MoCA Practice Test: Video 5 Answers (25 Questions) — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Why are alternate MoCA versions used for repeat testing?
- To remove the education adjustment
- To reduce practice effects from memorizing items (Correct answer)
- To shorten the test
- To change the cutoff score
Correct answer: To reduce practice effects from memorizing items
Alternate versions minimize learning effects when retesting the same patient.
Question 2: What is the normal cutoff for the MoCA-Blind version, which is scored out of 22?
- 15 or above
- 26 or above
- 18 or above (Correct answer)
- 20 or above
Correct answer: 18 or above
MoCA-Blind removes visual items, totals 22 points, and uses 18 as the normal cutoff.
Question 3: Which MoCA total score range is commonly cited as suggesting moderate cognitive impairment?
- 18-25
- 10-17 (Correct answer)
- Below 10
- 26-30
Correct answer: 10-17
Commonly cited ranges are 18-25 mild, 10-17 moderate, and under 10 severe impairment.
Question 4: In the original 2005 validation study, what sensitivity did the MoCA show for detecting mild cognitive impairment at the cutoff of 26?
- About 65%
- About 100%
- About 18%
- About 90% (Correct answer)
Correct answer: About 90%
Nasreddine et al. reported roughly 90% sensitivity for MCI, versus about 18% for the MMSE.
Question 5: Some later research, such as Carson et al. (2018), suggested what change to the MoCA cutoff to reduce false positives?
- Lowering it to 18
- Lowering it to 23 (Correct answer)
- Raising it to 28
- Removing the education point
Correct answer: Lowering it to 23
A cutoff of 23 was proposed to improve diagnostic accuracy and reduce false positives.
Question 6: On the MoCA, the language domain (naming + sentence repetition + fluency) accounts for how many total points?
- 4 points
- 5 points
- 6 points (Correct answer)
- 7 points
Correct answer: 6 points
The language domain includes: 3 points for naming (3 animals), 2 points for sentence repetition (2 sentences), and 1 point for letter fluency (11+ F-words in 60 sec) = 6 points total.
Question 7: What cognitive deficit does poor MoCA sentence repetition most strongly suggest?
- Impaired verbal working memory and phonological processing (Correct answer)
- Procedural memory deficits
- Visual-spatial impairment
- Semantic memory loss
Correct answer: Impaired verbal working memory and phonological processing
Poor sentence repetition is most associated with impaired phonological loop functioning (verbal working memory), which can also be seen in aphasia and other language disorders affecting syntactic processing.
Question 8: What total points can be earned on the MoCA sentence repetition task?
- 1 point
- 3 points
- 2 points (Correct answer)
- 4 points
Correct answer: 2 points
Two sentences are presented, each worth 1 point for a verbatim repetition. The maximum score for this task is 2 points.
Question 9: Sentence repetition on the MoCA falls under which cognitive domain?
- Language (Correct answer)
- Memory
- Executive Function
- Attention
Correct answer: Language
Sentence repetition is classified under the Language domain on the MoCA because it tests verbal processing, syntactic comprehension, and verbal working memory at the sentence level.
Question 10: How many times does the examiner read each MoCA sentence before the patient must repeat it?
- As many times as needed
- Three times
- Once (Correct answer)
- Twice
Correct answer: Once
Each sentence is read exactly once at a natural pace. The patient does not receive a second reading; this single-trial format maximizes sensitivity to working memory deficits.
Question 11: How does Abstract Thinking affect cognitive abilities?
- It has no impact on cognitive abilities.
- It is only needed for physical tasks.
- It directly influences mental functioning. (Correct answer)
- It only applies to memory tasks.
Correct answer: It directly influences mental functioning.
Abstract thinking significantly impacts various cognitive abilities by allowing individuals to process information beyond its literal meaning, form concepts, and engage in logical reasoning. It is essential for learning new information, adapting to novel situations, and understanding complex social cues. Therefore, it directly influences overall mental functioning and higher-level cognitive processes.
Question 12: How does Abstract Thinking affect daily functioning?
- It is unrelated to day-to-day tasks.
- It only affects short-term memory.
- It improves overall daily functioning. (Correct answer)
- It has no impact on daily functioning.
Correct answer: It improves overall daily functioning.
Abstract thinking is essential for navigating the complexities of daily life, such as planning tasks, making decisions, understanding social cues, and adapting to unexpected changes. It enables individuals to think flexibly and solve novel problems encountered in everyday situations. A decline in this ability can significantly impair independence and quality of life.
Question 13: What is the relationship between Abstract Thinking and mental well-being?
- It only applies to physical well-being.
- It has a detrimental impact on mental health.
- It plays a crucial role in mental well-being. (Correct answer)
- It is unrelated to cognitive health.
Correct answer: It plays a crucial role in mental well-being.
Abstract thinking contributes to mental well-being by enabling individuals to understand complex emotions, reflect on their experiences, and develop coping strategies. It supports self-awareness, empathy, and the ability to process abstract concepts like hope or purpose. Maintaining this cognitive function is vital for emotional regulation and psychological resilience.
Question 14: What impact does Abstract Thinking have on learning and memory?
- It is not needed for memory retention.
- It only affects motor learning.
- It enhances both learning and memory processes. (Correct answer)
- It plays no role in learning or memory.
Correct answer: It enhances both learning and memory processes.
Abstract thinking facilitates learning by allowing individuals to grasp complex concepts, make connections between disparate pieces of information, and form mental models. For memory, it helps organize information into meaningful categories, making it easier to encode, store, and retrieve. This deeper processing leads to more robust and flexible memory.
Question 15: The maximum score possible on the MoCA abstraction subtest is:
- 4
- 3
- 1
- 2 (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 2
The abstraction subtest contains two pairs worth 1 point each, for a maximum of 2 points.
Question 16: Who developed the MoCA, which includes the alternating trail item?
- Muriel Lezak
- Ralph Reitan
- Marshal Folstein
- Ziad Nasreddine (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Ziad Nasreddine
Dr. Ziad Nasreddine developed the MoCA, which was published in 2005.
Question 17: In which MoCA domain is the trail making item scored?
- Abstraction
- Language
- Attention
- Visuospatial/Executive (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Visuospatial/Executive
The trail is one of the items in the Visuospatial/Executive section, together with the cube and the clock.
Question 18: A patient's line goes from E back to circle 1, closing a loop. What is the score?
- 1 if the sequence before E was correct
- 0.5 points
- 0, because the patient failed to end at E (Correct answer)
- 1, because extra lines are ignored
Correct answer: 0, because the patient failed to end at E
Drawing a line that returns to the start counts as an error and scores 0.
Question 19: A patient draws 1-A-2-B-3-4, notices the mistake right away, erases it, and goes on to C. What is the score?
- 0, because any error scores zero
- 1 only if the examiner pointed out the error
- 0.5 for a partial trail
- 1, because the error was immediately self-corrected (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 1, because the error was immediately self-corrected
An error the patient corrects immediately and without prompting still earns the point.
Question 20: A patient lifts the pen several times but connects the circles in the correct order. What is the score?
- 0.5 points
- 0, and readminister
- 1 point (Correct answer)
- 0 points
Correct answer: 1 point
Lifting the pen is not penalized; only the correctness of the sequence counts.
Question 21: A patient erases part of the cube and redraws it correctly. How should the final drawing be scored?
- Score the final corrected drawing (Correct answer)
- Score only the first attempt
- Deduct one point from the clock instead
- Automatically score 0 for erasing
Correct answer: Score the final corrected drawing
Self-corrections are accepted, and the final product is scored.
Question 22: A patient's cube has all lines, no extra lines, but the parallel edges clearly converge, making the cube look skewed. How is it scored?
- 0 points, because lines must be relatively parallel (Correct answer)
- 1 point, because 3D appearance is enough
- 1 point, because all lines are present
- 0.5 points
Correct answer: 0 points, because lines must be relatively parallel
Lines must be relatively parallel and of similar length to earn the point.
Question 23: A patient states, 'I can't draw' and refuses to attempt the cube. What is the score?
- The examiner draws it for the patient
- 1 point, since refusal is not an error
- The item is excluded and the total adjusted
- 0 points (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 0 points
No drawing means the criteria cannot be met, so the item scores 0.
Question 24: Is the cube item scored as partial credit or all-or-none?
- All-or-none: 1 point only if every criterion is met (Correct answer)
- Partial: 0.5 per correct face
- All-or-none: 2 points if every criterion is met
- Partial: up to 3 points
Correct answer: All-or-none: 1 point only if every criterion is met
The cube earns a single point only when all criteria are satisfied.
Question 25: How many points is the cube copy task worth on the MoCA?
- 2 points
- 1 point (Correct answer)
- 5 points
- 3 points
Correct answer: 1 point
The cube copy task is worth a maximum of 1 point. It is scored pass/fail based on whether the drawing meets the three-dimensional accuracy criteria.
Why are alternate MoCA versions used for repeat testing?
What Practice Test Geeks adds beyond an AI chat for MoCA
An AI chatbot can quiz you, but it can't reproduce the exam conditions or keep your record. Here you get:
- A timed, full-length MoCA mock exam — 30 questions in 20 minutes with a 87% pass mark, modeled on the official exam's question count and time limit, followed by a score report broken down by exam domain.
- A fixed MoCA question bank: the same test every attempt, so your score is comparable from one try to the next instead of changing with every regenerated quiz.
- Progress saved on your device: completed tests, scores and missed questions stay in My Progress, so you can retake only what you got wrong.
- A printable MoCA cheat sheet you can print or save as a PDF.
- MoCA flashcards built from the same question bank.
These practice questions were written with AI tools. They are not real exam questions. Exam facts are checked against the official sources listed below. Not reviewed by a subject-matter expert. Editorial policy
Sources & references
Exam facts on this page (fees, format, dates, passing scores) are checked against these official sources; the date is our last check. Editorial policy
- mocacognition.com — Eligibility, renewal, test delivery, time limit, fees, passing score, exam information · verified Oct 2026