Oral language, early literacy and word identification 8
A newcomer reads Spanish, in which letters match sounds closely. Why does decoding English take her longer to master?Wikipedia, Orthographic depth. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain I, competency 002
A reading teacher's lessons first teach letter-sound correspondences and then how to blend those sounds into whole words. Which method of teaching reading is this?Wikipedia, Synthetic phonics. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain I, competency 003
A sixth grader speaks in complete, grammatical sentences but uses the same blunt wording with the principal as with his friends. Which area of language is the study of how context contributes to meaning?Wikipedia, Pragmatics. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain I, competency 001
A student uses structural analysis on the word "unbreakable". How many morphemes does the word have?Wikipedia, Morpheme. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain I, competency 003
Show all 50 questions (46 more)
Oral language, early literacy and word identification, continued
A student who moved from Mexico two years ago chats easily at lunch but struggles with the language of her science textbook. By Cummins's account, about how long does the academic kind of proficiency take to develop?Wikipedia, Cognitive academic language proficiency. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain I, competency 001
The grade 6 standards expect students to take part in student-led discussions. Which behaviors do they name for those discussions?19 TAC §110.22, English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 6. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain I, competency 001
Not every written language is alphabetic. In which kind of writing system does a written character stand for a word or a morpheme, as Chinese characters do?Wikipedia, Logogram. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain I, competency 002
Which method of assessing a child's reading level did Marie Clay develop for the Reading Recovery approach?Wikipedia, Running record. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain I, competency 003
Comprehension, writing, media and inquiry 17
A class reads about a cowboy who ropes a tornado, told with a straight face as if it had happened. Which genre is this?Wikipedia, Tall tale. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain II, competency 005
A narrator outside the story follows one girl through a cattle drive and reports only what she sees and thinks. The grade 6 standards pair this point of view with omniscient. What do they call it?19 TAC §110.22, English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 6. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain II, competency 005
A political cartoon draws a governor with enormous ears and a tiny hat. What is this exaggerated way of showing a person's features called?Wikipedia, Caricature. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain II, competency 008
A student has finished changing the content of her essay. She now corrects a run-on, a verb tense and two capital letters. Which step of the writing process in the grade 6 standards is this?19 TAC §110.22, English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 6. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain II, competency 007
A student rules her page into a wide note-taking column on the right, a narrower column for questions and keywords on the left, and a few open lines at the bottom. Which system is she using?Wikipedia, Cornell Notes. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain II, competency 009
A teacher reads a paragraph aloud and stops to say, "I lost the thread there, so I will look at the heading again." What kind of thinking is she modeling?Wikipedia, Metacognition. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain II, competency 004
A teacher scores essays with a rubric that gives separate ratings for ideas, organization, voice and conventions. Which kind of rubric is it?Wikipedia, Rubric (academic). Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain II, competency 007
An editorial argues, "This plan is the best plan because no other plan is better." Which logical fallacy, named in the grade 8 standards beside bandwagon appeals, is this?19 TAC §110.24, English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 8. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain II, competency 005
"Because the river flooded, the game was moved." Which kind of sentence is this?Wikipedia, Sentence clause structure. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain II, competency 006
"Covered in mustard, Dad handed me the hot dog." Which error makes the sentence say that Dad was covered in mustard?Wikipedia, Dangling modifier. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain II, competency 006
The grade 6 standards have students examine sources for faulty reasoning. Which three examples of faulty reasoning do they give?19 TAC §110.22, English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 6. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain II, competency 009
The grade 8 standards list semicolons among the punctuation students edit for. What is a semicolon most commonly used to do?Wikipedia, Semicolon; 19 TAC §110.24(b)(10)(D)(vi). Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain II, competency 006
In a documentary a rancher is filmed from near the ground, the camera looking up at him. What effect does this choice have on how viewers see him?Wikipedia, Low-angle shot. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain II, competency 008
Midway through a chapter a student says, "The flood in this novel reminds me of the article we read about hurricanes." Which comprehension skill in the grade 6 standards is she using?19 TAC §110.22, English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 6. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain II, competency 004
Which organizational patterns do the grade 6 standards give as examples for informational text?19 TAC §110.22, English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 6. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain II, competency 005
Which response skill do the grade 6 standards word as keeping "meaning and logical order"?19 TAC §110.22, English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 6. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain II, competency 004
Which set of examples do the grade 6 standards give for the literary texts students compose?19 TAC §110.22, English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 6. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain II, competency 007
Social studies content 18
A class maps the trails that carried longhorn cattle from South Texas to railheads in Kansas. Which of the five themes of geography does the map illustrate?Wikipedia, Five themes of geography. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain III, competency 011
A line of cliffs forms the eastern boundary of the Texas Hill Country and the western boundary of the Texas Coastal Plain. Which fault zone produced that escarpment?Wikipedia, Balcones Fault. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain III, competency 011
After his capture at San Jacinto, General Santa Anna signed two documents with the Republic of Texas, one public and one private. What are they called?Wikipedia, Treaties of Velasco. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain III, competency 010
The grade 6 standards have students describe levels of economic development with indicators. Which indicators do they name?19 TAC §113.18, Social Studies, Grade 6. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain III, competency 012
The grade 6 standards have students identify institutions basic to all societies. Which four do they name?19 TAC §113.18, Social Studies, Grade 6. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain III, competency 014
The grade 7 standards divide Texas history into major eras. Which era do they place directly after Cotton, Cattle, and Railroads?19 TAC §113.19, Social Studies, Grade 7. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain III, competency 010
The grade 7 standards name seven principles reflected in the Texas Constitution. Which of them holds that the government is created and sustained by the consent of the people?Wikipedia, Popular sovereignty; 19 TAC §113.19(c)(13)(A). Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain III, competency 013
The grade 8 standards ask students to explain the impact of the Monroe Doctrine. What did the doctrine, originally concerned with European colonialism, oppose?Wikipedia, Monroe Doctrine; 19 TAC §113.20. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain III, competency 010
The grade 8 standards list McCulloch v. Maryland among landmark cases. What did the Supreme Court decide in it?Wikipedia, McCulloch v. Maryland; 19 TAC §113.20(c)(18)(B). Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain III, competency 013
In Texas, voters elect the attorney general, the comptroller and the land commissioner separately from the governor. What is this arrangement of the executive branch called?Wikipedia, Government of Texas. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain III, competency 013
Joseph Glidden of Illinois received a patent in 1874 for a kind of fencing that was cheaper and easier to put up than the alternatives, and ranchers began to lose the open range. What was it?Wikipedia, Barbed wire. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain III, competency 014
Padre Island runs along the Texas coast from Corpus Christi toward the Rio Grande. Which kind of landform is it?Wikipedia, Padre Island. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain III, competency 011
Texas still lives under a constitution written in the nineteenth century. Which year do the grade 7 standards attach to the adoption of the current state constitution?19 TAC §113.19, Social Studies, Grade 7. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain III, competency 010
Under the Compromise of 1850, Texas surrendered its claims to present-day New Mexico. What did Texas receive in return?Wikipedia, Compromise of 1850. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain III, competency 010
Where in the Texas Constitution is the state's Bill of Rights?The Texas Constitution, Article 1, Bill of Rights. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain III, competency 013
Which American Indian people of the Piney Woods raised maize in settled villages and built earthwork mounds? The name Texas comes from a word of one of their groups, the Hasinai, meaning friend.Wikipedia, Caddo. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain III, competency 010
Which body governs a Texas county, with a county judge presiding and four commissioners elected from precincts?Wikipedia, Administrative divisions of Texas, County government. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain III, competency 013
Which three kinds of economies do the grade 6 standards ask students to compare and contrast in contemporary societies?19 TAC §113.18, Social Studies, Grade 6. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain III, competency 012
Social studies foundations, skills and instruction 7
A student places Texas independence, 1836, on a class timeline. In which century does that year fall?Wikipedia, 19th century. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain IV, competency 015
A table gives the populations of five Texas towns: 2,000; 3,500; 4,000; 9,500; and 31,000. What is the median population?Wikipedia, Median; the answer is arithmetic. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain IV, competency 015
A teacher splits a unit on the regions of Texas into four parts. Each student masters one part in an expert group and then teaches it to a home group. Which technique is this?Wikipedia, Jigsaw (teaching technique). Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain IV, competency 016
A teacher who moves from grade 7 to grade 6 must learn a new course. What do the standards say grade 6 social studies students study?19 TAC §113.18, Social Studies, Grade 6. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain IV, competency 016
For an assessment, eighth graders receive six short sources on the causes of the Civil War and write an essay that uses the sources along with their own knowledge. What is this task called?Wikipedia, Document-based question. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain IV, competency 016
The grade 8 standards describe a process for solving problems that begins with identifying a problem and gathering information. Which step do they put last?19 TAC §113.20, Social Studies, Grade 8. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain IV, competency 015
The introduction to the grade 6 social studies standards encourages teachers to use a variety of rich material. Which material does it name?19 TAC §113.18, Social Studies, Grade 6. Written to TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) Domain IV, competency 016
How this list was compiled: Our own questions, written to the exam framework of TExES English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies 4–8 (113) 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_113_2021.htm (copyright Texas Education Agency), read 2026-10-15: 120 selected-response questions in four domains, Language Arts Part I about 17%, Language Arts Part II 33%, Social Studies Content 36%, Social Studies Foundations, Skills and Instruction 14%. This bank holds 50 in those shares: 8, 17, 18 and 7, with every one of the 16 competencies asked at least once. Every fact was read on the public page named under its question (38 pages, each opened 2026-10-15): the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for English language arts and reading (19 TAC §§110.22 and 110.24) and for social studies (19 TAC §§113.18, 113.19 and 113.20) in the Legal Information Institute's copies, Article 1 of the Texas Constitution on the legislature's site, and Wikipedia articles. One answer is arithmetic. Licence: Questions, choices and explanations are original work of this site.
How it works
A free TExES 113 practice test: 50 questions of our own, half on language arts and reading and half on social studies for grades 4 to 8. Unofficial, and not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by the Texas Education Agency or Pearson.
Read the full guide
Four domains, two subjects
Language Arts Part I, on oral language, early literacy, word identification and fluency, carries about 17%. Part II, on comprehension, writing, viewing and inquiry, carries 33%. Social Studies Content carries 36%, and Social Studies Foundations, Skills and Instruction 14%.
A little under two and a half minutes a question
That is what 120 selected-response questions in 4 hours 45 minutes of testing comes to.
Seventeen questions from the standards
Seventeen questions quote the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills: grade 6 and grade 8 language arts, and social studies for grades 6, 7 and 8. Eight more are on Texas history, geography and government.
Half of the exam is social studies. Grade 7 is Texas history: the eras, the Treaties of Velasco, the 1876 constitution and county government.
Passing 113 is not the whole certificate: candidates also take Science of Teaching Reading (293), which has its own page on the program site.
Questions and answers
Is this a TExES ELAR & Social Studies 4-8 (113) practice test?
Yes, for exam 113 and no other: 8 and 17 questions on its two language arts domains, 18 on social studies content and 7 on social studies foundations, skills and instruction, the shares its framework gives.
Is the TExES ELAR & Social Studies 4-8 practice test free?
Free, with nothing to sign up for. Every one of the 50 answers has a short explanation and names the public page where its fact can be checked.
What score do you need to pass TExES 113?
240 on the scale the program reports. The exam page gives one passing score for the whole of exam 113, language arts and social studies together, and this page shows only how many of its own questions you got right.
How many questions are on the TExES 113 exam?
120, all selected-response, taken on a computer in one 5-hour appointment. The framework says they range across grades 4 to 8, and a real form may hold questions that do not count toward the score.