A child reads a passage aloud while the teacher marks each word read correctly and notes each error and self-correction. What is this assessment called?Wikipedia, Running record. Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), English Language Arts and Reading (901), competency 010
A reader notices that a paragraph has stopped making sense, so she goes back and re-reads it. Which comprehension skill in the Texas standards is this?19 Texas Administrative Code §110.5, English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 3 (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), English Language Arts and Reading (901), competency 004
A story says a character "slammed the door and would not speak." A student decides she is angry and points to those words. What is the student doing?19 Texas Administrative Code §110.5, English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 3 (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), English Language Arts and Reading (901), competency 004
Show all 60 questions (57 more)
English language arts and reading (901), continued
A student combines two choppy sentences and swaps "nice" for "generous". Under the Texas standards, which step of the writing process is this?19 Texas Administrative Code §110.5, English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 3 (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), English Language Arts and Reading (901), competency 008
A student writes: "Maya packed her lunch, and Sam filled the water bottles." What joins the two sentences into a compound sentence?19 Texas Administrative Code §110.5, English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 3 (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), English Language Arts and Reading (901), competency 007
A teacher shows that "preview", "prepay" and "preheat" share a part that means "before". Which vocabulary strategy is she teaching?19 Texas Administrative Code §110.5, English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 3 (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), English Language Arts and Reading (901), competency 005
According to the National Reading Panel, what is phonics?National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Reading Panel. Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), English Language Arts and Reading (901), competency 002
The Grade 3 standards have students decode multisyllabic words by syllable type. Which type is the second syllable of "pancake"?19 Texas Administrative Code §110.5, English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 3 (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), English Language Arts and Reading (901), competency 002
In the inquiry and research strand, Grade 3 students learn to recognize the difference between paraphrasing and what?19 Texas Administrative Code §110.5, English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 3 (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), English Language Arts and Reading (901), competency 006
In the word "cats", the part "cat" gives the word its basic meaning. What is this main morpheme called?Wikipedia, Morpheme. Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), English Language Arts and Reading (901), competency 002
In the writing process of the Texas standards, which step comes after developing a draft and before editing for conventions?19 Texas Administrative Code §110.5, English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 3 (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), English Language Arts and Reading (901), competency 008
Phonological awareness is awareness of how sounds make up words. At which three levels does it work?Wikipedia, Phonological awareness. Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), English Language Arts and Reading (901), competency 001
Which three parts of reading fluency do the Grade 3 Texas standards name?19 Texas Administrative Code §110.5, English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 3 (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), English Language Arts and Reading (901), competency 003
Mathematics (902) 11
A baker measures 3/5 cup of flour, then adds 1/4 cup more. How much flour is in the bowl?19 Texas Administrative Code §111.7, Grade 5 (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Mathematics (902), competency 002
A fourth grader says 0.25 is greater than 0.5 "because 25 is greater than 5." Which statement corrects the error?19 Texas Administrative Code §111.6, Grade 4 (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Mathematics (902), competency 001
A storage box is 4 feet long, 3 feet wide and 5 feet high. Using V = l × w × h, how much space does it hold?19 Texas Administrative Code §111.7, Grade 5 (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Mathematics (902), competency 004
A student lines up 6, 11, 11, 13 and 19 in order and reports the middle value, 11, as the mean. Which measure did the student find, and what is the mean?19 Texas Administrative Code §111.26, Grade 6 (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Mathematics (902), competency 005
A student sorts 51, 57, 59 and 63 into prime and composite numbers. Which one belongs in the prime group?19 Texas Administrative Code §111.7, Grade 5 (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Mathematics (902), competency 002
A triangular classroom banner is 26 inches along its base and 5 inches high. What is its area?19 Texas Administrative Code §111.26, Grade 6 (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Mathematics (902), competency 004
Five identical notebooks cost $65 in all. Which equation finds the price x of one notebook, and what is x?19 Texas Administrative Code §111.26, Grade 6 (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Mathematics (902), competency 003
Five jars on a classroom shelf hold 12, 15, 7, 20 and 9 marbles. What is the range of the counts?19 Texas Administrative Code §111.26, Grade 6 (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Mathematics (902), competency 005
The inputs 2, 5 and 9 give the outputs 8, 20 and 36. What kind of pattern is this, and what is its rule?19 Texas Administrative Code §111.7, Grade 5 (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Mathematics (902), competency 003
Simplify 18 − 2 × (4 + 3).19 Texas Administrative Code §111.7, Grade 5 (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Mathematics (902), competency 002
The Texas mathematics standards describe a problem-solving model. Which step comes right after determining a solution?19 Texas Administrative Code §111.6, Grade 4 (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Mathematics (902), competency 006
Social studies (903) 11
A town has enough money to repair one bridge, but three bridges need repair. Which basic economic problem does this show?Wikipedia, Scarcity. Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Social Studies (903), competency 004
According to the law of demand, what do consumers do as the price of a good decreases?Wikipedia, Supply and demand. Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Social Studies (903), competency 004
According to the Texas State Library, about how long did the Battle of San Jacinto last?Texas State Library and Archives Commission, The Battle of San Jacinto. Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Social Studies (903), competency 002
Congress passed the 19th Amendment, on women's right to vote, on June 4, 1919. When was it ratified?National Archives, 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Women's Right to Vote (1920). Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Social Studies (903), competency 005
How long was the siege that ended with the fall of the Alamo on March 6, 1836?Wikipedia, Battle of the Alamo. Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Social Studies (903), competency 002
The land the United States bought from France in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 lay on which side of which river?National Archives, Louisiana Purchase Treaty (1803). Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Social Studies (903), competency 002
Most English-speaking countries recognize how many continents?Wikipedia, Continent. Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Social Studies (903), competency 003
On a globe, in which direction do lines of constant latitude run, and what are they called?Wikipedia, Latitude. Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Social Studies (903), competency 003
Under the Texas Constitution, how long are the terms of state senators and state representatives?Texas Constitution, Article 3, Legislative Department. Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Social Studies (903), competency 005
Where and when did delegates adopt the Texas Declaration of Independence?Texas State Library and Archives Commission, Texas Declaration of Independence. Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Social Studies (903), competency 002
Which founding document opens with the words "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union"?National Archives, The Constitution of the United States. Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Social Studies (903), competency 005
Science (904) 13
A book sits on a high shelf. Which kind of energy does it have because of its position?U.S. Energy Information Administration, Forms of energy. Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Science (904), competency 009
A class wraps one leaf of a plant in foil for a week. Which energy conversion can that leaf no longer carry out?Wikipedia, Photosynthesis. Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Science (904), competency 011
A puppy inherits two different versions of a coat-color gene. One shows, and the effect of the other is masked. What is the masked allele called?National Human Genome Research Institute, Talking Glossary: Dominant. Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Science (904), competency 012
A soccer ball rests on the grass and stays there until a player kicks it. Which law describes this?NASA Glenn Research Center, Newton's Laws of Motion. Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Science (904), competency 007
A third grader says, "I think the bean plant by the window grew taller because it got more light." In science, what is this proposed explanation for a narrow set of observations?University of California Museum of Paleontology, Understanding Science glossary. Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Science (904), competency 002
Earth is closest to the Sun in January, when it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere. What does NASA say this proves?NASA Space Place, What Causes the Seasons? Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Science (904), competency 018
In a food chain, which organism is the producer?Wikipedia, Food chain. Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Science (904), competency 014
Juice poured from a tall bottle into a wide bowl keeps the same volume but takes a new shape. Which state of matter behaves this way?Wikipedia, State of matter. Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Science (904), competency 008
On a cool, clear morning the grass is wet with dew although no rain fell. Which process of the water cycle put the water there?National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, JetStream: The Hydrologic Cycle. Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Science (904), competency 016
The U.S. Geological Survey divides igneous rocks into two groups, intrusive and extrusive. What decides the group?U.S. Geological Survey, What are igneous rocks? Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Science (904), competency 015
Under Texas Education Code §38.005, who must wear industrial-quality eye-protective devices in appropriate situations?Texas Education Code, Chapter 38, Health and Safety, §38.005. Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Science (904), competency 001
Which process reduces the number of chromosomes to make egg and sperm cells?National Human Genome Research Institute, Talking Glossary: Meiosis. Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Science (904), competency 012
Wood burns in a campfire. Which energy change does the U.S. Energy Information Administration describe?U.S. Energy Information Administration, Forms of energy. Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Science (904), competency 010
Fine arts, health and PE (905) 12
A fourth grader has had 35 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity at recess and in PE. How many more minutes that day would reach the daily amount in the federal Physical Activity Guidelines for ages 6 through 17?U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans: Top 10 Things to Know. Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Fine Arts, Health and Physical Education (905), competency 003
A passage of music is marked f, for forte. How should it be played?Wikipedia, Dynamics (music). Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Fine Arts, Health and Physical Education (905), competency 002
A song's tempo is 120 beats per minute. How many beats sound each second?Wikipedia, Tempo. Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Fine Arts, Health and Physical Education (905), competency 002
An art teacher asks how light or dark a color is. Which characteristic of color is she naming?J. Paul Getty Museum, Elements of Art. Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Fine Arts, Health and Physical Education (905), competency 001
Grade 5 theatre students "analyze and apply appropriate audience behavior at a variety of performances." Under which strand of the Texas theatre standards does this fall?19 Texas Administrative Code §117.119, Theatre, Grade 5 (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Fine Arts, Health and Physical Education (905), competency 005
In the elements of art, how does a form differ from a shape?J. Paul Getty Museum, Elements of Art. Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Fine Arts, Health and Physical Education (905), competency 001
On the Getty's list of the elements of art, which of these appears?J. Paul Getty Museum, Elements of Art. Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Fine Arts, Health and Physical Education (905), competency 001
The Texas physical education standards are grouped into five strands. Which strand covers health-related fitness, environmental awareness and safety practices?19 Texas Administrative Code §116.15, Physical Education, Grade 3 (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Fine Arts, Health and Physical Education (905), competency 004
What does a crescendo tell a singer to do?Wikipedia, Dynamics (music). Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Fine Arts, Health and Physical Education (905), competency 002
Which activity do the federal Physical Activity Guidelines give as an example that makes young people's muscles and bones strong?U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans: Top 10 Things to Know. Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Fine Arts, Health and Physical Education (905), competency 003
Which of these is a locomotor skill in the Grade 3 Texas physical education standards?19 Texas Administrative Code §116.15, Physical Education, Grade 3 (Legal Information Institute copy). Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Fine Arts, Health and Physical Education (905), competency 004
Which pair does the Getty give as examples of warm colors?J. Paul Getty Museum, Elements of Art. Written to TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391), Fine Arts, Health and Physical Education (905), competency 001
How this list was compiled: Our own questions, written to the exam framework of TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391) in Section 3 of the preparation manual on the Texas Educator Certification Examination Program website, https://www.tx.nesinc.com/Content/StudyGuide/TX_SG_obj_391.htm (copyright Texas Education Agency), read 2026-10-09: 210 selected-response questions in five Subject Exams, English Language Arts and Reading (901) 45, Mathematics (902) 40, Social Studies (903) 40, Science (904) 45 and Fine Arts, Health and Physical Education (905) 40. This bank holds 60: 13, 11, 11, 13 and 12. Every fact was read on the public page named under its question, each opened 2026-10-09 or 2026-10-10: the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills in 19 Texas Administrative Code Chapters 110, 111, 116 and 117 (Legal Information Institute copies), the Texas Constitution and Education Code, the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, the National Archives, the National Reading Panel page of NICHD, NASA, NOAA, the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the National Human Genome Research Institute, the University of California Museum of Paleontology, the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans and Wikipedia. The arithmetic of every mathematics answer was worked a second time. Licence: Questions, choices and explanations are original work of this site.
How it works
A free EC–6 practice test: 60 of our own questions across the five Subject Exams of TExES Core Subjects EC–6 (391). Unofficial, and not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by the Texas Education Agency or Pearson.
Read the full guide
Five Subject Exams, five scores
English Language Arts and Reading has 45 questions, Mathematics 40, Social Studies 40, Science 45, and Fine Arts, Health and Physical Education 40. Each needs a scaled 240, and there is no total score.
Each subject has its own clock
Reading and Mathematics get 1 hour 10 minutes each, Social Studies 50 minutes, Science 55 and Fine Arts 35. Exam mode gives 80 minutes for the 60 here, the pace of 210 in 280.
Written to the Texas standards
Reading, mathematics, fine arts and physical education questions cite the TEKS section they rest on. Texas history leans on the Texas State Library and Archives.
A candidate who misses one Subject Exam can retake that one alone, so filter by subject and drill the weakest.
The exam's page says this certificate also asks for Science of Teaching Reading (293), a separate exam this page does not cover.
Questions and answers
Is this a core EC-6 practice test for the 391 exam?
Yes. It follows the framework of Core Subjects EC–6 (391) in the free preparation manual: 13 reading questions, 11 mathematics, 11 social studies, 13 science and 12 fine arts, health and physical education, in the proportions of the real exam.
Is there still an EC-6 generalist practice test?
The exam program's test list has no test named Generalist today. The elementary classroom test on it is Core Subjects EC–6 (391), and this page follows the 391 framework.
What score do you need to pass the EC-6 Core Subjects certification exam?
A scaled 240 on each of the five Subject Exams. Results for the whole exam come as Passed or Not Passed, because there is no total passing score.
How long is the Core Subjects EC-6 test?
The appointment is 5 hours: 15 minutes for the tutorial and compliance agreement, then 4 hours 40 minutes of testing, timed by Subject Exam, for 210 selected-response questions.
Are these real EC-6 exam questions?
No. Every question was written for this site from a competency and the public source named beside it. The real exam and the manual's sample questions were not copied or reworded.