CTEL Practice Test

What the CTEL is and how it works

According to California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC); administered by Evaluation Systems group of Pearson, “CTEL 1: 50 multiple-choice questions and 1 essay”^[1] Practice with the free CTEL practice test on PracticeTestGeeks (7 questions with answer explanations).

The California Teacher of English Learners (CTEL) Examination is set by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) and run by the Evaluation Systems group of Pearson. Passing it is a route to the English learner (EL) Authorization. The CTC checklist asks for a valid prerequisite California credential or permit. You also need either a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university, or proof of experience learning a second language.

• CTEL 1: 50 multiple-choice questions and 1 essay, $98
• CTEL 2: 60 multiple-choice questions and 2 essays, $147
• CTEL 3: 40 multiple-choice questions and 1 essay, $99
• All 3 subtests in a single test-center session: $260, with 6 hours for the session

The test is taken on a computer, either at a Pearson test center or online-proctored from home. Test-center appointments are offered in select two-week windows on a first-come, first-served basis, so book early if you want a center.

Each subtest is scored on its own, and the passing score is 220 per subtest. There is no limit on retakes. You must wait 45 calendar days after your test date to retake a subtest, and you pay the full registration fee again for that subtest. Passing scores used for certification can be no older than 10 years. Fees, testing windows and policies can change, so check the official CTC exams site before you register.

Free CTEL Exam Study Tools

Interactive CTEL Exam resources on PracticeTestGeeks, free to start:

• Free CTEL Language and Language Development Questions and Answers — 7 questions with answer explanations
• CTEL Exam flashcards — review key terms and concepts card by card
• CTEL Exam study guide — topic-by-topic overview of what the exam covers
• CTEL Exam cheat sheet — one-page printable summary for last-minute review

CTEL Exam at a Glance

Facts verified Nov 3, 2026 against California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.

CTEL content outline and where to practise each area

The content areas below are copied from the official CTEL content outline published by California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC); administered by Evaluation Systems group of Pearson. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.

Worked examples: how to reason through CTEL 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: When designing parent outreach for culturally and linguistically diverse families, an educator should FIRST:

1. Schedule all meetings during standard school hours for teacher convenience
2. Assess communication preferences, languages, and cultural norms of each family
3. Provide all materials in English to promote language acquisition
4. Rely on student siblings to serve as interpreters for efficiency

Answer: B. Assess communication preferences, languages, and cultural norms of each family

Explanation:

B is correct. You cannot plan outreach that works for a family until you know which language they use, how they prefer to be contacted and what they expect from school contact. Gathering that information comes first, and it shapes every later decision.

• A suits staff, not families, and leaves out parents who work during school hours.
• C mixes up student language instruction with parent communication. Materials only in English shut out parents who do not read English.
• D gives children an adult role, risks wrong translation of sensitive information and can strain the family. Schools should use trained interpreters.

Rule to remember: when a question asks what to do FIRST, choose the step that learns about the families before acting.

Example 2

Question: A student repeatedly avoids eye contact with the teacher during instruction. Before addressing this behavior, the teacher should first:

1. Document it as a sign of disrespect
2. Consider that in many cultures avoiding eye contact with authority figures is a sign of respect
3. Seat the student in the front row to encourage engagement
4. Refer the student to the school counselor

Answer: B. Consider that in many cultures avoiding eye contact with authority figures is a sign of respect

Explanation:

B is correct. In many cultures, children show respect by looking down when an adult or authority figure speaks. Before treating the behaviour as a problem, the teacher should ask whether it has a cultural explanation.

• A judges the student by the teacher's own cultural norm and could add a wrong note to the student's record.
• C tries to fix a behaviour before understanding it. Front-row seating may only add to the student's discomfort.
• D turns a possible sign of respect into a counselling issue. A referral this early is not justified.

Rule to remember: on CTEL culture questions, the best first step is usually to consider a cultural reason for a behaviour before labelling, correcting or referring it.

Example 3

Question: Which of the following is an example of a minimal pair used to demonstrate phonemic distinctions in English?

1. 'cat' and 'cats'
2. 'ship' and 'sheep'
3. 'running' and 'ran'
4. 'happy' and 'happiness'

Answer: B. 'ship' and 'sheep'

Explanation:

B is correct. A minimal pair is a pair of words that differ in only a single sound in the same position, and that difference changes the meaning. 'Ship' and 'sheep' differ only in the vowel (/ɪ/ against /iː/), which shows that these vowels are separate phonemes in English.

• A adds the plural ending -s. That is a change in morphology, not a swap of a single sound.
• C shows an irregular past-tense form, where several sounds change.
• D adds the suffix -ness, which changes an adjective into a noun. That is derivational morphology.

Rule to remember: minimal pairs belong to phonology (sound contrasts). Adding prefixes, suffixes or inflections belongs to morphology.

How to use these practice tests

Start with the official page. Read the CTEL test page on the CTC exams site. Note which content areas each subtest covers and whether you plan to take the subtests separately or all 3 in a single session. Look at any preparation materials the official site offers.

Find your weak areas. Take a practice set for each content area without notes, such as Language Structure and Linguistics and Assessment for English Learners. Rank the areas from weakest to strongest and spend most of your study time at the top of that list.

Study the explanations, not just the scores. For every question you miss, write down the rule behind the correct answer in a sentence. Most scenario questions follow a small set of patterns, such as learning about students and families before acting.

Practise the essays. Every subtest includes written responses. Write answers to your own scenario prompts: name the student's need, give a specific strategy and explain why it works.

Rehearse test day. If you are booking all 3 subtests in one session, plan for 6 hours and work through practice sets back to back to build stamina. If a subtest does not go well, use the 45-day wait before a retake to focus only on that subtest.