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Teacher Certification · 5753

Praxis Communication and Literacy Combined Practice Test

The Praxis Communication and Literacy Combined (5753) practice page focuses on written English and communication tasks relevant to school settings. Practice vocabulary includes sentence revision, grammar and punctuation, paragraph style, reading and evaluating sources, focused thesis statements, basic percentage calculations, and productive group discussion.

Exam overview

Exam providerETS Praxis
Exam code5753
CategoryTeacher Certification

About the Praxis Communication and Literacy Combined Exam

The available practice material samples decisions involved in editing and communicating clearly. Sentence-level tasks ask you to improve active voice, parallel structure, pronoun reference, word choice, and punctuation such as semicolons. Paragraph and essay questions focus on reducing repetitive openings and selecting a thesis that is specific and arguable. Research prompts ask you to match an information need with a relevant local source, while discussion scenarios test responses that help a group stay constructive. A quantitative item involving survey results also calls for converting a part-to-whole relationship into a percentage. These examples connect language conventions with practical reading, revision, information selection, and communication choices.

Sample Practice Questions

Review a selection from this exam's published US Practice Tests practice bank.

Question 1

A student is proofreading a report and finds the sentence, “The team completed the experiment, and the results were recorded by the class.” Which revision best makes the actions and their agents clear and consistent?

  1. AThe team completed the experiment, and the class recorded the results.
  2. BThe experiment was completed by the team, and recording of the results happened.
  3. CCompleting the experiment, the results were recorded by the class.
  4. DThe team completed the experiment, and the results recording was by the class.
Show answerCorrect answer: A

Option A identifies who performed each action in direct, parallel phrasing. The other choices are wordy or risk suggesting that the results, rather than the team, completed the experiment.

Question 2

Which sentence uses parallel structure?

  1. AThe workshop teaches students to plan essays, drafting paragraphs, and how to revise.
  2. BThe workshop teaches students planning essays, to draft paragraphs, and revision.
  3. CThe workshop teaches students to plan essays, draft paragraphs, and revise their work.
  4. DThe workshop teaches students essay planning, drafting paragraphs, and to revise.
Show answerCorrect answer: C

The three coordinated actions in C use the same grammatical form: the base verbs “plan,” “draft,” and “revise.” The other options mix forms, making the list less balanced.

Question 3

A school newsletter reports that 18 of 24 surveyed families prefer an earlier conference time. What percentage of the surveyed families preferred the earlier time?

  1. A25%
  2. B60%
  3. C75%
  4. D80%
Show answerCorrect answer: C

Divide 18 by 24 to get 0.75, then multiply by 100: 75%. This describes the surveyed families, not necessarily all families at the school.

Question 4

Which sentence uses a semicolon correctly?

  1. AThe workshop begins at nine; please arrive a few minutes early.
  2. BThe workshop; begins at nine, please arrive early.
  3. CThe workshop begins; at nine please arrive early.
  4. DThe workshop begins at nine; and please arrive a few minutes early.
Show answerCorrect answer: A

A semicolon can join two closely related independent clauses. Both parts of option A can stand alone as complete sentences.

Question 5

Which sentence correctly uses the word “fewer”?

  1. AThe library received fewer donations this month than last month.
  2. BThe library received fewer water this month than last month.
  3. CThere were fewer traffic on the road at noon.
  4. DShe had fewer patience after the long delay.
Show answerCorrect answer: A

“Fewer” is used with countable plural nouns, such as donations. “Less” is generally used with uncountable nouns such as water, traffic, and patience.

Question 6

A student has written a paragraph in which each sentence begins with “There is” or “There are.” Which revision would most improve the paragraph's style?

  1. AKeep the openings unchanged because they make every sentence equally formal.
  2. BReplace some openings with specific subjects and direct verbs.
  3. CAdd more “There are” phrases to create a consistent rhythm.
  4. DRemove all verbs from the paragraph.
Show answerCorrect answer: B

Replacing unnecessary “There is/are” openings with specific subjects and direct verbs can make sentences more concise and vivid while preserving their meaning.

Question 7

Which revision best corrects the unclear pronoun reference in “When Maya spoke with Lena, she said the report needed revision”?

  1. AWhen Maya spoke with Lena, she said that the report needed revision.
  2. BMaya told Lena that the report needed revision.
  3. CWhen Maya spoke with Lena about it, the report needed revision.
  4. DSpeaking with Lena, she said the report needed revision.
Show answerCorrect answer: B

The original “she” could refer to either Maya or Lena. Option B names the speaker and makes the meaning clear.

How to use this practice test

Access is free. A session presents up to 20 random questions from the published bank, drawn from its 50 questions, and shows results afterward. Use the questions to identify which editing decisions, source-selection judgments, or communication concepts need more review.

Preparation tips

  • Revise sentences with passive constructions by naming the person or group performing each action, then check that related clauses use consistent structure.
  • Practice identifying unclear pronoun references and rewriting the sentence so each pronoun has one unmistakable antecedent.
  • Compare thesis statements for scope and arguability; favor claims that address a specific effect rather than announcing a broad topic.
  • For research prompts, match the source to the information need—for example, use a local library’s own materials or staff for details about its adult education services.
  • Review how to calculate a survey percentage by dividing the number of responses in a group by the total surveyed and multiplying by 100.
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