Subtitles and Caption Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the Subtitles and Caption exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.
📋 Subtitles and Caption Exam Format at a Glance
📚 Subtitles and Caption Topics to Study (45)
✍️ Sample Subtitles and Caption Questions & Answers
1. When subtitling a foreign-language film, what term describes subtitles that appear in the same language as the audio?
Intralingual subtitles are in the same language as the spoken audio, such as English subtitles for English dialogue.
2. Which timecode format is most commonly used in professional subtitle files for film and broadcast in the U.S.?
Professional subtitle and caption files use SMPTE timecode format (HH:MM:SS:FF) which includes frame-level precision.
3. Which of the following is true about captions?
Captions are crucial for accessibility, making video content available to deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. They also benefit viewers in noisy environments, those learning a new language, or anyone who prefers to read along. Therefore, including captions whenever possible significantly broadens a video's audience and enhances its utility, making content more inclusive and understandable for everyone.
4. What does the term 'caption burn-in' refer to in post-production workflows?
Caption burn-in (also called open captioning or hardcoded captions) means the caption text is rendered directly into the video frames and cannot be turned off by the viewer.
5. When translating subtitles, what is 'expansion' and why does it matter?
Expansion occurs when translated text is longer than the original, forcing the translator to condense meaning while respecting timing and line length constraints.
6. What encoding standard is used for closed captions in digital US television (ATSC)?
CEA-708 is the standard for closed captions in digital US television (ATSC), offering enhanced features like multiple fonts, sizes, and colors compared to the analog CEA-608 standard.