ACCUPLACER study guide: the official sample questions and free tools

Official sample questions (free PDFs)

There’s one PDF for each test. They’re a quick way to see what the questions look like. Pick the ones for the tests your college gives you.

• Reading
• Writing
• Arithmetic
• Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra, and Statistics (QAS)
• Advanced Algebra and Functions (AAF)
• ESL tests
• WritePlacer and WritePlacer ESL guides, with sample essays

For math: which test will you take?

There are three math tests, and your college picks yours, often based on your program. Arithmetic covers whole numbers, fractions, decimals and percents. QAS covers ratios, linear equations, probability, statistics and some geometry, and suits most students who aren’t heading into STEM. Advanced Algebra and Functions adds quadratics, functions, logarithms and trigonometry for STEM programs.

Some math questions have an on-screen calculator, and some don’t. Practice working by hand so the questions without one don’t slow you down.

For English: Reading and Writing

Reading asks about main ideas, inferences, word meaning, the author’s purpose and pairs of passages. Writing gives you longer passages with mistakes in them and asks you to fix sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, transitions and focus.

If English isn’t your first language, your college may give you the ESL tests instead: Reading Skills, Sentence Meaning, Language Use and Listening.

The Study App and free exercises

The ACCUPLACER Study App has practice tests that look like the real test, with the same highlighter and calculator tools. It’s free with an account.

ACCUPLACER Perspective Learning Resources has hundreds of free exercises. College Board recommends at least a week of practice for each test subject.