Praxis Writing Exam information
What it is, what's tested, and how it's scored.
Praxis Writing exam details
The Praxis Writing Exam (5723) is part of the Praxis Core, a set of tests you need to pass to become a certified teacher in over 40 states in the U.S. Also known as the Core Academic Skills for Educators Test in Writing, the exam assesses writing, grammar, and vocabulary competencies required of all instructors. Future teachers must demonstrate that their skills align with the Common Core State Standards for Writing to be eligible for certification.
The exam lasts approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes and consists of 40 selected-response questions, as well as two 30-minute essay questions. Qualifying scores range from 144 to 162, but vary by state. You can check out each state's passing score here.
The Praxis Writing exam is hosted by ETS and costs $90 to register.
Time
100 minutes
Format
40 selected-response questions
2 essay questions
Exam fee
$90
Passing score
144 to 162 (varies by state)
Details
The Praxis Writing exam is administered entirely online, although paper tests are available for those who require accommodations. The exam is delivered in the following format and covers two main content areas:
Text Types, Purposes, and Production: 6-12 selected-response and 2 essay questions, 60% of the exam
Language and Research Skills for Writing: 28-34 selected-response questions, 40% of the exam
Select-response questions assess candidates on word usage, sentence correction, revision in context, and research skills. Examinees are asked to recognize grammatical errors, rephrase sentences based on answer choices, strengthen passages, and identify effective research strategies, among other tasks across sections.
Selected-response questions are scored digitally. Most select-response questions have one correct answer, though some will ask test-takers to consider multiple responses and select "all that apply." All correct answers must be selected to receive full credit for these questions.
The two essays, one Argumentative and the other Informative/Explanatory, measure a test-taker's ability to write effective, prompted responses under time pressure. Argumentative essay topics invite candidates to support a position through logical reasoning and relevant examples. Informative/Explanatory topics require examinees to write about an issue based on information from two provided sources. Evaluators consider these responses as writing samples, and each essay is read and scored by at least two people to ensure fairness.
While there are no formal educational requirements to sit for the exam, full teacher certification typically requires completion of a bachelor's degree and a teacher preparation program. Many candidates take the Praxis Core exams before starting their program.
ETS's Praxis Writing exam summary
Text Types, Purposes, and Production
60%
6-12 selected-response
Select-response questions feature revision in context tasks, where candidates must revise and improve a passage based on standard rules of English. Includes two 30-minute essay-style questions, one Argumentative and one Source-based/Explanatory.
Language and Research Skills for Writing
40%
28-34 selected response
Covers word usage, sentence correction, and research skills. Examinees must be able to identify vocabulary words in context, compare the meanings of similar phrases, recognize grammatical standards, and demonstrate knowledge of effective research strategies.
Achievable Praxis Writing content outline
1
Grammar
Covers parts of speech, verb forms and tenses, conjunctions, prepositions, and interrupters. Reviews punctuation rules and sentence structure, including common errors and advanced topics like parallelism and diction. Includes revision skills on organization and transitions, plus research skills covering source evaluation and MLA, APA, and Chicago citations.
2
Text types, purposes, and production
Focuses on writing basics, timed essays, argumentative essays with practice prompts and rubrics, and source-based essays.