Core Academic Skills Assessment Practice Test

According to Evaluation Systems group of Pearson, “240 per subtest; candidates must pass both subtests.”^[1]

Core Academic Skills Assessment Exam at a Glance

Facts verified Nov 10, 2026 against Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education / Evaluation Systems group of Pearson. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.

Core Academic Skills Assessment content outline and where to practise each area

The content areas below are copied from the official Core Academic Skills Assessment content outline published by Evaluation Systems group of Pearson, with the share of the exam each area carries. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.

Worked examples: how to reason through Core Academic Skills Assessment questions

These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.

Example 1

Question: A passage states: 'Urban heat islands occur when cities absorb and retain more heat than surrounding rural areas. Dark surfaces like asphalt and rooftops absorb solar radiation. Reduced vegetation limits cooling through evapotranspiration. Waste heat from vehicles and buildings also contributes.' Which detail is NOT explicitly stated?

1. Dark surfaces absorb solar radiation.
2. Cities retain more heat than rural areas.
3. Urban heat islands cause drought conditions.
4. Reduced vegetation limits cooling.

Answer: C. Urban heat islands cause drought conditions.

Explanation:

The correct answer is C. The passage explains why cities hold more heat, but it never says anything about drought, so that option is not stated. Option A is stated directly: dark surfaces such as asphalt and rooftops absorb solar radiation. Option B is the opening claim, that cities retain more heat than rural areas. Option D is also stated: reduced vegetation limits cooling. Each wrong option can be matched to a phrase in the text.

Rule to remember: on a not-stated question, check every option against the passage and pick the one you cannot point to. A claim can sound reasonable and still be missing from the text.

Example 2

Question: Which sentence contains an example of an appeal to emotion (pathos) in persuasive writing?

1. Research shows that 90% of fires are caused by human error.
2. Experts agree that fire safety training saves lives.
3. Imagine watching your family trapped helpless as flames engulf your home—this is preventable.
4. Fire codes have been updated in 48 states since 2010.

Answer: C. Imagine watching your family trapped helpless as flames engulf your home—this is preventable.

Explanation:

The correct answer is C. It asks the reader to picture a family trapped and helpless as flames engulf a home. That vivid, emotionally charged scene is what an appeal to emotion looks like. Option A leans on a statistic, 90%, which is an appeal to evidence. Option B points to what experts agree on, which is an appeal to authority. Option D cites a count of states, 48, and a date, 2010, which is again factual support rather than feeling.

Rule to remember: pathos works through imagery and feeling, logos through data and logic, and authority through who is speaking. Ask what the sentence is trying to make the reader feel versus think.

Example 3

Question: A car rental company charges $30 per day plus $0.15 per mile. Which function gives the total cost C for d days and m miles?

1. C = 30d + 0.15m
2. C = 30m + 0.15d
3. C = 30 + 0.15(d + m)
4. C = 0.15d + 30m

Answer: A. C = 30d + 0.15m

Explanation:

The correct answer is A, C = 30d + 0.15m. The $30 is charged per day, so it multiplies the number of days, d. The $0.15 is charged per mile, so it multiplies the miles, m. Option B swaps the rates, charging $30 per mile. Option C adds $30 once and then applies $0.15 to days and miles combined, which does not match the description. Option D pairs the mileage rate with days and the daily rate with miles, which is also swapped.

Rule to remember: when a problem says a rate is per something, multiply that rate by that quantity. Then check each term's units before you choose a function.

How to use these practice tests

Start with the official test page for your state. Note the subtests, the time limits, and the content areas, then compare them with your own strengths. Take one of our reading sets first and mark each miss as a comprehension error, a vocabulary gap, or a rushed read.

• Work through the key ideas and details set until you can point to the line that supports each answer.
• Move to the integration of knowledge and ideas set to practise judging evidence and persuasive technique.
• Use the language and conventions set and the text types and purposes set for writing, and read each explanation even when you answered correctly.
• For math, rotate through the algebra and functions, data and statistics and number and quantity sets.

Keep a short list of the rules you keep missing and reread it before each session. In the last days, practise under the official time limits, then review only the areas where you are still slipping. Treat our questions as practice, not as a preview of the real test.