• 50 questions

CSET ELD Practice Test

Unofficial practice for CSET: English Language Development, test codes 205, 206 and 207: learners, linguistics, culture, foundations and instruction.

In Piaget's theory, which stage brings abstract and hypothetical reasoning?

Pick an answer, then press Check answer. Then you see Correct or Not quite, with the reason. Keys: A to D pick, Enter checks.

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Exam mode: 44 questions, no time limit.

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Unofficial practice questions, not affiliated with the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing or Pearson. Bank checked October 11, 2026.

Constructed-response prompts to print 7 lines, made to print

English Language Development constructed-response practice

Name ____ Date ____

Write a focused answer to each prompt on the lines. Unofficial practice prompts; none is from the real test.

Subtest I: English learners and applied linguistics

  • Describe two push factors and two pull factors that can lead a family to move to California, and explain how each could affect a newcomer at school.
  • A student writes "She no like the book" and "He have two brother." Name the features of the student's interlanguage shown here and say what you would teach next.
  • Explain the difference between conversational language and academic language, with one classroom example of each.

Subtest II: culture and foundations

  • Choose one way a family's practices at home can differ from what a school expects. Describe how a teacher could learn about it and use it as a resource in class.
  • Trace how the schooling of English learners in California changed between Lau v. Nichols (1974) and Proposition 58 (2016). Name at least three rulings, laws or ballot measures and what each required.

Subtest III: ELD instruction and assessment

  • Plan a listening and speaking activity on the water cycle for students at the Emerging level. Give the language objective, the supports you would use and how you would check understanding.
  • A student at the Expanding level writes clear ideas in short sentences joined only by "and". Describe two ways to teach more varied sentences and how you would judge progress.

Source: Own prompts. The real test sets 3 short constructed-response questions in Subtest I, 1 short and 1 extended in Subtest II and 2 short in Subtest III (https://www.ctcexams.nesinc.com/Content/StudyGuide/CA_SG_obj_205.htm); the topics follow the subtest descriptions (https://www.ctcexams.nesinc.com/content/docs/CSET_Prep/CS_205subtestdescription.pdf, https://www.ctcexams.nesinc.com/content/docs/CSET_Prep/CS_206subtestdescription.pdf, https://www.ctcexams.nesinc.com/content/docs/CSET_Prep/CS_207subtestdescription.pdf), read 2026-10-11. Checked October 11, 2026.

How the subtests are scored 7 lines, made to print

How the sections count

What the program publishes about scoring, in our words. Unofficial; not a scoring guide of the real test.

The score

  • Two sections, equal weight On each subtest the multiple-choice questions carry 50% of the score and the constructed responses carry the other 50%.
  • The scale Raw scores are converted to a 100 to 300 scale, and 220 is the minimum passing score.
  • One sitting A passing score has to be earned at a single administration; sections cannot be combined across sittings.
  • Ten years A passed subtest need not be taken again if the score is used toward a credential in the ten years after the test date.

The written answers

  • How many Three short answers on Subtest I, one short and one extended on Subtest II, two short on Subtest III.
  • Who scores Each constructed response is scored by two or more qualified California educators.
  • Level names The glossary of the test guide says the test items say beginning-level, intermediate-level and advanced-level for Emerging, Expanding and Bridging.

Source: Test Results Report Information (https://www.ctcexams.nesinc.com/content/docs/CS_ScoreReport_Insert.pdf) and the test structure (https://www.ctcexams.nesinc.com/Content/StudyGuide/CA_SG_obj_205.htm), both read 2026-10-11. Level names: the glossary in https://www.ctcexams.nesinc.com/content/docs/CSET_Prep/CS_ELD_geninfo.pdf, read 2026-10-11. Checked October 11, 2026.

Next step Another teacher test: GACE ESOL

All 50 questions

Subtest I: English learners in California and the U.S. 5

  • A family leaves its home region because a long drought has ended farm work there. In migration studies, what is the drought? Wikipedia, Human migration (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest I, 0001 Historical, Demographic, and Social Contexts for English Learner Education (SMR 1.1).
  • In Piaget's theory, which stage brings abstract and hypothetical reasoning? Wikipedia, Piaget's theory of cognitive development (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest I, 0004 Child and Adolescent Growth and Development (SMR 1.4).
  • In the glossary of the test guide, a long-term English learner is in grades 6 to 12, has stayed at one proficiency level for two or more years, and has been enrolled in U.S. schools for more than CSET: English Language Development test guide, General Examination Information, glossary (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest I, 0003 Characteristics and Typologies of English Learners (SMR 1.3).
Show all 50 questions (47 more)

Subtest I: English learners in California and the U.S., continued

  • People settle in a new country while keeping ongoing social ties with the country they came from. What is this pattern of migration called? CSET: English Language Development test guide, General Examination Information, glossary (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest I, 0001 Historical, Demographic, and Social Contexts for English Learner Education (SMR 1.1).
  • Which student fits the description of an underschooled newcomer? CSET: English Language Development test guide, General Examination Information, glossary (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest I, 0003 Characteristics and Typologies of English Learners (SMR 1.3).

Subtest I: Applied linguistics 17

  • A bilingual student says, "I finished my tarea before dinner." What is this an example of? Wikipedia, Code-switching (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest I, 0005 The Nature of Language and Language Use (SMR 2.1).
  • A Spanish speaker writes "the car red" in English, following Spanish word order. What is this an example of? Wikipedia, Language transfer (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest I, 0006 Language Development (SMR 2.2).
  • A student reads "chop" and gives one sound for the letters "ch". What are those two letters? Wikipedia, Digraph (orthography) (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest I, 0007 English Language Linguistics (SMR 2.3).
  • A student writes "gonna" in a message to a friend and "going to" in a lab report. What has the student changed? Wikipedia, Register (sociolinguistics) (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest I, 0005 The Nature of Language and Language Use (SMR 2.1).
  • According to the input hypothesis, learners progress when they understand language that is Wikipedia, Input hypothesis (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest I, 0006 Language Development (SMR 2.2).
  • Asked "Can you open the window?", a student answers "Yes" and stays seated. Which area of language has the student missed? Wikipedia, Pragmatics (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest I, 0005 The Nature of Language and Language Use (SMR 2.1).
  • English learners are typically thought to pick up everyday conversational English in two to three years. About how long does the academic language needed to keep pace with native-speaking classmates take? Wikipedia, Cognitive academic language proficiency (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest I, 0006 Language Development (SMR 2.2).
  • English reduces the vowel of many unstressed syllables to a mid central sound written with the symbol ə. What is this reduced vowel called? Wikipedia, Mid central vowel (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest I, 0007 English Language Linguistics (SMR 2.3).
  • How many morphemes are in the word "unhelpful"? Wikipedia, Morpheme (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest I, 0005 The Nature of Language and Language Use (SMR 2.1).
  • In the affective filter hypothesis, what raises the filter and blocks acquisition? Wikipedia, Input hypothesis (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest I, 0006 Language Development (SMR 2.2).
  • Science texts often turn "the ice melts" into "the melting of the ice". What is this feature of academic language called? Wikipedia, Nominalization (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest I, 0008 Nature and Role of Academic Language in Language Acquisition Across the Curriculum (SMR 2.4).
  • What is an interlanguage? Wikipedia, Interlanguage (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest I, 0006 Language Development (SMR 2.2).
  • Which suffix is inflectional, changing a word's grammatical form without making a new word? Wikipedia, Inflection (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest I, 0007 English Language Linguistics (SMR 2.3).
  • Which two words form a minimal pair? Wikipedia, Minimal pair (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest I, 0007 English Language Linguistics (SMR 2.3).
  • The words "pat" and "bat" differ in one sound, and that sound changes the meaning. What is such a unit of sound called? Wikipedia, Phoneme (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest I, 0005 The Nature of Language and Language Use (SMR 2.1).
  • Words such as "however", "therefore" and "in contrast" mainly help a text by Wikipedia, Cohesion (linguistics) (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest I, 0008 Nature and Role of Academic Language in Language Acquisition Across the Curriculum (SMR 2.4).
  • The zone of proximal development is the gap between what a learner can do alone and what the learner can do Wikipedia, Zone of proximal development (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest I, 0006 Language Development (SMR 2.2).

Subtest II: Cultural foundations 8

  • A minority group gradually gives up its own language and customs and comes to resemble the majority group. What is this process called? Wikipedia, Cultural assimilation (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest II, 0001 Cultural Perspectives and Resources (SMR 3.1).
  • A student does worse on a test after being reminded of a negative stereotype about her group. What is this effect called? Wikipedia, Stereotype threat (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest II, 0002 Cultural Influences on Learning (SMR 3.2).
  • A teacher judges a family's way of raising children as wrong only because it differs from the teacher's own upbringing. What is this view called? Wikipedia, Ethnocentrism (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest II, 0001 Cultural Perspectives and Resources (SMR 3.1).
  • A teacher learns on home visits that many families repair engines, and builds a unit on machines around that knowledge. Which concept is the teacher using? Wikipedia, Funds of knowledge (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest II, 0002 Cultural Influences on Learning (SMR 3.2).
  • In a high-context culture, much of a message's meaning is carried by Wikipedia, High-context and low-context cultures (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest II, 0002 Cultural Influences on Learning (SMR 3.2).
  • In the usual four-stage account of culture shock, which stage comes first? Wikipedia, Culture shock (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest II, 0001 Cultural Perspectives and Resources (SMR 3.1).
  • Proxemics is the study of which part of nonverbal communication? Wikipedia, Proxemics (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest II, 0002 Cultural Influences on Learning (SMR 3.2).
  • Which idea holds that a person's beliefs and practices should be understood in terms of that person's own culture? Wikipedia, Cultural relativism (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest II, 0001 Cultural Perspectives and Resources (SMR 3.1).

Subtest II: Foundations of English learner education 8

  • A teacher reads students' exit tickets each day and changes the next lesson to fit. What kind of assessment is this? Wikipedia, Formative assessment (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest II, 0006 Foundations of Assessment for English Learners (SMR 4.3).
  • The Bilingual Education Act, signed in January 1968, was Title VII of the amendments to which federal law? Wikipedia, Bilingual Education Act (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest II, 0004 Historical Perspectives on English Learner Education in the United States and California (SMR 4.1).
  • California's English Language Development Standards describe three proficiency levels. From first to last, they are CSET: English Language Development test guide, General Examination Information, glossary (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest II, 0005 Current Features of English Learner Education in California (SMR 4.2).
  • Castañeda v. Pickard (1981) set a three-part test for programs that serve English learners. Which is one of the three parts? Wikipedia, Castañeda v. Pickard (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest II, 0004 Historical Perspectives on English Learner Education in the United States and California (SMR 4.1).
  • In Lau v. Nichols (1974), the U.S. Supreme Court held that a district that gave students with limited English no language help had violated Wikipedia, Lau v. Nichols (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest II, 0004 Historical Perspectives on English Learner Education in the United States and California (SMR 4.1).
  • What did Plyler v. Doe (1982) decide? Wikipedia, Plyler v. Doe (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest II, 0004 Historical Perspectives on English Learner Education in the United States and California (SMR 4.1).
  • Which 2016 California ballot measure repealed the restrictions on bilingual education that Proposition 227 had enacted in 1998? Wikipedia, 2016 California Proposition 58 (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest II, 0005 Current Features of English Learner Education in California (SMR 4.2).
  • Which assessment replaced the CELDT in 2018 as California's test of English language proficiency? Wikipedia, California English Language Development Test (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest II, 0005 Current Features of English Learner Education in California (SMR 4.2).

Subtest III: ELD instruction and assessment 12

  • A scoring guide that lists criteria and describes levels of quality for each one is called Wikipedia, Rubric (academic) (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest III, 0004 Principles of English Composition, Writing Instruction, and Assessment for English Learners (SMR 5.4).
  • A student has just finished a first draft. In the traditional model of the writing process, which stage comes next? Wikipedia, Writing process (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest III, 0004 Principles of English Composition, Writing Instruction, and Assessment for English Learners (SMR 5.4).
  • A student says, "Yesterday I go to the park." The teacher answers, "Oh, you went to the park yesterday?" What kind of feedback is this? Wikipedia, Recast (language teaching) (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest III, 0002 Principles of English Oral Language Instruction and Assessment for English Learners (SMR 5.2).
  • A teacher gives sentence frames for a science explanation and takes them away once students can write it unaided. What is this temporary support called? CSET: English Language Development test guide, General Examination Information, glossary (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest III, 0005 Principles of Language Support for Academic Content Instruction and Assessment (SMR 5.5).
  • A teacher says, "Say cat. Now say it without the /k/." Which skill does this task check? Wikipedia, Phonemic awareness (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest III, 0003 Principles of English Reading Instruction and Assessment for English Learners (SMR 5.3).
  • In a dictogloss, what do learners do after hearing a short text read aloud? Wikipedia, Dictogloss (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest III, 0001 Principles of English Aural Language Instruction and Assessment for English Learners (SMR 5.1).
  • In the language experience approach, where does the reading text come from? Wikipedia, Language Experience Approach (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest III, 0003 Principles of English Reading Instruction and Assessment for English Learners (SMR 5.3).
  • In Total Physical Response, how do beginners show that they understand a spoken command? Wikipedia, Total physical response (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest III, 0001 Principles of English Aural Language Instruction and Assessment for English Learners (SMR 5.1).
  • On a KWL chart, what goes in the middle column? Wikipedia, KWL table (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest III, 0005 Principles of Language Support for Academic Content Instruction and Assessment (SMR 5.5).
  • Reciprocal teaching trains readers in four strategies. Which set is it? Wikipedia, Reciprocal teaching (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest III, 0003 Principles of English Reading Instruction and Assessment for English Learners (SMR 5.3).
  • What is specially designed academic instruction in English (SDAIE)? CSET: English Language Development test guide, General Examination Information, glossary (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest III, 0005 Principles of Language Support for Academic Content Instruction and Assessment (SMR 5.5).
  • Which activity best fits communicative language teaching? Wikipedia, Communicative language teaching (read 2026-10-11). Outline: CSET: English Language Development subtest descriptions, Subtest III, 0002 Principles of English Oral Language Instruction and Assessment for English Learners (SMR 5.2).

How this list was compiled: Our own questions, written to the published content domains of CSET: English Language Development, Subtests I, II and III (test codes 205, 206 and 207), read 2026-10-11 on the program site of the California Educator Credentialing Assessments (test page https://www.ctcexams.nesinc.com/TestView.aspx?f=HTML_FRAG/CA_CSET205_TestPage.html; test structure https://www.ctcexams.nesinc.com/Content/StudyGuide/CA_SG_obj_205.htm; subtest descriptions https://www.ctcexams.nesinc.com/content/docs/CSET_Prep/CS_205subtestdescription.pdf, https://www.ctcexams.nesinc.com/content/docs/CSET_Prep/CS_206subtestdescription.pdf and https://www.ctcexams.nesinc.com/content/docs/CSET_Prep/CS_207subtestdescription.pdf; general examination information with its glossary https://www.ctcexams.nesinc.com/content/docs/CSET_Prep/CS_ELD_geninfo.pdf). The real subtests ask 10 multiple-choice questions on knowledge of English learners, 34 on applied linguistics, 17 on cultural foundations, 15 on the foundations of English learner education and 24 on ELD instruction and assessment. This bank keeps that ratio: 5, 17, 8, 8 and 12. Definitions, rulings and dates were read on the page each question names: Wikipedia articles, and for California terms the glossary of the test guide. Licence: Questions, choices and explanations are original work of this site.

How it works

This free CSET ELD practice test puts 50 questions of our own to you, spread over the five domains of the real exam. It is unofficial: the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing and Pearson took no part in writing it.

Read the full guide

Three subtests, five domains

Subtest I (205) asks 44 multiple-choice questions: 10 on English learners in California and the United States and 34 on applied linguistics. Subtest II (206) asks 17 on cultural foundations and 15 on the foundations of English learner education. Subtest III (207) asks 24 on ELD instruction and assessment. Exam mode draws 44.

Three CSET ELD practice tests in one

For separate CSET ELD practice tests, take the topics one subtest at a time: two belong to Subtest I, two to Subtest II and one to Subtest III.

What the real test adds

Written answers are half of every subtest score. Seven prompts of our own print from under the questions.

Questions and answers

Is this an official CSET ELD practice test?

No. All 50 questions were written for this page from the subtest descriptions and the glossary of the test guide. None is taken or reworded from the program's sample questions or practice tests, and a result here predicts no real score.

How many questions are on the CSET ELD test?

Subtest I has 44 multiple-choice and 3 constructed-response questions in 2 hours 15 minutes. Subtest II has 32 and 2 in 2 hours. Subtest III has 24 and 2 in 1 hour 30 minutes.

What is a passing score on the CSET ELD?

220 on each subtest, on a scale of 100 to 300. Multiple choice is 50% of a subtest score and the constructed responses are the other 50%.

Can you take all three CSET ELD subtests in one session?

No. The test page says each subtest is registered for and taken separately. Appointments are offered during select four-week testing windows.

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