TExES Core Subjects EC-6 ELAR Practice Test (901)
Original 901 reading and language arts questions, with an explanation for every answer.
A fourth-grade class creates a short slide presentation about a book. Which consideration best supports the message?
74 original TExES 901 questions with explanations · 5 free drills: every competency group plus a mixed set · 45 questions in the full practice test, on the real 70-minute clock
TExES 901 exam format
Practice the English Language Arts and Reading subject exam of Core Subjects EC–6 with original questions on oral language, phonics, fluency, comprehension, vocabulary, research, writing, media and literacy assessment. The full practice test runs 45 questions on the real 70-minute clock.
Core Subjects EC–6: English Language Arts and Reading (901). Elementary (EC–6) teacher candidates in Texas, who take all five Core Subjects subject exams and the Science of Teaching Reading (293).
- Questions
- 45 selected-response questions; a few ask you to choose more than one answer
- Testing time
- 1 hour 10 minutes for this subject exam; the full 391 appointment is 5 hours
- Answer choices
- 4 on single-answer questions
- Fee
- $58 (or $116 for all five 391 subject exams)
- Passing score
- 240 on a scale of 100 to 300, on each subject exam
- Delivery
- Computer-administered test (CAT) by appointment, year round, at Pearson VUE test centers in Texas and nationwide
- Score scale
- Scaled scores from 100 to 300; the passing score is 240. Only scored questions count, and an exam may include unscored questions being tried out for future use
- Retakes
- Wait 30 days after an attempt. You are limited to five attempts at a certification exam (the first and four retakes); candidates in a preparation program need its approval to retest
- Score reporting
- Scores post at 10:00 p.m. Central time on the published score report dates
What’s on the TExES 901
The competencies in the TEA exam framework. TEA lists them without weights, so we group them into drill sets and our practice test spreads its 45 questions evenly across the competencies. Every competency group has a guide and a free ten-question drill with an explanation after every answer; each drill’s first attempt is free.
| Competencies | In our practice test | Guide | Drill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oral Language, Word Analysis and FluencyCompetencies 001–003 | 14 questions | Topics and questions | 10-question drill |
| Comprehension, Vocabulary and ResearchCompetencies 004–006 | 13 questions | Topics and questions | 10-question drill |
| Writing Conventions and Written CommunicationCompetencies 007–008 | 9 questions | Topics and questions | 10-question drill |
| Viewing, Representing and Literacy AssessmentCompetencies 009–010 | 9 questions | Topics and questions | 10-question drill |
What TExES 901 tests
- Ten competencies, from oral language and phonics to writing and literacy assessment. TEA does not publish weights for them.
- Most questions are about teaching: what a child’s reading or writing shows and which activity helps next.
- Candidates also take the Science of Teaching Reading (293), which covers reading instruction in more depth.
Practice for a 240
45 questions on the real 70-minute clock, with a score by competency group and an explanation for every answer.
Or start with a free 10-question drillHow to take the TExES 901
- Confirm which TExES exams your certificate requires. If you are in an educator preparation program, it approves you to test.
- Register with Pearson on the Texas Educator Certification Examination Program website for Core Subjects EC–6: English Language Arts and Reading (901) and pay the fee ($58 (or $116 for all five 391 subject exams)). Choose a test center and an appointment.
- Prepare with the 4 competency groups above: Oral Language, Word Analysis and Fluency; Comprehension, Vocabulary and Research; Writing Conventions and Written Communication; Viewing, Representing and Literacy Assessment.
- Sit the exam: 45 questions, 1 hour 10 minutes.
- Scores post at 10:00 p.m. Central time on the score report date. If you need to retake, wait 30 days; each certification exam allows five attempts in total.
Common questions
How many questions are on the TExES 901?
45 selected-response questions in 1 hour 10 minutes. It is one of the five separately timed subject exams of Core Subjects EC–6 (391); the full 391 appointment is 5 hours.
Can I take the TExES 901 by itself?
Yes. Each subject exam can be taken separately for $58, or all five together as the full 391 for $116. If you take the full exam and fail one subject, you can retake that subject alone; if you fail two or more, you retake the full exam, and your best score on each subject is kept.
What score do you need to pass the TExES 901?
240 on a scale of 100 to 300. TEA does not publish how many questions you must answer correctly; the scaled score comes from the scored questions only.
How soon can I retake the TExES 901?
You must wait 30 days after your attempt, and you can register only after the earlier result has posted. Every certification exam is limited to five attempts in total, and candidates in an educator preparation program need the program’s approval to retest.
Are these official TExES questions?
No. TEA and Pearson do not release live exam questions. These are original practice questions written to the competencies in the official TExES exam framework, in the exam’s own question formats, with an explanation for every answer.
Ready for test day?
45 questions on the real 70-minute clock, with a score by competency group and an explanation for every answer.
Or start with a free 10-question drillMore TExES practice
One TExES pass covers every practice test and drill below.
- TExES Core Subjects EC-6 Math Practice Test (902)
- TExES Core Subjects EC-6 Social Studies Practice Test (903)
- TExES Core Subjects EC-6 Science Practice Test (904)
- TExES Core Subjects EC-6 Fine Arts, Health and PE Practice Test (905)
- TExES Core Subjects EC-6 Practice Test (391)
- TExES PPR Practice Test (160)
- TExES Science of Teaching Reading Practice Test (STR 293)
- TExES practice tests: every exam
Exam formats, frameworks, fees, retake rules and passing scores checked November 2026 on the Texas Education Agency’s and Pearson’s TExES pages: Pearson TExES: Core Subjects EC–6 (391) test page · TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391) preparation manual, Section 3: exam framework · Pearson TExES: Retake Policy · Pearson TExES: sample score report (scale 100–300, passing 240).
TExES is a trademark of the Texas Education Agency. Original independent practice questions written to the published TExES exam frameworks; not affiliated with or endorsed by the Texas Education Agency or Pearson.