In addition to the 100 civics test questions to study, green card holders preparing for their citizenship test should know that they will also take an English reading and writing test of no more than three sentences.
Applicant must read and write one of three sentences correctly to demonstrate ability and pass. And to help an applicant prepare, USCIS offers a vocabulary list, which focuses on civics and American history topics.
The vocabulary is designed to conjugate declarative sentences that the applicant may be asked to write during the English writing and reading part of the test.
READ TEST
To demonstrate sufficient ability to read in English, applicants must correctly read aloud one sentence, out of three sentences. The three reading sentences are interrogative. Once the applicant correctly reads one of the three sentences, the officer will stop administering the reading test. Applicants will not be turned away because of their accent when speaking English.
THE APPLICANT APPROVES IF:
• Read the sentence without long pauses.
• Reads all the words in the content but may omit short words that do not interfere with the meaning.
• May make pronunciation or intonation errors that do not interfere with meaning.
THE APPLICANT DOES NOT APPROVE IF:
• Does not read the sentence.
• Omits a content word or replaces it with another word.
• Pause for long periods of time while reading the sentence.
• Makes pronunciation or intonation errors that interfere with meaning.
WRITING TEST
To sufficiently demonstrate the ability to write in English, the applicant must write a dictated sentence, of three sentences, in a manner that must be legible as written.
An applicant must not abbreviate any dictated words in the written sentence.
Once the applicant correctly writes one of the three sentences, the officer will stop administering the writing test. An applicant will not be failed for misspelling, capitalization, or punctuation errors unless the errors obscure the meaning of the sentence.
THE APPLICANT APPROVES IF:
• Has the same general meaning as the dictated sentence.
• May contain some grammatical, spelling, punctuation, or capitalization errors that do not interfere with the meaning.
• You can omit short words that do not interfere with the meaning.
• Numbers can be spelled or written as digits
THE APPLICANT DOES NOT APPROVE IF:
• Does not write anything or only one or two isolated words.
• It is completely illegible.
• Write a sentence or different words.
• The written sentence does not communicate the meaning of the dictated sentence.
• Write an abbreviation for a dictated word, such as NYC instead of New York City.
CONJUGATE THE VOCABULARY AND PRACTICE YOUR READING AND WRITING
Studying vocabulary can be confusing if it is not conjugated into sentences. That is why here we present the possible sentences to read and write that will make up the test, based on the USCIS vocabulary.
Please note that sentences may vary, and this is not an official list from the immigration agency. However, the list can help you practice your reading and writing skills and help you feel more confident and prepared when you show up for your interview.
The questions are examples that correspond to the reading test and the answers to the writing test.
Try to practice on a tablet with a capacitive pen, as the officer will ask you to write on one of these devices.
What is one right in the Bill of Rights?
Freedom of speech is one right.
Who is the Father of Our Country?
President Washington is the Father of Our Country.
What was one of the first states?
Delaware was one of the first states of the United States.
Who elects Congress?
The citizens elect Congress.
Who has the right to vote?
Citizens have the right to vote.
When is Labor Day?
Labor Day is in September.
Who is on the dollar bill?
President Washington is on the dollar bill.
What state has the most people?
California has the most people.
Who was George Washington?
Washington was the first President.
How many states does the United States have?
The United States has fifty states.
Who lives in the White House?
The President lives in the White House.
What do people want when they come to America?
People want freedom of speech.
When is Flag Day?
Flag Day is in June.
Where is the White House?
The White House is in Washington, DC
Where do Senators meet?
Senators meet in Congress.
When is Columbus Day?
Columbus Day is in October.
What country is to the south of the United States?
Mexico is to the south of the United States.
Who elects Congress?
The people elect Congress.
Where does the President live?
The President lives in Washington, D.C.
What are the colors of the American flag?
The American flag is red, white, and blue.
What city was the first capital of the United States?
New York city was the first capital of the United States.
What is the capital of the United States?
The capital of the United States is Washington, DC
What do we have to pay the government?
We have to pay taxes.
What do people in America want?
People want to vote in America.
When is Independence Day?
Independence Day is in July.
When is Memorial Day?
Memorial Day is in May.
What is one right that citizens have?
Citizens can vote.
Who was the second President?
Adams was the second President.
Why do people come to America?
People come to the United States to be free.
When is President’s Day?
Presidents’ Day is in February.
Who was Abraham Lincoln?
Lincoln was the President during the Civil War.
What is the largest state?
Alaska is the largest state.
When is Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving is in November.
Who lived here first?
The American Indians lived here first.
What is the name of the first President?
Washington was the first President.
When do we vote for President?
We vote for President in November.
Who can vote?
Citizens can vote.
How many Senators does Congress have?
Congress has one hundred Senators.
What country is to the north of the United States?
Canada is to the north of the United States.
Where does Congress meet?
Congress meets in Washington, DC