Citizenship test guide
The English test for US citizenship
The English test is part of your naturalization interview. The officer checks that you understand English and can read, write and speak it at a basic level. Here is how each part works.
Start practicing →What the English test checks
You must show that you understand English and can read, write and speak basic English. There are three parts: reading, writing and speaking. The reading and writing parts are short, and they are separate from the civics questions.
The reading test
You see up to three sentences, and each one is a question. You read one aloud, and the officer stops as soon as you read one correctly. You do not have to answer the question. You only read it.
To pass, read the sentence without long pauses and say every content word, such as the question word, the verb and the nouns. You may skip short words. An accent or a mistake in pronunciation is fine if the officer understands you.
You do not pass a sentence if you skip or replace a content word, pause for a long time, or the officer cannot understand you.
The writing test
The officer says up to three sentences, and you write one of them so the officer can understand it. The officer stops as soon as one is acceptable.
The meaning has to come across. Spelling, capital letters and punctuation mistakes do not fail you by themselves, and a small word may be missing. You can write a number as a word or with digits.
You do not pass a sentence if you write a different sentence, shorten a word the officer said, write only one or two words, or write something the officer cannot read. The real test is handwritten.
The speaking part
There is no separate speaking test. The officer listens to you during the whole interview, mostly while asking about your N-400. If you do not understand a question, the officer repeats it or says it another way. You do not need to know every word on the form.
The official word lists
USCIS publishes a Reading Test Vocabulary List and a Writing Test Vocabulary List. Each has roughly 80 to 100 words about the government, places, holidays and everyday verbs. Learn to read and spell the words on them.
- Reading list: question words such as who, what and where, plus words like President, Congress, citizen and vote.
- Writing list: words like Washington, Lincoln, Independence Day, flag, taxes and freedom of speech, plus months and states.
Practice the English test with WelcomeOath
English test practice is part of All Access. In the reading lessons you read questions out loud and see which words we heard. In the writing lessons you hear a sentence and type it on your keyboard. Every sentence uses only words from the official lists.
A mini English test follows the real order: up to three reading questions, then up to three dictated sentences, and each part ends as soon as you get one right. These are practice sentences, and the real test uses different ones. Because the real writing test is by hand, also copy a few sentences onto paper.
If you do not pass the English test
USCIS schedules a second interview 60 to 90 days after the first. At that interview you are tested again only on the part you did not pass. Failing the same part twice leads to a denial.
Questions people ask
Is there an English test too?
Yes. During the English test you must show that you understand English and can read, write and speak basic English. You read aloud one of up to three sentences and must read one correctly. The officer says up to three sentences and you must write one so the officer understands it. Your speaking is judged during the whole interview. The reading and writing tests are separate from the civics questions.
USCIS: The Naturalization Interview and Test
All Access includes English test practice. You read questions out loud and type sentences you hear, using only words from the official USCIS lists. The sentences are practice sentences, so the real test will use different ones.
What if I fail the citizenship test?
If you do not pass the English or civics part, USCIS schedules a second interview 60 to 90 days after the first, and you are tested again only on the part you did not pass. Failing the same part a second time leads to a denial. After all your work to get here, that is hard to face, so it is important to prepare well the first time.
USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 12, Part E, Chapter 2
Practice out loud until the answers feel automatic. We show you exactly which questions you still need to practice, so nothing surprises you on interview day.
Can I take the civics test in my own language?
Most applicants answer in English. Applicants who qualify for the 65/20 rule may take the civics test in the language of their choice, and some others may qualify for an exception or accommodation.
USCIS: Exceptions and accommodations
We explain every lesson in 23 languages so you understand why each answer is correct. Then you practice saying it in English, which is how most people answer at the interview.
How many questions are on the 2025 civics test?
USCIS publishes a bank of 128 questions. At your interview an officer asks up to 20 of them, out loud, and you pass with 12 correct answers. The officer stops as soon as you reach 12 correct or 9 incorrect. Nobody can tell you which 20 you will get, so the safest plan is to know all 128.
USCIS: 128 Civics Questions and Answers (2025 version)
Study all 128 here. Then take a mock interview of 20 questions to see how the real interview feels.
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