Which of the following best states the main idea of the passage?

Independent reading positively impacts academic performance.

Students should be assigned more reading homework.

Reading fiction is more beneficial than reading nonfiction.

School curricula should eliminate non-academic reading.

Which revision of the sentence below improves clarity and word choice? The kids didn’t do the stuff they were supposed to.

The children failed to complete their assigned tasks.

They didn’t do what was given to them.

The tasks weren’t done by the kids.

What is the main idea of the passage?

Plastic pollution is harming oceans and communities.

Marine animals are difficult to protect.

Fishing is no longer profitable.

Tourism is better than fishing.

Which sentence contains a dangling or misplaced modifier?

Waving from the stage, the crowd cheered loudly.

After the show, we went to dinner.

She walked her dog through the park.

Praxis Core

Free Praxis Core Practice Questions

10 sample questions for the Praxis Core, with the correct answer and an explanation for each. No account needed. Try each one before you open the answer.

Sections covered on the exam: Keyideasanddetails, Reading, Writing, Integrationofknowledgeandideas, Languageskills, Texttypes,Purposes,Andproduction, Numberandquantity, Mathematics, Geometry.

Question 1 · Keyideasanddetails
Which of the following best states the main idea of the passage?
- A.Independent reading positively impacts academic performance.
- B.Students should be assigned more reading homework.
- C.Reading fiction is more beneficial than reading nonfiction.
- D.School curricula should eliminate non-academic reading.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. Independent reading positively impacts academic performance.
The passage emphasizes that students who read for pleasure (independent reading) perform better academically, which is best captured in option A.
Question 2 · Writing
Which revision of the sentence below improves clarity and word choice? The kids didn’t do the stuff they were supposed to.
- A.They didn’t do what was given to them.
- B.The kids didn’t do stuff.
- C.The tasks weren’t done by the kids.
- D.The children failed to complete their assigned tasks.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. The children failed to complete their assigned tasks.
Option D is more formal and specific, enhancing both clarity and word choice.
Question 3 · Languageskills
What part of speech is the word quickly in the sentence below? He walked quickly to the door.
- A.Adverb
- B.Verb
- C.Adjective
- D.Noun
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. Adverb
"Quickly" describes how he walked, making it an adverb.
Question 4 · Numberandquantity
What is the greatest common factor (GCF) of 18 and 24?
- A.2
- B.6
- C.4
- D.8
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. 6
Factors of 18: 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 18. Factors of 24: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24. The greatest factor common to both is 6.
Question 5 · Mathematics
Factor: x² − 9
- A.(x − 3)²
- B.(x − 3)(x + 3)
- C.(x + 3)²
- D.(x − 9)(x + 1)
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. (x − 3)(x + 3)
x² − 9 is a difference of squares, a² − b² = (a + b)(a − b), with a = x and b = 3. So x² − 9 = (x − 3)(x + 3).
Question 6 · Keyideasanddetails
What is the main idea of the passage?
- A.Plastic pollution is harming oceans and communities.
- B.Marine animals are difficult to protect.
- C.Fishing is no longer profitable.
- D.Tourism is better than fishing.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. Plastic pollution is harming oceans and communities.
The passage focuses on the harmful effects of plastic pollution on marine life and coastal communities.
Question 7 · Writing
Why might an author repeat a phrase several times in a passage?
- A.To take up space
- B.To emphasize a key point
- C.To distract from the main idea
- D.To avoid formal language
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. To emphasize a key point
Repetition is often used for emphasis and to reinforce an important idea.
Question 8 · Languageskills
Which sentence contains a dangling or misplaced modifier?
- A.After the show, we went to dinner.
- B.Waving from the stage, the crowd cheered loudly.
- C.She walked her dog through the park.
- D.They sat near the front row.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. Waving from the stage, the crowd cheered loudly.
The modifier “Waving from the stage” incorrectly modifies “the crowd,” implying the crowd was on stage.
Question 9 · Numberandquantity
Evaluate: |−12| + |7|
- A.5
- B.12
- C.−19 ∣ ∣∣∣
- D.19
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. 19
Absolute value is a number’s distance from zero, so it is never negative: |−12| = 12 and |7| = 7. Then 12 + 7 = 19.
Question 10 · Mathematics
Factor: x² + 7x + 10
- A.(x + 1)(x + 10)
- B.(x + 5)(x + 2)
- C.(x − 5)(x − 2)
- D.(x + 6)(x + 1)
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. (x + 5)(x + 2)
Find two numbers whose product is 10 and whose sum is 7: 5 and 2. So x² + 7x + 10 = (x + 5)(x + 2).

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