ACCUPLACER practice test 2026: free, all five parts, scored by part

This free ACCUPLACER-style practice test has 50 original questions in the five Next-Generation tests colleges use: 10 Reading, 10 Writing, 10 Arithmetic, 10 Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra and Statistics (QAS) and 10 Advanced Algebra and Functions (AAF), each on a 15-minute practice clock. You get a score for every part, because colleges place you from each part separately.

50
questions, 10 a part: 5
parts, scored one by one: 200-300
the real score range: None
official pass mark

Last checked 20 October 2026 · Test facts from College Board and college testing centers

50
questions
75 min
time limit
Free
instant score

5 timed parts, each on its own clock: Reading, 10 questions in 15 minutes, then Writing, 10 questions in 15 minutes, then Arithmetic, 10 questions in 15 minutes, then Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra and Statistics, 10 questions in 15 minutes, then Advanced Algebra and Functions, 10 questions in 15 minutes. A part's clock starts when you begin it, and you cannot go back to an earlier part.

By the LifeScore Editorial Team · Updated 20 October 2026 · How we check facts · How this is scored

What is on this ACCUPLACER practice test?

Fifty original questions, ten in each of the five Next-Generation ACCUPLACER tests, in the order most testing centers give them: Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, QAS and Advanced Algebra and Functions.

Each part runs from easier to harder questions, the way an adaptive test climbs when you keep answering correctly. Like the real ACCUPLACER, you cannot skip a question or go back to one, so the habit this practice test trains is the one that matters on the day: work each question to an answer before you move on.

The real ACCUPLACER has no time limit. We put a 15-minute practice clock on each part anyway, 90 seconds a question, because most people who run out of patience on an untimed test start guessing on the hardest questions, which are the ones that decide a higher placement. If the clock runs out, the part ends and you move to the next one.

What this practice test copies, and what it does not
Parts	Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, QAS and Advanced Algebra and Functions, in that order
Questions	10 a part, 50 in all, four options each, easy to hard within each part
Clock	15 minutes a part as a practice pace (90 seconds a question). The real test has none
Adaptive?	No. Every taker sees the same questions in a mock, so a score can be compared from one mock to the next
Going back	Not allowed, like the real test
Your result	Percent right for each part and a practice band. Never a 200-300 score or a placement

Can I practise just the ACCUPLACER math, reading or writing?

Yes. Each part has its own free 12-question drill with every answer explained: the math page has drills for Arithmetic, QAS and Advanced Algebra, and Reading and Writing have one each.

ACCUPLACER math practice test
3 free drills
Arithmetic, QAS and Advanced Algebra and Functions: what each covers, worked examples and the formulas to know.
ACCUPLACER reading practice test
1 free drill
The question types, paired passages and the habit that wins most reading points.
ACCUPLACER writing practice test
1 free drill
Revise-and-edit drafts: the grammar rules and the transitions the test keeps returning to.

Take the full test first, then drill the part with the lowest score. Colleges place you into English from Reading and Writing and into math from whichever math test they gave you, so one weak part can cost a semester on its own while the others are fine.

How does the real ACCUPLACER compare?

The real Next-Generation ACCUPLACER is a set of separate, untimed, computer-adaptive tests: 20 Reading, 25 Writing and 20 questions on each math test, each scored from 200 to 300, with no pass mark.

The real tests, with where each fact comes from
Tests most colleges give	Reading, Writing, and one or more of Arithmetic, QAS and Advanced Algebra and Functions, as the college choosesPublished by the ownerCollege Board, ACCUPLACER (official site)
Questions	Reading 20, Writing 25, Arithmetic 20, Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra and Statistics 20, Advanced Algebra and Functions 20Published by the ownerCollege Board, Next-Generation ACCUPLACER test specifications manual (PDF)
Format	Multiple choice, computer-adaptive: each answer sets the difficulty of the next questionPublished by the ownerCollege Board, ACCUPLACER (official site)
Time limit	None. The tests are untimed, though your testing center may set a session lengthPublished by the ownerCollege Board, ACCUPLACER (official site)
Score	200 to 300 on each test, reported separatelyPublished by the ownerCollege Board, ACCUPLACER (official site)
Pass mark	None. Each college sets its own placement cut scoresPublished by the ownerCollege Board, ACCUPLACER (official site)
Skipping and going back	Not allowed: you answer each question before the next one appears and cannot return to itSourcedCollege of the Marianas, ACCUPLACER tips and resources (PDF)
Calculator	A pop-up calculator appears on some math questions only; you cannot bring your ownPublished by the ownerCollege Board, "Prepare for ACCUPLACER: practice"

Adaptive means the next question depends on your last answer: right answers bring harder, higher-value questions, and wrong ones bring easier ones. That is why accuracy on the early questions matters so much, and why a fixed practice test like this one scores you in percent rather than pretending to produce a 200-300 score.

Your college decides which tests you take. Many give Reading and Writing to everyone and choose the math test by the course you want: Arithmetic for the most basic placement, QAS for most first-year math and AAF for precalculus and calculus. Some add WritePlacer, a written essay, which this practice test does not cover. Read the ACCUPLACER test guide for the full picture.

What ACCUPLACER score do I need?

There is no single passing score: each college sets its own cut scores, and published charts for a first college English or algebra course mostly sit between about 250 and 276.

Examples from colleges' own placement charts, checked 2026-10-20. Colleges change these, so check yours.
College	Course	Score asked for
Valencia College (FL)	ENC 1101, first college English	Reading 256+ and Writing 253+
Valencia College (FL)	MAT 1033C, intermediate algebra	QAS 261 to 275
Valencia College (FL)	MAC 1105, college algebra	QAS 276+
Eastern Florida State College	First college English	Reading 256+ and Writing 253+
Harford Community College (MD), 2021 chart	College-level English	Writing 263+
Sussex County Community College (NJ), 2025 chart	ENGL 101 (suggested placement)	Reading and Writing around 250, with the essay
Doña Ana Community College (NMSU)	College algebra	QAS 263+

More examples, and what a score below the cut means for your first semester, are on ACCUPLACER scores and cut scores.

What do ACCUPLACER questions look like?

Short reading passages with one question, revise-and-edit drafts, and math from fractions up to logarithms and trigonometry. Try the six below: two are worked step by step and the rest open when you tap.

ACCUPLACER-style question 1 · Inference
Which statement is best supported by the passage?
1. AMany people who used the evening ferries now drive across the bridge.
2. BThe grocery store is losing money.
3. CThe ferry company plans to add more boats.
4. DThe bridge was built recently.
Show the worked answer
A: Many people who used the evening ferries now drive across the bridge.. Fewer evening ferries and new evening traffic on the bridge point to riders switching to driving. The passage says nothing about the store's profits, the company's plans or the bridge's age.
1. Find the change: evening ferries cut from four to two.
2. Find what followed: an hour of bridge traffic at five o'clock, and staff unable to get home.
3. The only conclusion both details support is that ferry riders now use the bridge.
The trap: "The store is losing money" sounds likely, but closing early is not the same as losing money. Inference answers stay one short step from the text.
ACCUPLACER-style question 2 · Sentence boundaries
Which is the best way to write sentence 2?
1. ALeave it as it is.
2. BVendors sell dumplings, tamales and fresh fruit; the line for the dumpling stall often stretches down the block.
3. CVendors sell dumplings, tamales and fresh fruit the line for the dumpling stall often stretches down the block.
4. DVendors sell dumplings, tamales and fresh fruit, and, the line for the dumpling stall often stretches down the block.
Worked answer
B: Vendors sell dumplings, tamales and fresh fruit; the line for the dumpling stall often stretches down the block.. Sentence 2 joins two complete sentences with only a comma, which is a comma splice. A semicolon joins them correctly.
1. Find the subjects and verbs: "Vendors sell" and "the line stretches".
2. Two complete sentences need a period, a semicolon, or a comma plus a joining word.
3. Only the semicolon version does that cleanly.
The trap: Choosing "Leave it as it is" because the sentence sounds fine when read quickly. Check every comma that sits between two subjects and verbs.
ACCUPLACER-style question 3 · Percent
A jacket is on sale for $63 after a 30% discount. What was the original price?
1. A$90
2. B$81.90
3. C$93
4. D$84
Show the worked answer
A: $90. After a 30% discount you pay 70% of the original, so 0.7 × price = 63 and the price is 63 ÷ 0.7 = $90.
1. The sale price is 100% − 30% = 70% of the original.
2. 0.7 × original = 63.
3. Original = 63 ÷ 0.7 = 90.
The trap: Adding 30% of $63 back ($81.90) is the classic slip: the 30% was taken from the original, not from the sale price.
ACCUPLACER-style question 4 · Linear equation
Solve for x: 5x − 4 = 2x + 11
1. A5
2. B7/3
3. C15
4. D3
Worked answer
A: 5. Subtract 2x from both sides: 3x − 4 = 11. Add 4: 3x = 15. Divide by 3: x = 5.
1. Collect the x terms: 5x − 2x = 3x, so 3x − 4 = 11.
2. Add 4 to both sides: 3x = 15.
3. x = 5. Check: 5(5) − 4 = 21 and 2(5) + 11 = 21.
The trap: Stopping at 3x = 15 and choosing 15. Always finish by dividing, then check in the original.
ACCUPLACER-style question 5 · Quadratic
What are the solutions of 2x² − 7x + 3 = 0?
1. Ax = 3 and x = 1/2
2. Bx = −3 and x = −1/2
3. Cx = 3 and x = 2
4. Dx = 6 and x = 1
Show the worked answer
A: x = 3 and x = 1/2. Factor: (2x − 1)(x − 3) = 0, because 2x × x = 2x², −1 × −3 = 3 and −6x − x = −7x. So x = 1/2 or x = 3.
1. Look for factors (2x + a)(x + b) with a × b = 3 and 2b + a = −7: a = −1, b = −3.
2. 2x² − 7x + 3 = (2x − 1)(x − 3).
3. Each factor can be zero: 2x − 1 = 0 gives x = 1/2, and x − 3 = 0 gives x = 3.
The trap: Flipping the signs (x = −3 and −1/2). The factor (x − 3) gives the solution +3, and (2x − 1) gives +1/2.
ACCUPLACER-style question 6 · Exponential
A town of 8,000 people grows by 5% a year. Which expression gives its population after t years?
1. A8,000(1.05)ᵗ
2. B8,000(0.05)ᵗ
3. C8,000 + 0.05t
4. D8,000(1.5)ᵗ
Show the worked answer
A: 8,000(1.05)ᵗ. Growing by 5% multiplies the population by 1.05 each year, so after t years it is 8,000 × 1.05ᵗ.
1. Each year the population is 100% + 5% = 105% of the year before.
2. 105% as a decimal is 1.05.
3. After t years: 8,000 × (1.05)ᵗ.
The trap: Using 0.05 as the base shrinks the town to almost nothing. The base is the growth factor, 1 + rate.

These were written for this page, so none of them is in a mock. There are more, each with its trap, on ACCUPLACER sample questions.

After the free ACCUPLACER-style test

One mock shows which part is weakest. Seven more, and four drills for every part, show it is fixed.

The ACCUPLACER Pass Pack gives you 8 full mocks on the real clock, 20 drills of 12 questions for the sections that cost you points, and a predictor that turns your mocks into the odds of reaching your target. One payment, no subscription, and your free score stays free.

Prep courses for these tests usually cost $19 to $129. The ACCUPLACER Pass Pack is US$39 (£29), once.

See the ACCUPLACER Pass Pack How our questions are built and checked

8
timed mocks: 20
topic drills: 1
score predictor

How do I read my ACCUPLACER practice result?

You get the percent you got right in each of the five parts and a practice band for the whole test: Early practice, Building (45%+), Solid (60%+), Strong (75%+) or Excellent (90%+). These are our labels, not ACCUPLACER scores.

Read the parts, not the total. If your Reading and Writing are strong but QAS is at 40%, your English placement is probably safe and your math placement is the one at risk. Your result page names the weakest part and starts your study plan there.

A practice band cannot be turned into a 200-300 score: the real tests are adaptive, and College Board does not publish a way to convert percent correct into its scale. What a strong practice score does tell you is that the content of that part is no longer what stands between you and the course you want.

Is it worth studying for a placement test?

Yes. A placement below college level usually means a developmental course that costs tuition and time but does not count toward your degree, so a week of review before the test is one of the best-paid weeks of study you will do.

Many students walk in cold because they are told the test "just places you". It does, and the placement is the point: a student who places one math level lower can spend a full extra semester before reaching the course their program requires.

Most of the points are learnable. Fractions and percents, solving equations, a short list of grammar rules and a reading habit cover most of what costs people placements. Retake rules vary: some colleges let you retest once after a waiting period, others charge for a retest or limit it, so the first attempt is the one to prepare for. The full study plan is in how to pass the ACCUPLACER.

Frequently asked questions

Is this the real ACCUPLACER?

No. It is an ACCUPLACER-style practice test with original questions. The real test is College Board's and is taken at your college's testing center or through its approved remote setup.

How many questions are on the ACCUPLACER?

The Next-Generation tests have 20 Reading questions, 25 Writing questions and 20 on each math test (Arithmetic, QAS and Advanced Algebra and Functions). Most students take three or four of them.

Is the ACCUPLACER timed?

No. The tests are untimed, though the testing center may have a session length. Our practice test puts 15 minutes on each part so you practise working at a steady pace.

Can you fail the ACCUPLACER?

Not in the pass-or-fail sense. The score places you into a course; a low score places you into a lower course. That is why it is worth preparing: see ACCUPLACER scores.

Can I use a calculator?

Only the one the test shows on some math questions. You cannot bring your own. Practise the arithmetic by hand, because many questions give you no calculator at all.

How long should I study?

A week of 30 to 45 minutes a day is enough for most people to fix the part that matters. Start with the part this test shows is weakest.

Do I have to pay?

The full practice test and the five section drills are free with no sign-up. The Pass Pack, with every answer explained, seven more mocks and 20 drills, is a one-time payment.

Place into the course you want

Eight full ACCUPLACER-style mocks, four drills for each of the five parts and every answer explained, in one payment with no subscription.