GACE Program Admission Assessment Practice Test and Prep

Welcome to our GACE Program Admission Assessment Practice Test and Prep page. We’ll be introducing you to the core competencies and key concepts you need to know to pass this exam. This is one of the free resources we provide so you can see how prepared you are to take the official GACE Program Admission Assessment Test.

Quick Links to Help You Navigate This Page

• GACE Program Admission Assessment Test Quick Facts
• GACE Program Admission Reading
• GACE Program Admission Mathematics
• GACE Program Admission Writing

GACE Program Admission Assessment Test Quick Facts

The Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators (GACE) is Georgia’s state-approved assessment program for P-12 public school educators. The GACE assessments are computer-based tests that determine whether you have the aptitude to work in Georgia’s public schools.

Your GACE Program Admission assessment will consist of three tests: the GACE Program Admission Reading test, the GACE Program Admission Mathematics test, and the GACE Program Admission Writing test.

You’ve got some options here. You can take the three GACE Program Admission tests individually or take the three tests in one combined session. Take a look at the chart below for details:

Test	Questions Type & Number	Testing Time*	Test Duration**
Test I: Reading Test Code 210	56 SR questions	85 Minutes	2 Hours
Test II: Mathematics Test Code 211	56 SR questions	90 Minutes	2 Hours
Test III: Writing Test Code 212	40 SR questions, 2 CR questions	100 Minutes	2 Hours
Combined Test: Tests I, II, and III Test Code 710	152 SR questions, 2 CR questions	4 Hours 35 Minutes	5 Hours

*Timed part of the test. **Includes testing time as well as tutorials and directions.

***SR-selected-response, CR=constructed response

The Program Admission Reading test includes both fiction and nonfiction passages. This test will cover your knowledge of three subareas:

• Key Ideas and Details (35%)
• Craft, Structure, and Language Skills (30%)
• Integration of Knowledge and Ideas (35%)

You’ll encounter the following content while taking this test:

• Paired passages (approximately 200 words each), followed by 4-7 questions
• Long passages (approximately 200 words each), followed by 4-7 questions
• Short passages (approximately 100 words each), followed by 2-3 questions
• Brief statements followed by single question

The Program Admission Mathematics test includes questions in three subareas:

• Number and Quantity (36%)
• Data Interpretation and Representation, Statistics, and Probability (32%)
• Algebra and Geometry (32%

The Program Admission Writing test includes two main subareas:

• Text Types, Purposes, and Production (60%)
• Language and Research Skills for Writing (40%)

Be prepared to see each of the following sections while completing this test:

• A section containing 40 selected-response questions. You will have about 40 minutes for this part.
• An argumentative essay question that will require you to use evidence to support a position. Prepare to spend about 30 minutes on this part.
• An informative/explanatory essay question that will require you to draw information from two provided sources to identify major ideas. You can expect to spend about 30 minutes on this section.

GACE Program Admission Quick Facts

Cost: The GACE Program Admission assessment includes both a $25 registration fee and a $28 test center fee – these fees are included in the prices below:

Program Admission (combined tests I, II, and III): $128 Program Admission (any two tests): $103 Program Admission (single test): $78

Study Time:

The amount of time you will need to spend preparing for the

GACE Program Admission depends on your knowledge of the content covered. It is important to know that you must pass each of the three tests because there is not a composite score option for passing the assessment.

A basic rule for assessments is to multiply the testing time by four, or by five if you feel you don’t have a handle on the material. For the GACE Program Admission, prepare for at least 20 hours of studying, split up however it suits you.

One way to determine your aptitude for the GACE Program Admission is to use 240 Tutoring materials and practice questions to gauge your competence in each area of the assessment. Which concepts do you struggle with the most? After identifying your areas of need, you can use 240 Tutoring tools to strengthen your knowledge of these concepts until you’re ready for the big day!

Scoring:  The Program Admissions exams are considered entry-level assessments and do not have tiered passing standards. A passing score for the Program Admission is 250.

What Test Takers Wish They’d Known

• Test-takers tend to overestimate their abilities to perform well on GACE assessments. Many students regret not putting more time and effort into preparing for GACE assessments beforehand. Fortunately, it’s easy to avoid this mistake by using test preparation materials.
• It’s a great strategy to track your time while taking the GACE Program Admission. You can monitor your time by periodically checking the timer in the upper right-hand corner of your screen.
• Because time management is crucial, skip questions you find extremely difficult and move forward to questions you find easier to answer. Don’t worry, you can mark the questions you skip as you take the test. Try to finish the other questions with 10 to 15 minutes remaining and use that extra time to return to the more challenging questions. If you are unsure of an answer, it is better to guess than to leave a question blank.
• When answering the selected-response questions, you should read all possible answers before marking the correct one. You don’t want to miss out on the best answer by not reading all of the responses!
• Always check your answer before moving to the next question. Many test-takers are surprised by how they’re able to find overlooked errors in their work by using this strategy.

Information obtained from the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators website: gace.ets.org

GACE Program Admission: Reading Subtest

You will have 1 hour and 25 minutes to answer 56 multiple-choice questions.

The Reading subtest can be neatly divided into three sections:

• Key Ideas and Details (35%)
• Craft, Structure and Language Skills (30%)
• Integration of Knowledge and Ideas (35%)

Key Ideas and Details

This section tests your knowledge on the ability to both draw inferences from the text and to identify what the text explicitly states. You should be able to determine central ideas and themes as well as describe how they develop throughout the course of the text. You must also analyze how details in the text support the main ideas and then use those details to identify appropriate summaries.

Let’s discuss some concepts that will more than likely appear on the test.

Making Inferences

When you make an inference, you use background knowledge, as well as what the text explicitly states, to come to a logical conclusion. Remember that authors don’t include all of the information for us when they write a text – they allow us to use our inferencing skills to fill in the details and make inferences.

Consider the following passage:

Backstage, the speaker shuffled through her notes a final time, occasionally pausing to adjust her hair or check the time on her watch. As 2:00 p.m. drew nearer, the air seemed to grow warmer. She began to tap her shoe against the floor. Finally, she heard her name announced. This was it… 

When reading this passage, you can draw a couple of inferences. The author does not state that the subject is about to speak in front of a crowd or that she feels anxious; however, your own life experiences, as well as your experience as a reader, allow you to infer both what will happen next and how the subject of the passage is feeling.

Central Ideas and Themes

Finding a central idea or theme in a text is all about getting to the point. As you read, think about the “big picture” created by the details in the text in order to determine the author’s overall message. Is the author trying to make a general statement about life or help you understand a major concept?

Let’s take a moment to think about Aesop’s fable, The Tortoise and the Hare. In the story, the hare is overconfident that he will win the race and, therefore, does not bother to try his best. During the race, the hare stops to boast, to tease the tortoise, and even to take a nap. The tortoise, however, continues the race at his own slow, steady pace. In the end, the tortoise is the victor.

So, what central message about life is Aesop trying to get us to understand? Aesop uses the details in the story to tell us that it is better to be determined and hard-working instead of arrogant and careless. This overall message is the theme of The Tortoise and the Hare.

Supporting Ideas and Details

The use of details, such as descriptions, reasons, explanations, and comparisons, helps to support themes, opinions, and main ideas in a text. While you read, try to ask yourself what ideas the details in a story may support. Remember, authors include details for a reason. Thinking back to The Tortoise and the Hare, you might say that the detail that the hare stops to take a nap helps to support the idea that the hare is overconfident.

As another example of how to use supporting details, imagine a scene that includes two characters, Joe and Chris, walking around at a fair and eating popcorn. Chris is accidentally nudged by a passerby, and he drops his bag of popcorn. In response to the incident, Joe invites Chris to share his bag of popcorn. The detail that Joe shares his popcorn with Chris can be used to support the idea that Joe is an unselfish and considerate character.

Craft, Structure, and Langauge Skills

This section tests your ability to use context clues to determine the meaning of words and to analyze how the author’s word choice contributes to the tone or the author’s attitude towards a subject. You should be able to identify transitional words and phrases and how they contribute to the overall structure of the text.

While completing this section, you will identify text structures such as cause and effect, compare and contrast, problem and solution, and sequence of events. Prepare to recognize figurative language (and its purpose) and to differentiate between facts and the author’s opinion.

Here are some concepts that you may see on the test.

Figurative Language

Figurative language, as opposed to literal language, has a different meaning than what the words themselves actually state. You know that if someone says, “It’s raining cats and dogs,” the weather outside has nothing to do with pets — it’s just raining hard! “It’s raining cats and dogs” is an example of a type of figurative language called an idiom. Other types of figurative language include personification, similes, metaphors, and puns.

So, how might figurative language appear on the test? Let’s say that you see the statement, “That cat is as big as a horse.” You would know that the author is using figurative language because a cat wouldn’t really be as large as a horse. And, because the phrase includes extreme exaggeration, it is an example of hyperbole. Also, the phrase is an example of a simile, a comparison that uses “like” or “as.” What is the author’s intention for using this phrase? He or she wants to let you know that the cat is really big!

Using Context Clues

When you read, you often must use context clues to determine the meaning of an unfamiliar word or to decide which definition of a multiple-meaning word an author is using. Using context clues just means that you are making an educated guess about the meaning of a word based on the text around it.

For example, the word “reservations” is a multiple meaning word. If you encounter this word in a passage, you’ll need to use context clues to determine how the word is being used in the text. Consider the following passage:

Although John was having reservations about asking Carla on a second date, he called City Pizza to find out whether the restaurant allowed customers to make reservations.

If you can tell which definition of “reservations” the author uses in each instance, you are using context clues!

Point of View

A text might be written in the first-person (uses pronouns like “I” and “my”), second-person (uses pronouns like “you” and “your”), or third-person (uses pronouns like “he” and “their”) point of view. You should be able to determine from which point of view a passage is written, as well as to determine what, if any, opinions the speaker is expressing. Remember that the viewpoint of a passage might be unbiased (based on fact) or biased (based on opinions).

For example, “Iguanas, such as mine, are the best pets” is written in the first-person point of view because it uses the word “mine.” It is also an example of a biased statement because it is based on an opinion that cannot be proven true or false. Considering the viewpoint from which a passage is written, ask yourself what reasoning and evidence a speaker uses to support ideas.

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

This section tests your ability to draw conclusions, identify textual evidence upon which arguments are based, and determine whether the evidence presented strengthens or weakens an argument. You will analyze how content compares in two or more texts or other media formats, such as visual representations. Be prepared to analyze how ideas in a text relate to one another.

Here are some things you may see on the test.

Drawing Conclusions

While you complete this portion of the Reading test, you will draw conclusions based on what you read as well as your analysis of visual and quantitative content. You will need to identify which arguments and claims are being presented. You’ll also consider the validity of an author’s reasoning and point out what evidence the author includes to support his or her point.

For example, imagine that you are reading a passage about type 2 diabetes and lifestyle. What conclusion does the author want you to make about the relationship between these two ideas? The author might argue that lifestyle choices contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes.

Alternatively, the author might be presenting the case that lifestyle changes can help people with type 2 diabetes. Is any evidence, such as statistics, included to prove the author’s point? If so, decide if the evidence is logical and relevant or if it is weak and/or unrelated to the author’s point.

Comparing Texts

During this section, you’ll analyze how two or more texts address similar ideas or themes. You will be asked to integrate the information in the texts and to compare and contrast the authors’ evidence, viewpoints, and/or central messages.

As an example, let’s say that you are given two nonfiction passages: one is an unbiased historical passage about the Suffragette movement in the United States; the other is an article that encourages contemporary American women to vote.

How might you compare and contrast these two texts? You might decide that the author of the second article uses a persuasive tone and that the author of the first article uses a scholarly tone. Your analysis might also include that the author of one text writes for the purpose of motivating the audience to take action and that the author of the other text writes to inform the audience. A connection that you might make between the two texts is that women’s right to vote is a topic which many Americans have felt strongly about for a long time.

GACE Program Admission Mathematics Subtest

You will have 1 hour and 30 minutes to answer 56 multiple-choice questions.

The Mathematics subtest can be neatly divided into three sections:

• Number and Quantity (36%)
• Data Interpretation and Representation, Statistics, and Probability (32%)
• Algebra and Geometry (32%)

Number and Quantity

This section tests your knowledge of ratio concepts, proportional relationships, the multiplication and division of fractions, and rational numbers. You will be asked to work with both radicals and integer exponents, to use quantitative reasoning to solve problems, and to find common factors and multiples.

Let’s discuss some concepts that will more than likely appear on the test.

Dividing Fractions by Fractions

When presented with a question that asks you to divide one fraction by another fraction, keep in mind that dividing fractions is just multiplying with reciprocals (reverse). Once your multiplication problem is set up, you will multiply your numerators then your denominators.

To prepare for this section of your test, you should review both common factors and multiples, including least common multiples (LCMs) and greatest common factors (GCFs). The LCM of two numbers is the smallest number, excluding zero, that is a multiple of both numbers. The GCF is the greatest factor that can be used to divide two numbers. In order to determine the GCF of two numbers, list the prime factors of each of the two numbers. Then, multiply the prime factors which the numbers have in common in order to find your answer.

On the test, you may be asked to determine the greatest common factor of 18 and 24 (which is 6).

Data Interpretation and Representation, Statistics, and Probability

This section tests your ability to work with data, solve measures of central tendency and spread problems, as well as identify data relationships in order to make predictions. You need to know the difference between correlation and causation and solve simple probability problems.

Let’s discuss some concepts that will more than likely appear on the test.

Measures of Center

The Mathematics test will require you to work with measures of central tendencies, such as mean, median, and mode. For example, take a look at the following question:

This list shows the price of jackets in a store last month: $34, $45, $46, $48, $56

This is the current list of jacket prices: $4, $45, $44, $48, $56

In the second list, which price is the outlier? Does the outlier change the mean, the median, or the mode?

In this example, the $4 price is the outlier, because it is drastically different from the other prices. The outlier does not affect the mode (frequency of appearance) of the prices. It also does not affect the median (midpoint) price, because the number of prices remains the same on both lists. It does, however, affect the mean (average) price. The mean price of the jackets in the first list is $45.80, and the mean price of jackets in the second list is $39.40. You can find the mean of each list by adding the price of each jacket and then dividing the sum by the number of items in the list (5).

Distributions

In statistics, a probability distribution is used to describe the likelihood of an outcome.

A discrete probability distribution may appear as a formula or a table listing all values that a discrete variable could be. Discrete variables have a finite and countable number of values and continuous variables do not.

Cumulative probability distributions describe the probability that the value of a variable will fall within a specific range.

A uniform probability distribution describes a situation in which every value of a random variable has an equal chance of occurring. For example, flipping a coin would have a uniform probability distribution. Each of the two outcomes (heads or tails) is equally likely to occur. Here’s an example.

Imagine that you will flip a coin twice.

What value would correctly replace a in the distribution table?

The value .5 would correctly replace a because the probability values would then equal 100%.

Algebra and Geometry

This section tests your ability to solve algebraic problems, including linear and quadratic equations.

You also need to be able to recognize basic properties of two-dimensional shapes, as well as understand the concepts of congruency, similarity, area, circumference, and perimeter.

Here are some concepts that you may see on the test.

Solving for x

While completing the Algebra and Geometry portion, you’ll need to work with some variables. Variables don’t have to be scary! Just remember that a variable is a stand-in for a number. Most variables are represented with letters, like “x.”

You’ll be asked to solve equations to find out the value of variables. Here’s an example of the type of problem that you might find in this section of the test:

Solve for x:

4x – 2 = 2x + 8

To solve this equation, you would bring like terms to one side:

4x – 2x = 2 + 8

Add and subtract on each side:

2x = 10

And divide each side by 2 to find the value of x:

x = 5

Equivalent Expressions

Equivalent expressions have the same solution, but they may be written differently. To solve for equivalent expressions, you’ll need to combine like terms and use the distributive property. Just remember that the distributive property will require you to use the order of operations to find the correct answer!

Here’s an example of two equivalent expressions:

2x⁴ + 2x and 2(x⁴ + x).

The second example has the same value as the first. If you just distribute the 2 in the second equation, it will look like the first equation.

Geometrical Figures

GACE Program Admission Writing Subtest

You will have 1 hour and 40 minutes to answer 40 multiple-choice questions and 2 constructed-response questions.

The Writing subtest can be neatly divided into two sections:

• Text Types, Purposes, and Production (60%)
• Language and Research Skills for Writing (40%)

So, let’s start with Text Types, Purposes, and Production.

Text Types, Purposes, and Production

This section will require you to write two essays to test your ability to create both argumentative and informative/explanatory texts. Your work will be evaluated in terms of your ability to coherently express ideas using correct grammar and appropriate structure, to develop and maintain a clear focus, and to provide relevant evidence and details.

A. Argumentative Essay section:

For this portion of the writing test, you’ll use sufficient, pertinent evidence to successfully support a claim. Be sure to use reasonable examples and details which logically support your position and to follow the general guidelines of standard English. Focus on writing a strong introduction and include a thesis statement; you will want your position on the topic to be clear to the reader.

B. Informative/Explanatory Essay section:

While completing this section of the writing test, you will draw evidence from informational text which will be provided for you. You will use this evidence to support explanations of complex ideas presented in the text. However, be sure to avoid plagiarism! Remember to write with clarity, maintain a clear focus, and demonstrate your ability to use appropriate diction and a variety of sentence structures.

Language and Research Skills for Writing

While you complete this portion of the test, you’ll recognize and correct grammatical errors, structural issues, and misused vocabulary words. You will also analyze sources in terms of relevance and credibility and appropriately cite those sources.

Here are some concepts that you may see on the test.

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

Pronouns, like “he,” are used to replace more specific nouns like “George.” If a more specific noun, like “George,” occurs first in the text, then that noun is an antecedent. Consider this information as you read the following sentence:

“If that giraffe could speak, he would probably tell you that the leaves of the acacia tree are his favorite treat.”

In the example, “giraffe” is the antecedent and “he” is the pronoun. Pronouns should agree with their antecedents in terms of number and gender. Consider how the same sentence becomes confusing when the pronoun doesn’t agree with the antecedent:

“If that giraffe could speak, he would probably tell you that the leaves of the acacia tree are their favorite treat.”

Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause that describes another word. Usually, modifiers are adjectives, like “friendly” or “personable.” Sometimes, a modifier is included in the wrong part of a sentence. Consider this example:

“The live bowl of fish looks great in her office.”

Since the fish are alive and the bowl is not, “live” is a misplaced modifier. You could revise the sentence by moving the modifier:

“The bowl of live fish looks great in her office.”

A dangling modifier is a modifier that does not have a clear subject. The word that a dangling modifier is meant to describe is missing. Consider this example:

“Staring over the fields, a storm was approaching.”

“Staring” is a modifier but who or what is staring here? There are multiple ways to revise this sentence. Here is one example:

“He was staring over the fields as a storm was approaching.”

Elements of a Citation

Be prepared to recognize elements of citations and to determine what type of source a citation references. Also, remember that direct quotations belong in quotation marks and need internal citations. An internal citation occurs in parentheses in the body of the text.

Let’s test your knowledge now with an MLA citation for an imaginary source. As you read the citation, decide what type of source it references (print book, newspaper, website, etc.):

Doe, Jane. “How I Stood up to Cancer.” Natural Health Oct. 2018: 101-104. Print.

If you determined that the citation refers to an article in a print magazine, you are correct!