How to Study for the Praxis Reading

If you are taking the Praxis Core, you need to know how to study for the Praxis Reading test! Here are my top Praxis reading study tips.

Figure Out What’s Covered on the Praxis Reading

The Praxis Reading covers three sections: “Key Ideas and Details,” “Craft, Structure, and Language Skills,” and “Integration of Knowledge and Ideas.” So what does that actually mean? Your best bet is to check out the Study Companion from ETS. Starting on page 6, the guide breaks down individual topics covered in each area. Read over these to get a sense of what the test actually covers. Make a note of any topics that you aren’t sure of or want to practice more- that will be helpful later when you make a study plan.

Look at the Praxis Reading Question Types

Basically, the Praxis Reading test requires you to read a passage and answer questions about it. All the questions are multiple choice. Some sections require you to answer multiple questions about the same reading passage. You’ll answer questions that ask you to analyze the text, use context clues, and infer the author’s perspective, among other topics. In the Study Companion, there are sample questions starting on page 12. These will give you a good idea of the length and difficulty of the reading passages you’ll see.

Carve out Time to Study

Don’t overestimate your preparation for the Praxis Reading! It can be a tough test, and you want to pass the first time, right? Invest the time in studying. Follow my guide to create your own study plan or use Mike’s ready-made one-month plan. Either way, put studying on your calendar and treat it as an appointment. Last-minute cramming probably won’t get you the results you want. When you have studying planned out, you can be sure you cover everything on the test (especially things you are more worried about). You’ll have more time for a healthy amount of rest and nutritious eating, both of which you need to stay healthy for test day and to remember the things you’re studying.

Practice, Practice, Practice!

Practice tests or sample questions are a great way to figure out where your problem areas are and where you are feeling confident. It’s useful to use sample questions to get the hang of the sort of things you might see on the test so it doesn’t catch you off guard on test day. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather realize I had no idea how to describe author’s purpose when I was studying than on test day itself! 😉 Practice questions can help you build confidence and point you in the right direction for more studying. It can be tricky to find full-length practice tests online, but there are some resources out there. You can also check out sample questions right here on the Praxis blog! To start, check out the posts in our Reading archive, and happy studying!