Free ISEE practice test: the full Middle Level, on the real clocks

160 questions · 130 minutes · scored the moment you finish · no sign-up

This free ISEE-style practice test is the full Middle Level multiple-choice test: 160 original questions on ERB's section clocks, Verbal Reasoning 40 questions in 20 minutes, Quantitative Reasoning 37 in 35, Reading Comprehension 36 in 35 and Mathematics Achievement 47 in 40. Your child gets percent correct for each section and a practice band, with every answer explained. It is written for children applying to grades 7 and 8; it is not an official ERB test and does not give a stanine.

160
questions, Middle Level: 130 min
on ERB's section clocks: 4
sections scored separately: Free
no sign-up

Last checked 13 November 2026 · Test facts from ERB's guides and pages, checked 13 November 2026

160
questions
130 min
time limit
Free
instant score

4 timed parts, each on its own clock: Verbal Reasoning, 40 questions in 20 minutes, then Quantitative Reasoning, 37 questions in 35 minutes, then Reading Comprehension, 36 questions in 35 minutes, then Mathematics Achievement, 47 questions in 40 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 13 November 2026 · How we check facts · How this is scored

What is on this ISEE practice test?

The four scored ISEE sections in ERB's order, at full Middle Level length and on the same clocks, so your child feels the real pace before test day rather than on it.

The real Middle Level ISEE and our practice test, section by section
Section	Real ISEE	Our mock	What our mock asks
Verbal Reasoning	40 in 20 min	40 in 20 min	20 synonyms, then 20 sentence completions, each block from easier to harder
Quantitative Reasoning	37 in 35 min	37 in 35 min	23 word problems, then 14 quantitative comparisons with the four fixed ISEE choices
Reading Comprehension	36 in 35 min	36 in 35 min	Six original passages (science, history, opinion and stories) with six questions each
Mathematics Achievement	47 in 40 min	47 in 40 min	Fractions, percents, ratios, equations, geometry, data and probability, no calculator

The ISEE surprises children in two ways. The first is the clock: Verbal Reasoning allows about 30 seconds a question, which is far faster than schoolwork. The second is question types they have never met, above all the quantitative comparison, where the four answer choices never change and the skill is knowing when "cannot be determined" is right. This mock gives your child both experiences at home, at a time you choose, so the morning of the real test feels familiar.

Each section runs on its own clock, as on the real test, and the questions within each block move from easier to harder. Wrong answers are not deducted on the ISEE, so the runner reminds your child to answer every question, even with a guess, before the time runs out.

What this practice test copies, and what it does not
Level	Middle Level, written for children applying to grades 7 and 8
Length	160 questions on ERB's Middle Level clocks: Verbal 40 in 20 minutes, Quantitative 37 in 35, Reading 36 in 35, Math Achievement 47 in 40
Question types	Synonyms and sentence completions, word problems and quantitative comparisons, original reading passages, and Math Achievement without a calculator
The essay	Not in the timed mock, because ERB does not score it. We give prompts and a checklist instead
Your result	Percent correct for each section and a practice band. Never a scaled score, percentile or stanine: those come from ERB's norms, which no outside test has

How does the real ISEE work?

The ISEE is ERB's admission test for independent schools. At Middle Level it has four multiple-choice sections and an essay, 2 hours 40 minutes of testing with two short breaks. Each section is scored separately and reported to the schools you choose, with the unscored essay attached.

The real ISEE, with where each fact comes from
Who gives it	ERB (Educational Records Bureau), for admission to independent and private schools; families register with ERB and choose the schools that receive the reportPublished by the ownerERB, "ISEE by ERB" for families
Levels	Primary (applying to grades 2 to 4), Lower (grades 5 and 6), Middle (grades 7 and 8) and Upper (grades 9 to 12), set by the grade your child is applying toPublished by the ownerERB, "ISEE Quick Facts Guide 2026-2027"
Middle Level sections	Verbal Reasoning 40 questions in 20 minutes, Quantitative Reasoning 37 in 35, Reading Comprehension 36 in 35, Mathematics Achievement 47 in 40, then a 30-minute essayPublished by the ownerERB, "What to Expect on the ISEE", Middle Level
Length	2 hours 40 minutes of testing at Middle and Upper Level, with two short breaks (the 2026-27 Quick Facts Guide says 10 minutes each; ERB's Prometric page says 5 to 10)Published by the ownerERB, "ISEE Quick Facts Guide 2026-2027"
Rules	No calculator unless it is an approved accommodation; no deduction for wrong answers; each section includes a few unscored trial questionsPublished by the ownerERB, "What to Expect on the ISEE", Middle Level
Scores	Each section gets a scaled score (760 to 940), a percentile rank against other applicants to the same grade, and a stanine from 1 to 9. The essay is not scored; a copy goes to the schoolsPublished by the ownerERB, "ISEE Score Reports"
How often	Once in each of three testing seasons (fall, winter, spring/summer), so up to three times a yearPublished by the ownerERB, "ISEE Quick Facts Guide 2026-2027"
Fee (2026-27)	$170 at home through a school, $250 at home through ERB or at a Prometric center, $225 to $255 in an ERB office, for Lower, Middle and Upper Level. Fee waivers existPublished by the ownerERB, "ISEE Quick Facts Guide 2026-2027"

Depending on the level and the season, families can test at home on a computer, in an ERB office or at a Prometric test center (grades 5 to 12), and some schools give the ISEE in person. The full picture, including every level and fee, is in the ISEE test guide.

Which ISEE level is this practice test for?

Middle Level, for children applying to grades 7 and 8. Upper Level has the same sections, counts and clocks with harder content; Lower Level is shorter, with different counts and clocks.

ISEE levels, questions and minutes by section (ERB)

Lower

Who takes it: Applying to grades 5 and 6
Verbal: 34 in 20 min
Quantitative: 38 in 35 min
Reading: 25 in 25 min
Math Achievement: 30 in 30 min
With the essay: 2 hours 20 minutes

Middle

Who takes it: Applying to grades 7 and 8
Verbal: 40 in 20 min
Quantitative: 37 in 35 min
Reading: 36 in 35 min
Math Achievement: 47 in 40 min
With the essay: 2 hours 40 minutes

Upper

Who takes it: Applying to grades 9 to 12
Verbal: 40 in 20 min
Quantitative: 37 in 35 min
Reading: 36 in 35 min
Math Achievement: 47 in 40 min
With the essay: 2 hours 40 minutes

ISEE levels, questions and minutes by section (ERB)
Level	Who takes it	Verbal	Quantitative	Reading	Math Achievement	With the essay
Lower	Applying to grades 5 and 6	34 in 20 min	38 in 35 min	25 in 25 min	30 in 30 min	2 hours 20 minutes
Middle	Applying to grades 7 and 8	40 in 20 min	37 in 35 min	36 in 35 min	47 in 40 min	2 hours 40 minutes
Upper	Applying to grades 9 to 12	40 in 20 min	37 in 35 min	36 in 35 min	47 in 40 min	2 hours 40 minutes

The level depends on the grade your child is applying to, not the grade they are in now. A sixth grader applying for seventh grade takes Middle Level.

Because the Upper Level runs on identical clocks, this mock is a fair rehearsal of the Upper Level pace, though the Upper Level vocabulary and math go further. The Upper Level guide explains the difference. Lower Level is a different test in length and pace, so we do not pretend this mock matches it: the Lower Level guide sets out what to practise instead.

What do ISEE questions look like?

Verbal Reasoning asks for synonyms and sentence completions; Quantitative Reasoning mixes word problems with quantitative comparisons; Reading Comprehension asks about passages; Mathematics Achievement is school math without a calculator. Try the four below.

ISEE-style question 1 · Synonym
Choose the word or phrase whose meaning is closest to the word in capital letters. METHODICAL
1. Aorderly and step by step
2. Bvery fast
3. Ceasily annoyed
4. Dshy with strangers
Show the worked answer
A: orderly and step by step. Methodical means doing things in a careful, planned order: orderly and step by step. A methodical person may also be slow, but slowness is not what the word means.
1. Put the word in a sentence: "He was methodical about packing, one list at a time."
2. Try each choice in its place: "orderly and step by step about packing" keeps the sense.
3. None of the others fits someone working through a list in order.
The trap: Picking a choice that often goes with the word (a careful person can be slow or shy) instead of the one that means the same thing.
ISEE-style question 2 · Quantitative comparison
x is a whole number greater than 1. Column A: x² Column B: 2x Compare the quantity in Column A with the quantity in Column B.
1. AThe quantity in Column A is greater.
2. BThe quantity in Column B is greater.
3. CThe two quantities are equal.
4. DThe relationship cannot be determined from the information given.
Worked answer
D: The relationship cannot be determined from the information given.. If x = 2, both columns are 4, so they are equal. If x = 3, Column A is 9 and Column B is 6, so A is greater. Different allowed values give different answers, so the relationship cannot be determined.
1. Try the smallest allowed value, x = 2: A = 4, B = 4, equal.
2. Try x = 3: A = 9, B = 6, A is greater.
3. Two different results, so the answer is "cannot be determined."
The trap: Trying only one number. On a comparison with a letter, always try at least two allowed values, including the smallest.
ISEE-style question 3 · Main idea
The passage is mainly about
1. Ahow a routine record became valuable in a way no one expected
2. Bwhy lighthouse keepers disliked their work
3. Chow lighthouses were built and run
4. Dthe dangers of storms at sea
Show the worked answer
A: how a routine record became valuable in a way no one expected. The first paragraph describes the plain, repetitive log; the second and third explain that this sameness now makes it useful to historians. The whole passage is about that unexpected value.
1. Say each paragraph in a few words: a dull daily log; now a treasure for historians; the keepers never imagined it.
2. Put them together: an ordinary record that turned out to be valuable.
3. Only the first choice covers all three paragraphs.
The trap: Choosing "storms," which appears in one sentence. A main-idea answer has to fit the whole passage.
ISEE-style question 4 · Fractions
What is 3/5 ÷ 3/10?
1. A2
2. B9/50
3. C1/2
4. D6/5
Show the worked answer
A: 2. Dividing by a fraction is multiplying by its reciprocal: 3/5 × 10/3 = 30/15 = 2.
1. Flip the second fraction: 3/10 becomes 10/3.
2. Multiply: 3/5 × 10/3 = 30/15.
3. Simplify: 30/15 = 2.
The trap: Multiplying the fractions as written (9/50), which answers a different question.

These were written for this page, so none is in a mock. More, with full working, are on ISEE sample questions.

After the free ISEE-style mock

One mock shows which section and which question types need work. Three more full mocks and four drills for each section show it improving on questions your child has not seen.

The ISEE Pass Pack gives you 4 full mocks on the real clock, 16 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 ISEE Pass Pack is US$39 (£29), once.

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

4
timed mocks: 16
topic drills: 1
score predictor

How do I read my child's ISEE practice result?

You see percent correct in each section and a practice band: Building, Developing (45%+), Solid (65%+), Strong (80%+) or Excellent (90%+). The bands are ours, set on our questions, and they are not stanines.

Read the sections, not the total. Schools see four separate stanines, so one weak section matters more than a slightly lower overall score. Look also at where the misses fall: a run of blanks or misses at the end of Verbal or Reading usually means pace, while misses spread through Math Achievement usually point to a topic, such as fractions or percents, that a few drills will fix.

We do not convert the result into a stanine or percentile, because that would need ERB's norms, which compare your child with real applicants to the same grade. ISEE scores explained shows how ERB's scaled scores, percentiles and stanines work, and why ISEE percentiles often look lower than the ones children see on school tests.

How can I help my child practise without adding pressure?

Treat the first mock as a map, not a verdict: it shows which question types are new and where the clock bites. Then practise little and often, and praise the work rather than the score.

Pick a quiet morning, sit the sections in order with the breaks, and keep the phone away, so it feels like the real thing and nothing more.
Afterwards, look at the explanations together. Ask "what was this question really asking?" rather than "why did you get it wrong?"
Choose one section to work on for the week. Twelve-question drills take about ten minutes and keep momentum without long sessions.
Retake a full mock after two or three weeks of drills. Seeing the band move is the best confidence builder there is.
Remind your child that the ISEE is designed so that most applicants do not finish every question comfortably, and that schools look at far more than one test.

Is ISEE practice worth it compared with a tutor?

Timed practice is the part a tutor cannot do for your child, and it is the part that fixes pace. ISEE tutors on Wyzant list rates of about $40 to $500 an hour, most between $80 to $200, and each ISEE sitting costs $170 to $255.

A good tutor is valuable for explaining a stubborn topic. But the skills the ISEE measures under time, answering 40 vocabulary questions in 20 minutes or deciding a comparison in under a minute, only come from timed practice on many fresh questions. That is what the mocks and drills here are for, and it works well alongside a tutor or on its own.

Each sitting also carries a cost and a wait: the fee, a morning, and in most cases a new testing season before your child can try again, since ERB allows one test per season. Arriving prepared the first time is the cheapest plan. The ISEE preparation guide has a week-by-week plan.

Frequently asked questions

Is this the real ISEE?

No. It is an ISEE-style practice test with original questions written for LifeScore. LifeScore is not affiliated with ERB, and ISEE is ERB's registered trademark.

How long is this practice test?

160 questions in 130 minutes of section time, the same as the four scored Middle Level sections. Allow about two and a half hours with breaks.

Will this tell me my child's stanine or percentile?

No, and no outside test can. Stanines and percentiles compare your child with other applicants who sat the real ISEE, and those norms belong to ERB. We show percent correct for each section and a practice band.

Does the mock include the essay?

Not in the timed run, because ERB does not score the essay; it sends a copy to the schools. The preparation guide has practice prompts and a checklist your child can use in 30 minutes.

Can my child use a calculator?

No. The real ISEE does not allow calculators except as an approved accommodation, so our mock is written to be done by hand.

Should my child guess?

Yes. The ISEE does not deduct points for wrong answers, so a blank is always worth less than a guess.

Do we have to pay?

The first full Middle Level mock, one free drill for each section and the sample questions are free with no sign-up. The ISEE Pass Pack, with all four mocks, 16 section drills, essay prompts and every answer explained, is a one-time payment with no subscription.

Make test day the second time, not the first

Four full Middle Level mocks on ERB's clocks, four drills for each section, essay prompts and every answer explained, in one payment that costs less than an hour with most ISEE tutors.