MoCA Language 3 Flashcards
6 cards from real MOCA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 MoCA Language 3 flashcards as text
On the MoCA naming task, a patient correctly identifies the camel but calls the rhinoceros a "hippo." The naming score for those two items is:
Answer: 1 point — camel correct, rhinoceros incorrect
Each animal name is scored independently. Camel = 1 point (correct). Rhinoceros called "hippo" = 0 points (incorrect). Partial credit is not given; exact or clearly equivalent names are required.
What is the purpose of the sentence repetition task in the MoCA language domain?
Answer: To test verbal working memory and syntactic language processing
The sentence repetition task tests verbal working memory, phonological processing, and syntactic comprehension. It reflects language processing at the sentence level, beyond single word naming.
The MoCA language domain contributes a maximum of how many points to the total score?
Answer: 5 points
The language domain totals 5 points: 3 points for naming (one per animal), plus 2 points for sentence repetition (one per sentence).
When scoring the MoCA naming task, which response for the camel/dromedary picture is acceptable?
Answer: Either "camel" or "dromedary" is accepted
Either "camel" or "dromedary" is accepted as a correct response for that animal, since dromedary is the correct scientific term. Both terms refer to the same animal.
Why is language assessed in a screening tool like the MoCA?
Answer: Because naming and fluency deficits are early signs of many dementias
Language impairment (word-finding difficulty, repetition errors, reduced verbal fluency) is a key early sign of many dementias, including Alzheimer's disease and primary progressive aphasia. Including language tasks improves diagnostic sensitivity.
The MoCA is administered in English. What should a clinician do when assessing a patient whose primary language is not English?
Answer: Use a validated MoCA translation in the patient's primary language
Validated translations of the MoCA exist in over 35 languages. The clinician should use a validated version in the patient's primary language to ensure accurate and fair assessment.