Praxis 5002 Reading and Language Arts Practice Test
Practice the Elementary Education: Reading and Language Arts subtest of Praxis 5001 with original questions on foundational reading skills, literature and informational texts, writing, language and speaking and listening. Every answer has an explanation, and the full practice test runs 80 questions on the real 90-minute clock.
80 questions on the real 90-minute clock, weighted like the ETS test, with a score by content category and an explanation for every answer.
Or start with a free 10-question drill- 135 original Praxis 5002 questions with explanations
- 3 free drills: every content category plus a mixed set
- 80 questions in the full practice test, on the real 90-minute clock
In a student poem, “The old bridge is a ribbon tying the riverbanks together.” What does the metaphor emphasize?
Praxis 5002 test format
Elementary Education: Reading and Language Arts Subtest (5002). Elementary teacher candidates in states that require Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects (5001). It is the longest of the four subtests: 80 questions in 90 minutes.
- Questions
- 80 questions, selected response
- Time
- 1 hour 30 minutes
- Answer choices
- 4 on single-selection questions
- Calculator
- None
- Fee
- $64 (or $180 for all four 5001 subtests)
- Median score
- 168 among 36,888 test takers, August 2023 to July 2026 (ETS)
- Common passing score
- 157 in 22 of the 25 states and agencies that list it
- Delivery
- Computer delivered, at a test center or at home on your own computer with an online human proctor
- Score scale
- 100–200 on every test here. Your score report also shows the raw points you earned in each content category
- Passing score
- Set by each state or licensing agency, not by ETS. Check your state’s requirement before you register
- Retakes
- Wait at least 28 days after the previous test date. For 5001 the same rule applies to each subtest
- Free After 3
- After three reported attempts at the same test (the first on or after October 1, 2025), further retakes are free for five years
What’s on the Praxis 5002
The content categories in ETS’s Test at a Glance, with the approximate number of questions and share of the test for each. Our practice test draws its 80 questions in the same proportions. Every category has a guide and a free ten-question drill with an explanation after every answer; each drill’s first attempt is free.
| Content category | Questions | Share | Guide | Drill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I. Reading | 38 | 47% | Topics and questions | 10-question drill |
| II. Writing, Speaking, and Listening | 42 | 53% | Topics and questions | 10-question drill |
What Praxis 5002 tests
- Reading (about 38 questions, 47%): phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension of literature and informational text, point of view, text structure and text complexity.
- Writing, Speaking, and Listening (about 42 questions, 53%): types and qualities of writing, the stages of writing development, the research process, grammar and conventions, word meaning, and collaboration and presentations.
- Most questions are about teaching: what a student’s error shows, which activity builds a skill, or how to respond to a piece of student writing.
Praxis 5002 passing score by state
ETS does not set passing scores; each state or licensing agency does. 22 of the 25 states and agencies that list the Praxis 5002 require 157. Scores run from 100 to 200.
| State or agency | Passing score |
|---|---|
| Alaska | 157 |
| Arkansas | 141 |
| Connecticut | 157 |
| Delaware | 157 |
| Hawaii | 157 |
| Kentucky | 151 |
| Louisiana | 157 |
| Maine | 157 |
| Montana | 157 |
| Nevada | 157 |
| New Hampshire | 157 |
| New Jersey | 157 |
| Northern Mariana Islands | 157 |
| Oklahoma | 157 |
| Oregon | 157 |
| South Carolina | 157 |
| South Dakota | 150 |
| Tennessee | 157 |
| Utah | 157 |
| Vermont | 157 |
| Virgin Islands | 157 |
| Virginia | 157 |
| West Virginia | 157 |
| Wisconsin | 157 |
| Wyoming | 157 |
From ETS: Praxis passing scores by state, checked November 8, 2026. Requirements change; confirm yours with your state before you register.
Practice for a 157
80 questions on the real 90-minute clock, weighted like the ETS test, with a score by content category and an explanation for every answer.
Or start with a free 10-question drillHow to take the Praxis 5002
- Check which Praxis tests your state or teacher preparation program requires and the passing score for each.
- Create a Praxis account on the ETS website, register for Elementary Education: Reading and Language Arts Subtest (5002) and pay the fee ($64 (or $180 for all four 5001 subtests)). Choose a test center or testing at home.
- Prepare with the content categories above: Reading; Writing, Speaking, and Listening.
- Sit the test: 80 questions, 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Send your scores to your state and program. If you need to retake, wait at least 28 days after your test date.
Common questions
How many questions are on the Praxis 5002?
80 selected-response questions in 90 minutes. About 38 are on reading and about 42 on writing, speaking and listening. Some questions may be unscored pretest questions.
What score do you need to pass the Praxis 5002?
ETS does not set passing scores. Each state or licensing agency sets its own on the 100–200 scale, so check your state’s requirement on ETS’s passing-score page before you register. The table on this page lists every state that uses the test and the score it requires.
How soon can I retake the Praxis 5002?
You must wait at least 28 days after your previous test date: a test taken on the 1st of the month can be retaken on the 29th. Under ETS’s Free After 3 policy, once you have three reported attempts at the same test, with the first on or after October 1, 2025, further retakes are free for five years.
Are these official ETS questions?
No. ETS does not release its live test questions. These are original practice questions written to the content topics in the official ETS Study Companion, in the test’s own question formats, with an explanation for every answer.
Ready for test day?
80 questions on the real 90-minute clock, weighted like the ETS test, with a score by content category and an explanation for every answer.
Or start with a free 10-question drillMore Praxis practice
One Praxis pass covers every practice test and drill below.
Test formats, content categories, fees, retake rules and passing scores checked November 2026: ETS: Reading and Language Arts Subtest (5002) test page · ETS: Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects (5001) Study Companion · ETS: The Praxis Tests Information Bulletin 2026–27 · ETS: Praxis passing scores by state · ETS: Understanding Your Praxis Scores 2026–27 · ETS: Free After 3 retake policy.
Praxis is a registered trademark of ETS. Original independent practice questions written to the published ETS Study Companions; not affiliated with or endorsed by ETS.