• 60 questions

HiSET Writing Practice Test

Unofficial editing and revising questions in the three categories HiSET publishes for its Language Arts – Writing subtest.

"The new clerk handles returns [carefully]." Which choice best replaces the bracketed part?

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

Print covers the next 60 questions. Share this set copies a link to the same questions in the same order.

Exam mode: 60 questions, no time limit.

More options

Unofficial practice questions, not affiliated with PSI Services LLC, which owns the HiSET exam. Bank checked October 12, 2026.

The real subtest, as HiSET's own outline gives it

Questions
60 multiple-choice questions and 1 essay.
Time
120 minutes for both parts.
To pass
At least 8 of 20 on the subtest and at least 2 of 6 on the essay; the full exam also needs a combined 45.

Checked October 12, 2026 against the HiSET Test at a Glance, the Writing Response Scoring Guide and the HiSET Test Taker Bulletin 2026 (PSI Services LLC). Rules change, so confirm with the agency itself before your test.

HiSET's own free practice tests

Next step More grammar: English grammar practice testHiSET practice test: all five subtests

All 60 questions

Writing conventions 21

  • A writer checks this dictionary entry: "lead (verb): led, leading. To guide or direct." Her draft says, "Last year Ms. Diaz lead the safety team." Going by the entry, which word should replace "lead"? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: III. Writing Conventions, descriptor 5. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Spelling: Common Words that Sound Alike, lead and led.
  • "The award was shared by the night crew and [we]." Which choice best replaces the bracketed part? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: III. Writing Conventions, descriptor 1. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Pronoun Case.
  • "The company moved [it's] warehouse to the east side." Which choice best replaces the bracketed part? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: III. Writing Conventions, descriptor 4. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Apostrophe Introduction.
  • "Each of the delivery vans [needs] new tires." Which choice best replaces the bracketed part? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: III. Writing Conventions, descriptor 2. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Making Subjects and Verbs Agree, rule 6.
Show all 60 questions (56 more)

Writing conventions, continued

  • From a budget report: "Of the two proposals, the second is the [most cheapest]." Which choice best replaces the bracketed part? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: III. Writing Conventions, descriptor 1. Rule: Writing for Success (University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing edition), section 2.6, Comparative versus Superlative.
  • From a course catalog: "The class begins on the first [monday of Spring]." Which choice best replaces the bracketed part? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: III. Writing Conventions, descriptor 4. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, A Little Help with Capitals.
  • From a driver handbook: "If a driver misses the turn, [you] should not back up on the ramp." Which choice best replaces the bracketed part? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: III. Writing Conventions, descriptor 2. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Using Pronouns Clearly, agree in person.
  • From a fire safety sign: "[When the alarm sounds employees] must leave by the nearest exit." Which choice best replaces the bracketed part? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: III. Writing Conventions, descriptor 4. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Extended Rules for Using Commas, rule 2.
  • From a health inspection report: "The inspector closed the kitchen. Citing a broken cooler and two expired permits." Which revision corrects the fragment? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: III. Writing Conventions, descriptor 3. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Sentence Fragments.
  • From a hiring letter: "Bring three things to the [interview: a] photo ID, a résumé, and a list of references." Which choice best replaces the bracketed part? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: III. Writing Conventions, descriptor 4. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, A Brief Overview of Punctuation, colon.
  • From a personal account: "Last winter the pipes froze, the basement flooded, and we [call] a plumber at midnight." Which choice best replaces the bracketed part? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: III. Writing Conventions, descriptor 2. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Verb Tense Consistency.
  • From a pool notice: "The pool closes at eight [tonight lifeguards] leave at eight fifteen." Which choice best replaces the bracketed part? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: III. Writing Conventions, descriptor 3. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Identifying Independent and Dependent Clauses, fused sentences.
  • From a railway bulletin: "The crew working through the night to clear the tracks." Which revision makes this a complete sentence? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: III. Writing Conventions, descriptor 3. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Sentence Fragments, no main verb.
  • From a shop report: "The bakery sold out by [noon, it] had made only forty loaves." Which choice best replaces the bracketed part? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: III. Writing Conventions, descriptor 3. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Identifying Independent and Dependent Clauses, comma splices.
  • From a store memo: "Neither the manager nor the cashiers [was] told about the change." Which choice best replaces the bracketed part? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: III. Writing Conventions, descriptor 2. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Making Subjects and Verbs Agree, rule 3.
  • From a workplace notice: "The list of approved vendors [are] posted beside the time clock." Which choice best replaces the bracketed part? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: III. Writing Conventions, descriptor 2. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Making Subjects and Verbs Agree, rule 5.
  • From an incident report: "By the time we arrived, the meeting had already [began]." Which choice best replaces the bracketed part? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: III. Writing Conventions, descriptor 1. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Irregular Verbs.
  • "The new clerk handles returns [carefully]." Which choice best replaces the bracketed part? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: III. Writing Conventions, descriptor 1. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, How to Use Adjectives and Adverbs.
  • "The new schedule will not [effect] weekend hours." Which choice best replaces the bracketed part? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: III. Writing Conventions, descriptor 4. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Spelling: Common Words that Sound Alike.
  • "There [are] three open positions on the evening shift." Which choice best replaces the bracketed part? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: III. Writing Conventions, descriptor 2. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Making Subjects and Verbs Agree, rule 9.
  • "We met [Mayor Chen] at the ribbon cutting." Which choice best replaces the bracketed part? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: III. Writing Conventions, descriptor 4. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, A Little Help with Capitals.

Language facility 26

  • From a bakery review: "The [stench] of fresh bread drew us in from the sidewalk." The writer wants a word with a pleasant sense. Which choice is best? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: II. Language Facility, descriptor 5. Rule: Wiktionary, aroma and stench.
  • From a business letter: "The flood ruined our files, so we rebuilt the customer list from scratch." What does "from scratch" mean here? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: II. Language Facility, descriptor 3. Rule: Wiktionary, from scratch.
  • From a clinic bulletin: "The storm knocked out power. The clinic stayed open." Which choice combines the sentences correctly? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: II. Language Facility, descriptor 2. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Strategies for Variation: For Short, Choppy Sentences, conjunctions.
  • From a club newsletter: "To save paper, the minutes will be emailed by the secretary." Which revision corrects the modifier? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: II. Language Facility, descriptor 1. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Dangling Modifiers and How To Correct Them.
  • From a crew log: "We spent the morning patching the roof, to clear the gutters, and painted the trim." Which revision is parallel? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: II. Language Facility, descriptor 1. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Parallel Structure, words and phrases.
  • From a formal notice to tenants: "[Please remove all items from the hallway by Friday.]" Which choice best fits the tone of the notice? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: II. Language Facility, descriptor 4. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Levels of Formality.
  • From a job application letter: "I am writing to apply for the cashier position. [I've done stuff like it before] at two grocery stores." Which choice best replaces the bracketed part? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: II. Language Facility, descriptor 4. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Levels of Formality.
  • From a job posting: "The assistant will answer phones, schedule visits, and [the filing of records]." Which choice best replaces the bracketed part? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: II. Language Facility, descriptor 1. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Parallel Structure.
  • From a letter of recommendation: "Ms. Okafor is [arrogant]; she presents her ideas clearly and listens to others." The writer means to praise her. Which choice is best? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: II. Language Facility, descriptor 5. Rule: Wiktionary, confident and arrogant.
  • From a letter: "[After reviewing your application, we would like to invite you] for an interview." Which choice best replaces the bracketed part? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: II. Language Facility, descriptor 1. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Dangling Modifiers and How To Correct Them.
  • From a memo: "The manager said that orders must be logged by noon, that receipts must be stapled, and [to lock the safe]." Which choice best replaces the bracketed part? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: II. Language Facility, descriptor 1. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Parallel Structure, clauses.
  • From a newspaper article: "Council member Ruiz said she is still ____ about the parking plan and will decide after Tuesday's hearing." Which idiom fits? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: II. Language Facility, descriptor 3. Rule: Wiktionary, on the fence.
  • From a parks notice: "The board will announce its [future plans] for the park in May." Which choice is most concise? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: II. Language Facility, descriptor 4. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Eliminating Words, omit redundant pairs.
  • From a personal account: "I woke at five. I packed my lunch. I walked to the depot. I caught the first bus." Which revision adds sentence variety and stays correct? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: II. Language Facility, descriptor 2. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Strategies for Variation.
  • From a personal account: "My brother writes ____; I get a card from him every two or three years." Which idiom fits? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: II. Language Facility, descriptor 3. Rule: Wiktionary, once in a blue moon.
  • From a personal account: "To get my attention without interrupting the speaker, my coworker [shoved] my elbow." The writer wants a word for a gentle push. Which choice is best? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: II. Language Facility, descriptor 5. Rule: Wiktionary, nudge and shove.
  • From a rental listing: "The apartment is small. It gets sun all afternoon." Which combination best shows how the two ideas are related? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: II. Language Facility, descriptor 2. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Strategies for Variation: For Short, Choppy Sentences, subordination.
  • From a safety notice: "The kit holds these items: bandages, scissors, tape, and [how to treat burns]." Which choice best replaces the bracketed part? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: II. Language Facility, descriptor 1. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Parallel Structure, lists after a colon.
  • From a sales report: "Sales [went up a whole lot] in the third quarter." Which choice is most precise? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: II. Language Facility, descriptor 4. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Conciseness.
  • From a store memo: "The shipment arrived [late, however, the] store opened on time." Which choice best replaces the bracketed part? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: II. Language Facility, descriptor 2. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Identifying Independent and Dependent Clauses, independent marker words.
  • From a store report: "The clerk handed a receipt to the customer, smiling politely." The writer means that the clerk was smiling. Which revision makes that clear? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: II. Language Facility, descriptor 1. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Extended Rules for Using Commas, rule 8.
  • From a tenant's account: "The landlord had ignored the leak and the broken lock. When the heat failed in January, it was ____, and we moved out." Which idiom fits? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: II. Language Facility, descriptor 3. Rule: Wiktionary, last straw.
  • From a visitor's account: "Walking into the lobby, the new mural caught my eye." Which revision corrects the modifier? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: II. Language Facility, descriptor 1. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Dangling Modifiers and How To Correct Them.
  • From an inspection report: "The bridge is closed. Inspectors found a cracked beam." Which combination best shows how the two ideas are related? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: II. Language Facility, descriptor 2. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Strategies for Variation: For Short, Choppy Sentences, subordination.
  • From council minutes: "The council approved a plan. The plan adds bike lanes to Oak Street." Which choice combines the sentences correctly? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: II. Language Facility, descriptor 2. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Relative Pronouns, restrictive relative clauses.
  • From meeting minutes: "The committee [made the decision to postpone] the vote." Which choice is most concise? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: II. Language Facility, descriptor 4. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Conciseness.

Organization of ideas 13

  • A memo's first paragraph describes last year's late deliveries. Its second paragraph describes new tracking software. Which sentence best begins the second paragraph? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: I. Organization of Ideas, descriptor 1. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Writing Transitions.
  • A writer is describing her first swimming lessons, taken at age forty. She considers adding this sentence: "Olympic pools are fifty meters long." Should she add it? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: I. Organization of Ideas, descriptor 2. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, On Paragraphs, unity.
  • From a kitchen handbook: "(1) Then press the green button to start the cycle. (2) First, load the trays onto the lower rack. (3) When the light goes out, unload the trays. (4) Next, close the door until it clicks." Which order is most logical? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: I. Organization of Ideas, descriptor 3. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Transitional Devices, to show sequence.
  • From a letter to a landlord: "The repair was scheduled for Monday. ____, the plumber did not arrive until Thursday." Which transition fits? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: I. Organization of Ideas, descriptor 4. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Transitional Devices, to show exception.
  • From a newspaper article: "(1) The library will stay open until 9 p.m. starting Monday. (2) The longer hours answer requests from night-shift workers. (3) The library's roof was replaced in 2019. (4) Two part-time clerks were hired to cover the evenings." Which sentence should be removed? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: I. Organization of Ideas, descriptor 2. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, On Paragraphs, unity.
  • From a report to a transit board: "The night bus should run until 1 a.m. ____" Which sentence gives the most relevant support? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: I. Organization of Ideas, descriptor 2. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, On Paragraphs, adequate development.
  • From a report: "(1) ____ (2) Volunteers sorted 900 pounds of canned goods in March. (3) In April they packed 410 boxes for families. (4) By May the pantry had added a second evening each week." Which sentence best fills the blank? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: I. Organization of Ideas, descriptor 1. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, On Paragraphs, a topic sentence.
  • From a report: "Bus fares rose in June. As a result, ridership fell, and the agency cut two routes." How is this passage organized? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: I. Organization of Ideas, descriptor 3. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, On Paragraphs, methods of development.
  • From a report: "The printer jammed twice during the run. ____, the newsletters went out a day late." Which transition fits? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: I. Organization of Ideas, descriptor 4. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Transitional Devices, to summarize or conclude.
  • From an article: "(1) The old mill closed in 1998. (2) For twenty years the building stood empty. (3) Today it holds forty apartments and a bakery." Where should the writer add this sentence? "In 2018 a developer bought it and began repairs." HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: I. Organization of Ideas, descriptor 3. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, On Paragraphs, chronology.
  • From an article: "Small changes can lower a power bill. ____, one family cut its bill simply by unplugging a second refrigerator." Which transition fits? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: I. Organization of Ideas, descriptor 4. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Transitional Devices, to give an example.
  • From an essay, written as one paragraph: "(1) My first job was washing dishes at a diner. (2) The work was hot, and the shifts were long. (3) I learned to keep pace with a busy kitchen. (4) Years later, I manage a restaurant of my own. (5) I still think of that sink when I hire new staff." Where should a new paragraph begin? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: I. Organization of Ideas, descriptor 3. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, On Paragraphs, when to start a new paragraph.
  • From an essay: "(1) Carpooling cut my fuel bill in half. (2) It also gave me twenty minutes each morning to talk with a neighbor I barely knew. (3) ____" Which sentence best closes the paragraph? HiSET Test at a Glance, Language Arts – Writing: I. Organization of Ideas, descriptor 1. Rule: Purdue Online Writing Lab, Argumentative Essays, the conclusion.

How this list was compiled: Our own drafts and questions, written to the Language Arts – Writing section of the HiSET Test at a Glance (PSI Services LLC, copyright 2025, https://hiset.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/taag.pdf, read 2026-10-12): 60 multiple-choice questions and 1 essay in 120 minutes; Organization of Ideas 22%, Language Facility 43%, Writing Conventions 35%. The bank holds 13, 26 and 21 questions. Each rule was read on 2026-10-12 in the page its question names: the Purdue Online Writing Lab (owl.purdue.edu), Writing for Success section 2.6 (saylordotorg.github.io) and, for seven idioms and word meanings, Wiktionary. Licence: Questions, choices and explanations are original work of this site.

How it works

This free HiSET writing practice test has 60 questions of our own: short drafts to fix, each answer with its rule. It is unofficial and not affiliated with or endorsed by PSI Services LLC, the owner of the HiSET exam.

Read the full guide

The three categories

HiSET's Test at a Glance, read October 12, 2026, splits the 60 multiple-choice questions into organization of ideas (22%), language facility (43%) and writing conventions (35%). This bank holds 13, 26 and 21.

Brackets for underlines

The real subtest marks part of a letter, an article or a report for revision. Here the part to judge sits in [square brackets], and NO CHANGE keeps it as written.

The essay

The real subtest also asks for one essay: an argument written after reading a pair of texts, scored from 1 to 6. This page marks no essay, and Exam mode has no clock because the real 120 minutes cover the essay too.

  • HiSET's scoring guide calls an essay score of 4 competent: a generally clear position, some relevant reasons or examples, and adequate focus and organization.

Questions and answers

Is this HiSET writing practice test the real exam?

No. Every draft and question was written for this site from HiSET's published outline. None is copied or reworded from a real test, a released form or an official practice test, and a result here does not predict a score.

How is the HiSET writing test scored?

On a scale of 1 to 20, HiSET's Test Taker Bulletin 2026 says. Passing the full exam takes at least 8 on each subtest, at least 2 of 6 on the essay and a combined 45.

Is this the HiSET writing practice test for 2018 or 2017?

No year's form is copied here. The questions follow the outline PSI Services published in 2025. HiSET's own free practice tests, the newest numbered FPT9, are on hiset.org with their answer keys.

What does NO CHANGE mean in these questions?

That the bracketed part is already correct. It is the right answer in 7 of the 31 questions that offer it, so do not pick it or avoid it by habit.

More tests

Show 8 more

Browse Civics and Law