M-STEP Practice Test

Michigan math, English language arts, science and social studies questions by grade, each answer explained.

A baker puts 6 muffins in each of 7 boxes. How many muffins are there in all?

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 25 questions. Share this set copies a link to the same questions in the same order.

More options

Unofficial practice questions, not affiliated with the Michigan Department of Education. Bank checked October 7, 2026.

The real test: what Michigan publishes

Subjects by grade
English language arts and mathematics in grades 3 to 7. Science and social studies in grades 5, 8 and 11.
English and math
Computer adaptive. English covers reading, writing, listening and research, with a passage-based writing item.
Science
Fixed form of seven clusters; six count and one is a field test. A cluster is a phenomenon with 5 to 9 related items.
Social studies
Fixed form with single items and context-based sets of 3 to 4 items.
Time
Untimed. Estimates: English 2 hours; math 1 hour 30 minutes in grades 3 to 5 and 2 hours in grades 6 and 7; science 1 hour 30 minutes; social studies 1 hour.
Scores
Not pass or fail. Four performance levels: Not Proficient, Partially Proficient, Proficient and Advanced.

Checked October 7, 2026 against the M-STEP Test Administration Manual for Spring 2026, the M-STEP blueprints and M-STEP: What Do the Scores Mean? of the Michigan Department of Education. Rules change, so confirm with the agency itself before your test.

The state's own online practice

Next step More math by grade, on Ohio's blueprintMore school test practice: New Jersey

Math: all 25 questions

Grade 3 5

  • A baker puts 6 muffins in each of 7 boxes. How many muffins are there in all? Michigan K-12 Standards for Mathematics, 3.OA.3
  • A rectangle is 9 units long and 6 units wide. What is its area? Michigan K-12 Standards for Mathematics, 3.MD.7
  • Lena has 24 stickers. She gives 4 stickers to each of 3 friends. How many stickers does she have left? Michigan K-12 Standards for Mathematics, 3.OA.8
Show all 25 questions (22 more)

Grade 3, continued

  • What is 438 + 275? Michigan K-12 Standards for Mathematics, 3.NBT.2
  • Which fraction is equal to 1/2? Michigan K-12 Standards for Mathematics, 3.NF.3

Grade 4 5

  • A group of 128 students is going on a trip. Each van holds 9 students. How many vans are needed so that every student has a seat? Michigan K-12 Standards for Mathematics, 4.OA.3
  • A rectangular garden is 12 meters long and 7 meters wide. How much fence is needed to go around it? Michigan K-12 Standards for Mathematics, 4.MD.3
  • What is 4/10 + 3/10? Michigan K-12 Standards for Mathematics, 4.NF.3
  • What is 36 × 24? Michigan K-12 Standards for Mathematics, 4.NBT.5
  • Which number is the greatest? Michigan K-12 Standards for Mathematics, 4.NBT.2

Grade 5 5

  • A box is 4 cm long, 3 cm wide and 5 cm tall. What is its volume? Michigan K-12 Standards for Mathematics, 5.MD.5
  • What is 2/3 + 1/4? Michigan K-12 Standards for Mathematics, 5.NF.1
  • What is 2/3 × 3/8? Michigan K-12 Standards for Mathematics, 5.NF.4
  • What is 4.8 × 0.5? Michigan K-12 Standards for Mathematics, 5.NBT.7
  • Which decimal is the greatest? Michigan K-12 Standards for Mathematics, 5.NBT.3

Grade 6 5

  • A triangle has a base of 14 cm and a height of 5 cm. What is its area? Michigan K-12 Standards for Mathematics, 6.G.1
  • Five notebooks cost $8.75. At the same price each, how much do 8 notebooks cost? Michigan K-12 Standards for Mathematics, 6.RP.3
  • Four quiz scores are 6, 9, 12 and 13. What is the mean? Michigan K-12 Standards for Mathematics, 6.SP.5
  • What is 3/4 ÷ 1/8? Michigan K-12 Standards for Mathematics, 6.NS.1
  • What value of x makes 4x = 52 true? Michigan K-12 Standards for Mathematics, 6.EE.7

Grade 7 5

  • A bag holds 3 red, 5 blue and 2 green tiles. One tile is drawn without looking. What is the probability that it is blue? Michigan K-12 Standards for Mathematics, 7.SP.7
  • A circle has a radius of 5 cm. Using 3.14 for pi, what is its area? Michigan K-12 Standards for Mathematics, 7.G.4
  • A jacket costs $60. It is on sale for 25% off. What is the sale price? Michigan K-12 Standards for Mathematics, 7.RP.3
  • What is −8 + 13 − (−4)? Michigan K-12 Standards for Mathematics, 7.NS.1
  • What value of x makes 3x + 7 = 31 true? Michigan K-12 Standards for Mathematics, 7.EE.4

How this list was compiled: Outline: M-STEP Mathematics and ELA Blueprints (Michigan Department of Education, updated March 2021), https://www.michigan.gov/mde/-/media/Project/Websites/mde/OEAA/M-STEP/M-STEP_MATH-ELA_Blueprint.pdf?rev=f294936e76da4fe99ee4eda324c95602&hash=C63C4DF4E130D9497E0D2CF7C8F5E763, read 2026-10-07. Each question names the standard it practices in the Michigan K-12 Standards for Mathematics, https://www.michigan.gov/mde/-/media/Project/Websites/mde/Literacy/Content-Standards/Math_Standards.pdf?rev=1e793e2b1e314e4fa1abc754251b5dc9&hash=E928B99608A2C6642EA3E19E67CCCD39, read 2026-10-07. Every answer is arithmetic on the numbers in the question, worked out twice. Licence: Own work. Questions, answer choices, short texts and explanations were written for this site. Nothing is copied or reworded from an M-STEP test, a released or sample item, an online practice item or another practice test.

English language arts: all 16 questions

Reading 6

  • Read the passage. Nora carried the cracked blue bowl to the fair anyway. "It still holds soup," she told her brother, "and Grandpa made it." When the judge smiled at the bowl, Nora stood a little taller. What does "stood a little taller" show about Nora? Michigan K-12 Standards for English Language Arts, RL.4.4
  • Read the passage. Nora carried the cracked blue bowl to the fair anyway. "It still holds soup," she told her brother, "and Grandpa made it." When the judge smiled at the bowl, Nora stood a little taller. Which sentence best states a theme of the passage? Michigan K-12 Standards for English Language Arts, RL.4.2
  • Read the passage. Nora carried the cracked blue bowl to the fair anyway. "It still holds soup," she told her brother, "and Grandpa made it." When the judge smiled at the bowl, Nora stood a little taller. Why does Nora bring the bowl to the fair? Michigan K-12 Standards for English Language Arts, RL.3.3
Show all 16 questions (13 more)

Reading, continued

  • Read the passage. The Pine Hollow library began in a single room above a bakery. Readers had to climb a narrow stair, and the room held only two shelves. As more families moved to town, volunteers raised money for a building of its own. Today the library fills a whole block. According to the passage, why did the town need a new library building? Michigan K-12 Standards for English Language Arts, RI.5.3
  • Read the passage. The Pine Hollow library began in a single room above a bakery. Readers had to climb a narrow stair, and the room held only two shelves. As more families moved to town, volunteers raised money for a building of its own. Today the library fills a whole block. How is the passage mainly organized? Michigan K-12 Standards for English Language Arts, RI.4.5
  • Read the passage. The Pine Hollow library began in a single room above a bakery. Readers had to climb a narrow stair, and the room held only two shelves. As more families moved to town, volunteers raised money for a building of its own. Today the library fills a whole block. What is the main idea of the passage? Michigan K-12 Standards for English Language Arts, RI.4.2

Writing and language 6

  • A student is writing an informational essay about how the school's recycling program works. Which sentence belongs in the essay? Michigan K-12 Standards for English Language Arts, W.6.2b
  • A student writes that the school day should include a quiet reading time. Which detail best supports that opinion? Michigan K-12 Standards for English Language Arts, W.5.1b
  • Which sentence is a run-on that should be revised? Michigan K-12 Standards for English Language Arts, L.4.1f
  • Which sentence is punctuated correctly? Michigan K-12 Standards for English Language Arts, L.4.2b
  • Which sentence keeps its verb tense consistent? Michigan K-12 Standards for English Language Arts, L.5.1d
  • Which word best links the ideas? "The path was covered in ice. ___, the hikers turned back." Michigan K-12 Standards for English Language Arts, W.5.2c

Research 4

  • A source says: "Volunteers planted forty trees along the river in one afternoon." Which note paraphrases it correctly? Michigan K-12 Standards for English Language Arts, W.5.8
  • A student finds two sources that give different dates for the same event. What should the student do? Michigan K-12 Standards for English Language Arts, W.7.8
  • Jay is researching how bridges are built. Which search phrase would give the most useful results? Michigan K-12 Standards for English Language Arts, W.7.8
  • Which source is the most reliable for a report on the planets? Michigan K-12 Standards for English Language Arts, W.6.8

How this list was compiled: Outline: M-STEP Mathematics and ELA Blueprints (Michigan Department of Education, updated March 2021), https://www.michigan.gov/mde/-/media/Project/Websites/mde/OEAA/M-STEP/M-STEP_MATH-ELA_Blueprint.pdf?rev=f294936e76da4fe99ee4eda324c95602&hash=C63C4DF4E130D9497E0D2CF7C8F5E763, read 2026-10-07. Each question names the standard it practices in the Michigan K-12 Standards for English Language Arts, https://www.michigan.gov/mde/-/media/Project/Websites/mde/Literacy/Content-Standards/ELA_Standards.pdf?rev=0f76588bc2bd48f89165484fa35d2b31&hash=00355BA9B3DA4556B72D97FDE3EF85FE, read 2026-10-07. Reading answers are found in the short text printed with the question. Licence: Own work. Questions, answer choices, short texts and explanations were written for this site. Nothing is copied or reworded from an M-STEP test, a released or sample item, an online practice item or another practice test.

Science: all 14 questions

Grade 5 science 7

  • A ball rolls off the edge of a table. In which direction does Earth's gravitational force pull it? Michigan K-12 Science Standards, 5-PS2-1
  • A bean plant grows in a pot for eight weeks and gains 120 grams. The dry soil in the pot weighs almost the same as at the start. Which claim does this evidence support? Michigan K-12 Science Standards, 5-LS1-1
  • A class makes a bar graph of where Earth's water is found. Which bar should be far taller than all the others? Michigan K-12 Science Standards, 5-ESS2-2; fact checked at U.S. Geological Survey, How Much Water is There on Earth?
Show all 14 questions (11 more)

Grade 5 science, continued

  • A class measures the shadow of a flagpole on one sunny day: 150 cm at 9 a.m., 40 cm at noon and 140 cm at 3 p.m. What pattern do the data show? Michigan K-12 Science Standards, 5-ESS1-2
  • A class seals 40 grams of water and a 5-gram tablet in a bag. The tablet fizzes and dissolves, and the bag stays sealed. What does the scale read afterward? Michigan K-12 Science Standards, 5-PS1-2
  • A rabbit gets energy by eating clover. Where did the energy in the clover come from first? Michigan K-12 Science Standards, 5-PS3-1
  • In a model of a forest, which group returns matter from dead leaves to the soil, where plants can use it again? Michigan K-12 Science Standards, 5-LS2-1

Grade 8 science 7

  • A graph shows the kinetic energy of one car: 50,000 joules at 10 meters per second and 200,000 joules at 20 meters per second. When the speed doubles, the kinetic energy becomes Michigan K-12 Science Standards, MS-PS3-1
  • A park counts 40 squirrels in a year when acorns are plentiful and 22 the next year, when few acorns grow. What do the data suggest? Michigan K-12 Science Standards, MS-LS2-1
  • A student pushes two carts with the same force. Cart A has a mass of 2 kg and cart B has a mass of 6 kg. How do their motions change? Michigan K-12 Science Standards, MS-PS2-2
  • A student wants to find out whether the mass of water affects how much its temperature rises on a hot plate. Which variable should change from trial to trial? Michigan K-12 Science Standards, MS-PS3-4
  • After a dry summer lowers the water in a pond, a class counts 25 frogs where it counted 60 the year before. Which argument does the evidence support best? Michigan K-12 Science Standards, MS-LS2-4
  • In a model of Earth, sun and moon, how are the three bodies lined up during a lunar eclipse? Michigan K-12 Science Standards, MS-ESS1-1; fact checked at NASA Science, Eclipses
  • In a model of the water cycle, which two things drive the movement of water through Earth's systems? Michigan K-12 Science Standards, MS-ESS2-4

How this list was compiled: Outline: Sample M-STEP Science Blueprint (Michigan Department of Education, April 2025), https://www.michigan.gov/mde/-/media/Project/Websites/mde/OEAA/M-STEP/Sample_M-STEP_Science_Blueprint_April_2025.pdf?rev=08996f28c434414c93ce173dc6c5ddf1&hash=5991B1C5ADDE1D2D927114744A76FB7E, read 2026-10-07. Each question names the performance expectation it practices in the Michigan K-12 Science Standards, https://www.michigan.gov/mde/-/media/Project/Websites/mde/Literacy/Content-Standards/Science_Standards.pdf?rev=a63819680d47402ca6c3858a191f6827&hash=DDABC35C110EB150C748F282D164EC84, read 2026-10-07. Two facts were checked at federal pages read the same day: U.S. Geological Survey, How Much Water is There on Earth?, https://www.usgs.gov/water-science-school/science/how-much-water-there-earth; NASA Science, Eclipses, https://science.nasa.gov/moon/eclipses/. Licence: Own work. Questions, answer choices, short texts and explanations were written for this site. Nothing is copied or reworded from an M-STEP test, a released or sample item, an online practice item or another practice test.

Social studies: all 20 questions

Grade 5 social studies 10

  • A country lies north of the equator and west of the prime meridian. In which two hemispheres is it? Michigan K-12 Social Studies Standards, 4 – G1.0.5
  • A lemonade stand sold 30 cups at $1 a cup on Monday. On Tuesday it charged $2 a cup and sold 12 cups. What do the numbers show? Michigan K-12 Social Studies Standards, 4 – E1.0.4
  • In what year did Michigan become a state? Michigan K-12 Social Studies Standards, 3 – H3.0.9; fact checked at State of Michigan, State Facts and Symbols
Show all 20 questions (17 more)

Grade 5 social studies, continued

  • On a map with north at the top, the library is drawn directly to the right of the school. Which way do you travel to go from the school to the library? Michigan K-12 Social Studies Standards, 3 – G1.0.1
  • Which city was Michigan's capital before Lansing? Michigan K-12 Social Studies Standards, 3 – H3.0.10; fact checked at State of Michigan, State Facts and Symbols
  • Which complaint was a main reason American colonists opposed British rule? Michigan K-12 Social Studies Standards, 5 – U3.1.3; fact checked at USCIS, Civics (History and Government) Questions for the Naturalization Test
  • Which document, adopted on July 4, 1776, announced that the colonies were independent from Great Britain? Michigan K-12 Social Studies Standards, 5 – U3.1.5; fact checked at USCIS, Civics (History and Government) Questions for the Naturalization Test
  • Which is an example of checks and balances? Michigan K-12 Social Studies Standards, 4 – C3.0.5
  • Which of these is a power of state governments and not of the federal government? Michigan K-12 Social Studies Standards, 4 – C3.0.2; fact checked at USCIS, Civics (History and Government) Questions for the Naturalization Test
  • Working alone, three students each make 4 cards an hour, or 12 in all. When one folds, one draws and one writes, the team makes 21 cards an hour. What explains the change? Michigan K-12 Social Studies Standards, 4 – E1.0.5

Grade 8 social studies 10

  • A chart shows that a country exports goods worth $40 billion and imports goods worth $55 billion in one year. Which statement is true? Michigan K-12 Social Studies Standards, 6 – E3.3.1
  • A city builds a levee to hold back a river. Which theme of geography does this show best? Michigan K-12 Social Studies Standards, 6 – G1.3.1
  • A table lists people per square kilometer in four regions: region A has 200, region B has 45, region C has 310 and region D has 12. Which region is the most densely populated? Michigan K-12 Social Studies Standards, 6 – G1.2.3
  • The Bill of Rights reflects which idea about government? Michigan K-12 Social Studies Standards, 8 – U3.3.6
  • Early civilizations along the Tigris and Euphrates, the Nile, the Indus and the Huang He had what in common? Michigan K-12 Social Studies Standards, 7 – W2.1.3
  • From which country did the United States buy the Louisiana Territory in 1803? Michigan K-12 Social Studies Standards, 8 – U4.2.3; fact checked at USCIS, Civics (History and Government) Questions for the Naturalization Test
  • On a map, 1 centimeter stands for 50 kilometers. Two cities are 4.5 centimeters apart on the map. How far apart are they? Michigan K-12 Social Studies Standards, 6 – G1.1.1
  • What happened at the Constitutional Convention in 1787? Michigan K-12 Social Studies Standards, 8 – U3.3.3; fact checked at USCIS, Civics (History and Government) Questions for the Naturalization Test
  • Which problem did the country have under the Articles of Confederation? Michigan K-12 Social Studies Standards, 8 – U3.3.1
  • Which was a result of the first Agricultural Revolution? Michigan K-12 Social Studies Standards, 7 – W1.2.3

How this list was compiled: Outline: M-STEP Social Studies Blueprint (Michigan Department of Education, updated August 2024), https://www.michigan.gov/mde/-/media/Project/Websites/mde/OEAA/M-STEP/Blueprint---SS-Blueprint-for-MDE-website.pdf?rev=cc465ce48d0e4f229ddac6431066fc19&hash=1E6BD5AE9E032254392C60231940B0AF, read 2026-10-07. Each question names the expectation it practices in the Michigan K-12 Social Studies Standards (June 2019), https://www.michigan.gov/mde/-/media/Project/Websites/mde/Academic-Standards/Social_Studies_Standards.pdf?rev=7ec086ebb7814277baf6702705fb8007&hash=E2F7B23E51EAC1696D9586B67E006F5C, read 2026-10-07. History and civics facts were checked at USCIS, Civics (History and Government) Questions for the Naturalization Test, https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/questions-and-answers/100q.pdf, and Michigan facts at State of Michigan, State Facts and Symbols, https://www.michigan.gov/som/about-michigan/state-facts-and-symbols, both read 2026-10-07. Licence: Own work. Questions, answer choices, short texts and explanations were written for this site. Nothing is copied or reworded from an M-STEP test, a released or sample item, an online practice item or another practice test.

How it works

Unofficial test prep for Michigan's M-STEP: math and English language arts for grades 3 to 7, science and social studies for grades 5 and 8. Our own questions. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the Michigan Department of Education.

Read the full guide

What is on this page

Math has five questions for each grade from 3 to 7, easiest grade first. English language arts has reading questions on two short passages, then writing and research questions. Science and social studies each have a grade 5 set and a grade 8 set.

How the real test differs

The real English and math tests are computer adaptive: each answer steers the next question. Science asks its questions in clusters about one phenomenon, and English includes listening and a passage-based essay. Here every question is multiple choice and stands alone, and its explanation names the Michigan standard it practices.

  • Grades 3, 4 and 5 may not use a calculator on M-STEP math, so work those questions on paper.

Questions and answers

Is this the Michigan M-STEP practice test?

It is unofficial practice for the same test, the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress. The Michigan Department of Education has its own online practice; the button under the questions opens it.

What grades take the M-STEP?

Grades 3 to 7 take English language arts and mathematics. Grades 5, 8 and 11 take science and social studies; grade 11 is not on this page. Grade 8 students take the PSAT 8/9 for English and math.

How long is the M-STEP test?

It is untimed. The Spring 2026 manual estimates two hours for English language arts, 90 minutes for math in grades 3 to 5 and two hours in grades 6 and 7, 90 minutes for science and an hour for social studies.

Is the M-STEP pass or fail?

No. The state says M-STEP is not pass or fail. Scores fall into four performance levels: Not Proficient, Partially Proficient, Proficient and Advanced.

More tests

Show 7 more

Browse Civics and Law