HSPT Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield HSPT facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. A nocturnal is to diurnal as a cloying is to ____________. → unsentimental
2. If Statement 1: 'No cats are fish' and Statement 2: 'All goldfish are fish,' which conclusion is valid? → No goldfish are cats
3. Which number completes the series: 3, 6, 12, 24, ___? → 48
4. Which sentence contains a grammatical error? → Each of the students have completed the assignment.
5. What is the author's purpose if a passage primarily tries to convince the reader of something? → To persuade
6. Which sentence is a run-on? → The bell rang we left class.
7. Analogies: Hot is to Cold as Up is to ___. → Down
8. Maria finished before Lee, and Lee finished before Ana. Who finished first? → Maria
9. Which sentence uses the correct verb tense? → Yesterday she walked to school early.
10. What is the order of operations for: 3 + 4 × 2 - 1? → 10
11. What is the benefit of answering easy questions first? → You secure quick points and build confidence
12. During the last minute of a section, what is the most valuable action? → Fill in any remaining blank bubbles
13. Synonyms: Choose the word that means most nearly the same as ABUNDANT. → Plentiful
14. Choose the correctly spelled word. → separate
15. Which word is a synonym for 'benign'? → Harmless
16. Antonyms: Choose the word that means the OPPOSITE of GENEROUS. → Stingy
17. What is the meaning of the word 'ephemeral'? → Lasting for a very short time
18. If you flip a fair coin three times, what is the probability of getting at least one head? → 7/8
19. What does the word 'tenacious' mean? → Holding firmly to a purpose or goal
20. Analogies: Pen is to Write as Scissors is to ___. → Cut
21. Is there a penalty for guessing on the HSPT? → No, there is no penalty for wrong answers
22. Find the next letter pair: AB, CD, EF, ___? → GH
23. If a shirt originally costs $40 and is on sale for 25% off, what is the sale price? → $30
24. Which sentence correctly uses quotation marks? → She said, "Let's go now."
25. Which sentence correctly uses a semicolon? → The storm passed; the sky cleared quickly.
26. Logic: Maria is taller than Sam. Sam is taller than Leo. Who is the shortest? → Leo
27. The underdog is to audacious as the conspirator is to → Elusive
28. What is a 'theme' in a literary passage? → The underlying message or central idea about life that the author conveys
29. Only _____________ stress is harmful to the immune system; short-term stress may be _____________ or even beneficial in some cases. → Continuous . . Inconsequential
30. What number is 3/4 of 2/3 of 120? → 60