Reading on the PRAXIS® Test

Reading questions on the PRAXIS® Test focus on your ability to recognize, comprehend, and teach basic concepts in reading.

Because the PRAXIS Test is designed to measure your ability to teach any given subject to students, you must be able to not only read, synthesize, and answer questions; you must also be able to redirect the information you have learned outward in an engaging, understandable way. The PRAXIS Test Reading section consists of passage-based questions, with each passage being addressed by between one and seven questions.

Recognize Key Details

The Reading portion of the PRAXIS® Test will gauge your ability to recognize key details within the text, including missing conclusions, inferences, explicit statements, and author intent. All of these combine to create the basics of reading comprehension—comprehension that is necessary to be able to turn around and teach the same information.

Overall Meaning of the Text

In a similar vein, you will be tested on your ability to recognize the overall meaning of a text. This includes the main idea, supporting details, and the author’s purpose in writing. Once you recognize each of these elements, you will also be able to construct a summary or paraphrase of the text, which is an invaluable skill in teaching reading and reading comprehension. You will also be examined on your ability to recognize point of view, context clues, fact and fiction, and compared and contrasted ideas. You must also be able to draw conclusions after reading through a piece.

Preparing for the Test

To practice for the Reading portion of the PRAXIS Test, read passages from a wide variety of sources, including literature, newspaper articles, magazine articles, and history books. Once you’ve read through the passages, test your ability to synthesize the information that has been presented, including all of the components listed above, then construct a small passage of your own, teaching the information you’ve read and analyzed. All of this will help you adequately prepare to take the PRAXIS Exam.

Additionally, take advantage of Union Test Prep’s free preparation materials for the PRAXIS Core Test. You’ll find study guides, practice questions, and flashcards for all three of the PRAXIS® Core Test sections.