What is the difference between dysgraphia and dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a difficulty with reading, and at its core a difficulty with the word-level sound structure that reading and spelling depend on. Dysgraphia is a difficulty with writing, which can include the physical act of forming letters, but also spelling, grammar and composition. A person can have one, the other or both. For the wider picture, see our guide to speech to text for dyslexia and dysgraphia, part of our accessibility and health guides.

Dyslexia is a reading problem, and dysgraphia is a writing problem

A 2018 review defines dyslexia as a difficulty with word-level reading and spelling skills ¹. Its focus is on reading words accurately and on spelling them, which both depend on the sound structure of language. The broader definition from a 2022 meta-analysis describes developmental dyslexia as a specific learning disorder concerning reading acquisition ².

Dysgraphia is defined by the writing. A 2020 clinical review uses the terms dysgraphia and specific learning disorder in written expression for people whose writing ability does not match their cognitive level and age, even after adequate instruction ³. The term is defined in our entry on dysgraphia.

The two differ in where the difficulty lies:

The table shows why the terms are easy to mix up. Spelling appears under both, but for different reasons. In dyslexia, spelling is one of the word-level skills affected by the sound system. In dysgraphia, spelling is one of several parts of writing, alongside the motor work of forming letters.

The two often overlap in the same person

Dyslexia and dysgraphia are different, but they often occur together. The 2020 review reports that, depending on the definitions used, 30 to 47 percent of children with writing problems also have reading problems ⁵. That is a large share, and it means a child who struggles with writing may need an assessment of reading too, and the reverse is also true.

Overlap also explains why the two are confused. A student who writes slowly and spells poorly may have one difficulty, the other or both, and a single observation cannot separate them. Prevalence also matters here. A 2022 meta-analysis put the pooled prevalence of developmental dyslexia among primary school children at 7.10 percent ⁶, so dyslexia is common enough that it should be considered whenever reading or spelling is hard.

Dysgraphia has an older meaning centred on production

The older clinical view of dysgraphia was narrower. The 2020 review says dysgraphia was historically defined as an impairment in producing written text, usually from poor muscle coordination, and that oral spelling was usually preserved ⁷. If that describes the difficulty, speech to text removes the hand from the task, and the writer can compose without forming each letter.

The broader modern meaning includes spelling, grammar and composition as well ⁴. Speech to text helps with spelling and motor work, but it does not supply grammar or organize an argument. Those are separate needs, and they may call for teaching and feedback.

Why the difference changes the help you need

The label matters because it points to different supports:

• If reading is the central difficulty, the question is how to read more accurately and understand what you read. Read-aloud tools can help with comprehension, which is covered in our question on speech to text versus text to speech.
• If writing is the central difficulty, dictation can remove the motor and spelling load from composing. Proofreading by ear still matters, as our question on proofreading dictated text explains.
• If both are present, plan for both. Read-aloud and dictation are often used together.

Our question on whether dyslexia affects speaking covers the sound-based side of dyslexia in more detail.

What to do

1. Describe the problem in specific terms. Note whether the trouble is reading words, spelling, forming letters, speed, or organizing ideas on the page. Specific notes are more useful than a single label.
2. Ask for an assessment that covers both areas. A reading test and a writing test answer different questions, and a clinician or school psychologist can run both.
3. Ask about accommodations early. In the United States, a student may have an IEP or a Section 504 plan that lists assistive technology. Our guide to speech to text for students with disabilities explains how to ask.
4. Try the tools you already have. Start with the built-in dictation on your device and the read-back routine in our guide to speech to text for dyslexia. Keep notes on what it fixes and what it does not.

This page describes the definitions and the research. It does not diagnose anyone, and an assessment by a qualified clinician is the way to find out which difficulty applies to you or your child.