2 components of the naturalization test

 Posted on March 01, 2022 in naturalization & citizenship

One of the steps to become a citizen of the United States is to take the naturalization test. This is a requirement unless you qualify for an exemption. You may qualify for exemptions because of age or medical disability.

If you do not qualify for an exemption, the test consists of two parts: A civics test and an English language test.

1. Civics test

The civics test consists of questions about the history of the United States and how its government functions. According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the civics test underwent a change in 2020. Under the new rules, the examiner will ask you 20 questions out of a possible 128. To pass this portion of the test, you must answer 12 of the 20 questions correctly.

2. English test

The English test gauges your ability to communicate effectively in the primary language of the United States. There are different parts of the test to assess your reading, writing and speaking abilities in English. For the writing portion, you will have a choice of three sentences and must choose one of them to write out. For the reading portion, you will again have a choice of three sentences and must read one of them out loud to demonstrate your ability to understand written English.

If you fail a portion of the test the first time you take it, you will have the chance to retake that portion within 60 to 90 days of the original test date. You only have to retest the portion that you failed. You do not have to take the entire test again if you passed the other portions.