30 free blank 3 column chart templates: plain, printable PDFs in both vertical and horizontal layouts, ready to fill in with a pencil or pen the second you print them.
Teachers use these for KWL charts and vocabulary practice. Project managers use them to compare options side by side. I’ve used a plain three-column sheet for years just to jot down “task / who’s doing it / due date” during quick planning meetings, because it’s faster than opening a spreadsheet.
Every template here comes in a slightly different style, some with soft pastel headers, some plain black and white with thin borders, so you can pick whatever fits the mood of the classroom, binder, or clipboard it’s going into.
What Is a 3 Column Chart Used For?
A 3 column chart (some people call it a 3 column table, and they’re talking about the exact same thing) is just a page split into three even sections with rows underneath for writing. What you call each column depends entirely on what you’re using it for.
Here are the most common ways people fill these in:
- KWL charts for classroom lessons: What I Know / What I Want to Know / What I Learned
- Compare and contrast: Option A / Option B / Notes or Decision
- Pros and cons lists: Pros / Cons / Final Decision
- Vocabulary practice: Word / Definition / Example Sentence
- Simple project or task tracking: Task / Status / Due Date
- Meeting or lecture notes: Topic / Details / Action Items
None of that changes the layout, just the headers you write at the top. Here’s what a basic version looks like filled in as a KWL chart, so you can see the structure before you download anything:
| What I Know | What I Want to Know | What I Learned |
|---|---|---|
Need an Editable Word or Google Docs Version?
These 30 templates are set up as ready-to-print PDFs, which keeps the lines and spacing exact once they hit paper. But if you’d rather type directly into a three column layout instead of printing one, you don’t need a special file for that.
Open a new document in Word or Google Docs, go to Insert > Table, and choose 3 columns with however many rows you need. Add your own headers (Pros / Cons / Notes, or whatever fits your project) and you’ve got the same layout as these PDFs, just typed instead of handwritten. It takes about a minute and you can save it as your own reusable template from there.
How To Download These Free 3 Column Chart Templates
Click on any design in this article and it’ll open as a PDF right in your browser. From there, save it to your device or print it straight away, whichever you need. Every template on this page is free for personal use, and you can print as many copies as you want for class, work, or your own planning.
One tip: print at 100% scale (actual size) rather than letting your printer auto-fit the page. That keeps the columns and lines the exact width they were designed at, which matters if you’re writing small notes in tight rows.
Vertical 3 Column Charts
Horizontal 3 Column Tables
More Chart Layouts You Might Need
If three columns is too few (or too many) for what you’re working on, take a look at our Blank 2 Column Chart Templates, Blank 4 Column Chart Templates, Blank 5 Column Chart Templates, and Blank 6 Column Chart Templates. For a two-column version built specifically around comparisons, our Printable T-Chart Templates are worth a look too.
Teachers grading student work might also find our Teacher Gradebooks useful for the same kind of column-based tracking, and if you need something for classroom number practice, check out our Hundreds Charts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a 3 column chart used for?
Mostly note-taking, comparisons, and simple tracking. Teachers use it for KWL charts and vocabulary work, while adults use the same layout for pros and cons lists, task tracking, or comparing a few options side by side. The columns just get relabeled depending on the job.
What’s the difference between a 3 column chart and a 3 column table?
Nothing structural. “Chart” tends to get used in classroom contexts and “table” gets used more in business or data contexts, but both terms describe the exact same three-section, multi-row layout.
Can I edit these 3 column chart templates in Word?
The PDFs themselves are for printing, not typing into. If you want an editable version, insert a 3-column table in Word or Google Docs and copy the header style you like from these designs. It takes about a minute to set up.
Can I print these more than once?
Yes. They’re free for personal use and you can print as many copies as you need, whether that’s one for a single lesson or a stack for an entire semester.
Grab a few extra copies and keep one blank in a folder or binder pocket. That way, whenever a quick comparison, a KWL lesson, or a fast list of pros and cons comes up, you’ve already got a clean three-column sheet ready to go.
