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 used for teacher certification in about 20 states, plus Washington, D.C. and several U.S. territories. 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. Scores run from 100 to 200. ETS does not set a passing score: each state or agency sets its own, and most require a 162. You can check out each state's passing score here. For everything else your state asks for — the tests, degree and preparation program — see the teacher certification requirements in your state.
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
162 in most states (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 by computer. Each of the sample questions in ETS's Study Companion has five answer choices and one correct answer.
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. Each essay is scored on a 1-6 scale by a trained human reader and by e-rater, ETS's scoring software. If the two scores agree, they are added together; if they differ by too much, a second human reader settles the score. Both essay scores are then combined with your selected-response score into a single score on the 100-200 scale.
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 and 2 essays
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.
Praxis Writing exam: quick answers
- What is on the Praxis Writing exam?
- The Praxis Writing exam has 40 selected-response questions, 2 essay questions, and candidates have 100 minutes to complete it. The content outline on this page lists every tested topic with the number of questions and the percentage of the exam it accounts for.
- How long is the Praxis Writing exam?
- Candidates have 100 minutes for the Praxis Writing exam, covering 40 selected-response questions, 2 essay questions.
- What score do you need to pass the Praxis Writing exam?
- The passing score for the Praxis Writing exam is 162 in most states (varies by state).
- How much does the Praxis Writing exam cost?
- Registering for the Praxis Writing exam costs $90, paid to ETS. Prep materials are a separate cost.
- Who administers the Praxis Writing exam?
- The Praxis Writing exam is administered by ETS, which sets the official content outline and scoring.
More questions about the exam and how to prepare for it? Praxis Writing FAQ
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