Coverage by content domain
Lessons and questions are organized around the exam’s content areas so your preparation reflects the structure of the assessment.
Why Test Alignment Matters for Your CSET: English Subtest I Study Guide
Certification test standards are broad, but the exam questions are very specific. Our team of curriculum experts uses the 240 Study Guide Creation Process to ensure the most aligned, specific content for your CSET: English Subtest I (105) test — so you are not wasting time on broad subject review that may not show up on exam day.
Why 240 is the best choice for the CSET 105 study guide
- Built around the official exam framework
- Organized by the competencies actually used on the exam
- Shows exactly what is covered and where depth is partial
- Includes aligned questions, flashcards, study materials, and videos
- Helps candidates study what is actually tested instead of broad generic content
Transparent coverage is a strength. We show where the guide is strong, where depth is partial, and where a gap has been identified so you can make an informed study decision.
How to Read This Alignment Review
2Domains
56Competencies reviewed
98%Test-aligned
54Covered
2Partially covered
0Gaps
- CoveredCompetency is comprehensively supported by the guide.
- Partially coveredCore content is covered, but some depth gaps remain.
- Coverage gap identifiedA content gap has been identified.
This study guide is based on the current official exam framework. We review and update alignment whenever the official framework changes so candidates are always studying current, accurate material.
Domain IPartially covered
SMR I.1 · Reading Literature (SMR 1.1)208 questions · 11 materials · 104 cards · 4 videosCovered
| Official competency | Matching 240 topics | Alignment | Qs | Mats | Cards | Vids | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Recognize, compare, and analyze works from different literary traditions to include: American and British (including works that represent cultural pluralism); World literature and literature in translation (including cross-cultural literature); and Mythology and oral tradition from a broad range of cultures | ELA.Literary Movements and Periods; ELA.African Literature; ELA.Greek Literature; ELA.Teaching - Oral Tradition | Covered | 37 | 4 | 39 | 0 | Covered by 4 topics (37 questions, 4 materials, 39 cards, 0 videos). |
| b. Trace development of major literary movements in historical periods (e.g., Homeric Greece, medieval, neoclassic, romantic, modern) | ELA.Advanced Poetry; ELA.Literary Movements and Periods | Covered | 36 | 2 | 41 | 0 | Covered by 2 topics (36 questions, 2 materials, 41 cards, 0 videos). |
| c. Describe the salient features of adolescent/Young Adult literature | ELA.Young Adult Literature | Covered | 10 | 1 | 9 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (10 questions, 1 materials, 9 cards, 0 videos). |
| d. Demonstrate critical thinking and analytic skills through close reading of texts | ELA.Teaching - Literary Analysis; ELA.Skill - Analyze Poems | Covered | 74 | 2 | 17 | 2 | Covered by 2 topics (74 questions, 2 materials, 17 cards, 2 videos). |
| e. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what a literary text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text | ELA.Skill - Draw Inferences | Covered | 47 | 1 | 3 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (47 questions, 1 materials, 3 cards, 1 videos). |
| f. Determine themes or central ideas of a literary text and analyze their development over the course of the text | ELA.Skill - Determine Theme | Covered | 13 | 1 | 8 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (13 questions, 1 materials, 8 cards, 1 videos). |
| g. Analyze and interpret major literary works in historical, aesthetic, political, and philosophical contexts | ELA.Literary Theory and Criticism | Covered | 9 | 1 | 15 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (9 questions, 1 materials, 15 cards, 0 videos). |
SMR I.2 · Craft and Structure of Literature (SMR 1.2)255 questions · 13 materials · 145 cards · 5 videosCovered
| Official competency | Matching 240 topics | Alignment | Qs | Mats | Cards | Vids | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Distinguish salient features of genres (e.g., short story, drama, poetry, novel, creative nonfiction) | ELA.Advanced Literary Genres | Covered | 20 | 1 | 47 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (20 questions, 1 materials, 47 cards, 0 videos). |
| b. Define and analyze basic elements of literature (e.g., plot, setting, character, point of view, theme, narrative structure, figurative language, tone, diction, style) | ELA.Elements of Literary Analysis Across Genres; ELA.Narrative Techniques; ELA.Types of Figurative Language | Covered | 68 | 3 | 47 | 1 | Covered by 3 topics (68 questions, 3 materials, 47 cards, 1 videos). |
| c. Analyze the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters/archetypes are introduced and developed) | ELA.Elements of Literary Analysis Across Genres | Covered | 16 | 1 | 15 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (16 questions, 1 materials, 15 cards, 1 videos). |
| d. Articulate the relationship between the expressed purposes and the characteristics of different forms of dramatic literature (e.g., comedy, tragedy) | ELA.Teaching - Dramatic Literature | Covered | 11 | 1 | 26 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (11 questions, 1 materials, 26 cards, 0 videos). |
| e. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings | ELA.Skill - Meaning of Figurative Language; ELA.Skill - Meaning of Figurative Language Advanced; ELA.Skill - Identify Tone; ELA.Determining Meaning of Words | Covered | 82 | 4 | 30 | 3 | Covered by 4 topics (82 questions, 4 materials, 30 cards, 3 videos). |
| f. Analyze the impact of an author's specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple meanings | ELA.Skill - Author's Use of Literary Devices; ELA.Skill - Word Choice | Covered | 36 | 2 | 15 | 1 | Covered by 2 topics (36 questions, 2 materials, 15 cards, 1 videos). |
| g. Analyze how an author's choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where to begin or end a story, the use of flashbacks) contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact | ELA.Skill - Deeper Meanings | Covered | 17 | 1 | 11 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (17 questions, 1 materials, 11 cards, 0 videos). |
| h. Analyze point of view, including how authors develop and contrast points of view of different characters or narrators and particular points of view or cultural experiences reflected in works of world literature | ELA.Skill - Analyze Impact of POV | Covered | 21 | 1 | 11 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (21 questions, 1 materials, 11 cards, 0 videos). |
SMR I.3 · Reading Informational Texts (SMR 1.3)262 questions · 7 materials · 59 cards · 4 videosPartially covered
| Official competency | Matching 240 topics | Alignment | Qs | Mats | Cards | Vids | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what an informational text (e.g., literary nonfiction, historical, scientific, technical texts) says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text | ELA.Skill - Draw Inferences | Covered | 47 | 1 | 3 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (47 questions, 1 materials, 3 cards, 1 videos). |
| b. Determine central ideas of an informational text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to provide a complex analysis | ELA.Skill - Main Idea / Primary Purpose | Covered | 89 | 1 | 2 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (89 questions, 1 materials, 2 cards, 1 videos). |
| c. Provide an objective summary of an informational text | ELA.Skill - Pick Best Summary | Covered | 34 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (34 questions, 1 materials, 1 cards, 1 videos). |
| d. Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events in an informational text and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and develop over the course of the text | ELA.Types of Organization | Covered | 25 | 1 | 12 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (25 questions, 1 materials, 12 cards, 1 videos). |
| e. Compare various features of print and non-print media (e.g., film, television, Internet) | ELA.Reference Materials Advanced | Covered | 19 | 1 | 10 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (19 questions, 1 materials, 10 cards, 0 videos). |
| f. Evaluate the structure and content of a variety of consumer, workplace, and public documents | ELA.Nonliterary Text | Partially covered | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Partial coverage by 1 topic (1 questions, 1 materials, 0 cards, 0 videos); limited supporting content. |
| g. Interpret individual informational texts in their cultural, social, and political contexts | ELA.Teaching - Informational Text Comprehension | Covered | 47 | 1 | 42 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (47 questions, 1 materials, 42 cards, 0 videos). |
SMR I.4 · Craft and Structure of Informational Texts (SMR 1.4)121 questions · 4 materials · 20 cards · 2 videosCovered
| Official competency | Matching 240 topics | Alignment | Qs | Mats | Cards | Vids | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in an informational text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings, and analyze how an author uses and refines the meaning of a key term or terms over the course of a text | ELA.Skill - Meaning of Words from Contextual, Syntactic, and Semantic Clues | Covered | 66 | 1 | 2 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (66 questions, 1 materials, 2 cards, 1 videos). |
| b. Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of the structure an author uses in his or her exposition or argument, including whether the structure makes points clear, convincing, and engaging | ELA.Skill - Analyze Organization; ELA.Skill - Identify Techniques and Approaches | Covered | 42 | 2 | 15 | 0 | Covered by 2 topics (42 questions, 2 materials, 15 cards, 0 videos). |
| c. Analyze the use of text features (e.g., graphics, headers, captions) in public documents | ELA.Skill - Analyze Organization | Covered | 28 | 1 | 15 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (28 questions, 1 materials, 15 cards, 0 videos). |
| d. Determine an author's point of view and/or purpose in an informational text and analyze how style and content advance that point of view and/or purpose, including how effective rhetoric and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness, or aesthetics of the text | ELA.Skill - Use Navigational Text Features | Covered | 13 | 1 | 3 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (13 questions, 1 materials, 3 cards, 1 videos). |
SMR I.5 · Integration of Knowledge and Ideas in Informational Texts (SMR 1.5)35 questions · 2 materials · 21 cards · 0 videosCovered
| Official competency | Matching 240 topics | Alignment | Qs | Mats | Cards | Vids | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, spoken, performed, written) in order to address a question or solve a problem | ELA.Teaching - Media Analysis V2 | Covered | 20 | 1 | 21 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (20 questions, 1 materials, 21 cards, 0 videos). |
| b. Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including the application of constitutional principles and use of legal reasoning and the premises, purposes, and arguments in works of public advocacy | ELA.Skill - Analyze Historical Text | Covered | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (15 questions, 1 materials, 0 cards, 0 videos). |
| c. Analyze seventeenth-, eighteenth-, and nineteenth-century foundational U.S. documents of historical and literary significance for their themes, purposes, and rhetorical features | ELA.Skill - Analyze Historical Text | Covered | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (15 questions, 1 materials, 0 cards, 0 videos). |
SMR I.6 · Text Complexity (SMR 1.6)25 questions · 2 materials · 10 cards · 0 videosCovered
| Official competency | Matching 240 topics | Alignment | Qs | Mats | Cards | Vids | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Evaluate text complexity using quantitative tools and measures, as well as knowledge of qualitative dimensions such as levels of meaning, structure, language conventionality and clarity, and background knowledge demands | ELA.Measures of Text Complexity - Three-Part Model | Covered | 17 | 1 | 3 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (17 questions, 1 materials, 3 cards, 0 videos). |
| b. Identify levels of text complexity within grade band ranges | ELA.Measures of Text Complexity - Three-Part Model | Covered | 17 | 1 | 3 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (17 questions, 1 materials, 3 cards, 0 videos). |
| c. Apply knowledge of reader variables such as language, motivation, background knowledge, skill levels, and experiences, as well as task variables such as purpose and complexity when matching readers to a text and task | ELA.Matching Readers to Text | Covered | 8 | 1 | 7 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (8 questions, 1 materials, 7 cards, 0 videos). |
Domain IIIPartially covered
SMR III.7 · Writing Processes (Individual and Collaborative) (SMR 3.1)45 questions · 2 materials · 14 cards · 2 videosCovered
| Official competency | Matching 240 topics | Alignment | Qs | Mats | Cards | Vids | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Reflect on and describe their own writing processes | ELA.Teaching - Stages of the Writing Process | Covered | 27 | 1 | 10 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (27 questions, 1 materials, 10 cards, 1 videos). |
| b. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by freewriting, planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience | ELA.Skill - Improve Organization | Covered | 18 | 1 | 4 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (18 questions, 1 materials, 4 cards, 1 videos). |
| c. Clarify and record meaning using strategies such as creating graphic organizers, outlines, notes, charts, summaries, or précis | ELA.Teaching - Stages of the Writing Process | Covered | 27 | 1 | 10 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (27 questions, 1 materials, 10 cards, 1 videos). |
SMR III.8 · Text Types and Purposes (SMR 3.2)191 questions · 9 materials · 49 cards · 1 videosCovered
| Official competency | Matching 240 topics | Alignment | Qs | Mats | Cards | Vids | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Recognize and use a variety of writing applications (e.g., argument, informative/explanatory text, narrative, business and technical documents, historical investigation) | ELA.Writing Types and Various Contexts | Covered | 52 | 1 | 12 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (52 questions, 1 materials, 12 cards, 0 videos). |
| b. Demonstrate awareness of audience, purpose, and context | ELA.Writing Types and Various Contexts; ELA.Teaching - Writing Types and Various Contexts | Covered | 87 | 2 | 14 | 0 | Covered by 2 topics (87 questions, 2 materials, 14 cards, 0 videos). |
| c. Recognize and use various text structures (e.g., narrative and non-narrative organizational patterns) | ELA.Writing Types and Various Contexts | Covered | 52 | 1 | 12 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (52 questions, 1 materials, 12 cards, 0 videos). |
| d. Apply a variety of methods to develop ideas within an essay (e.g., analogy, cause and effect, compare and contrast, definition, illustration, description, hypothesis) | ELA.Teaching - Writing Skills - Advanced | Covered | 22 | 1 | 14 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (22 questions, 1 materials, 14 cards, 0 videos). |
| e. Demonstrate the ability to write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence | ELA.Teaching - Persuasive Writing Skills; ELA.Skill - Pick Opening Line (Prompt) | Covered | 40 | 2 | 14 | 1 | Covered by 2 topics (40 questions, 2 materials, 14 cards, 1 videos). |
| f. Apply rhetorical techniques to develop arguments, including appeals to logic through inductive/deductive reasoning and appeals to emotion or ethical belief | ELA.Teaching - Persuasive Writing Skills | Covered | 19 | 1 | 14 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (19 questions, 1 materials, 14 cards, 0 videos). |
| g. Demonstrate the ability to write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content | ELA.Teaching - Informational Writing Skills; ELA.Skill - Pick Closing Line; ELA.Skill - Pick Best Thesis Statement | Covered | 32 | 3 | 9 | 0 | Covered by 3 topics (32 questions, 3 materials, 9 cards, 0 videos). |
| h. Use evidence from literary texts to support analysis and reflection and to compose creative and aesthetically compelling responses to literature | ELA.Teaching - Literary Response Writing Skills | Covered | 10 | 1 | 5 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (10 questions, 1 materials, 5 cards, 0 videos). |
SMR III.9 · Production and Distribution of Writing (SMR 3.3)116 questions · 7 materials · 40 cards · 3 videosPartially covered
| Official competency | Matching 240 topics | Alignment | Qs | Mats | Cards | Vids | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Produce clear writing by employing precise and extensive vocabulary and effective diction to control voice, style, and tone | ELA.Teaching - Clear and Coherent Style | Partially covered | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | Partial coverage by 1 topic (7 questions, 1 materials, 2 cards, 0 videos); limited supporting content. |
| b. Produce coherent writing by using clause-joining techniques (e.g., coordinators, subordinators, punctuation) to express logical connections between ideas | ELA.Types of Sentences (Grammar); ELA.Types of Phrases | Covered | 37 | 2 | 17 | 1 | Covered by 2 topics (37 questions, 2 materials, 17 cards, 1 videos). |
| c. Identify and use clausal and phrasal modifiers to control flow, pace, and emphasis (e.g., adjective clauses, appositives, participles and verbal phrases, absolutes) | ELA.Skill - Pick Correct Modifier | Covered | 24 | 1 | 2 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (24 questions, 1 materials, 2 cards, 1 videos). |
| d. Identify and use devices to control focus in sentence and paragraph (e.g., active and passive voice, expletives, concrete subjects, transitional phrases) | ELA.Skill - Choosing Transition Words; ELA.Skill - Fix Passive Voice | Covered | 28 | 2 | 11 | 1 | Covered by 2 topics (28 questions, 2 materials, 11 cards, 1 videos). |
| e. Demonstrate the ability to use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products | ELA.Teaching Technology - Writing Skills | Covered | 20 | 1 | 8 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (20 questions, 1 materials, 8 cards, 0 videos). |
SMR III.10 · Conventions of Oral and Written Language (SMR 3.4)35 questions · 4 materials · 25 cards · 0 videosCovered
| Official competency | Matching 240 topics | Alignment | Qs | Mats | Cards | Vids | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Apply knowledge of linguistic structure to identify and use the conventions of standard English | ELA.Teaching - Proper Writing and Grammar Conventions Middle | Covered | 11 | 1 | 4 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (11 questions, 1 materials, 4 cards, 0 videos). |
| b. Recognize, understand, and use a range of conventions in both spoken and written English: Effective sentence structure (e.g., clear pronoun reference, parallel structure, appropriate verb tense); Preferred usage (e.g., verb/subject agreement, pronoun agreement, idioms); Conventional forms of spelling; Capitalization and punctuation. | ELA.Teaching - Spoken vs Written English; ELA.Skill - Fix Verb Tense | Covered | 16 | 2 | 15 | 0 | Covered by 2 topics (16 questions, 2 materials, 15 cards, 0 videos). |
| c. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating a command of formal English when indicated or appropriate | ELA.Teaching - Communicating for Different Purposes | Covered | 8 | 1 | 6 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (8 questions, 1 materials, 6 cards, 0 videos). |
SMR III.11 · Research to Build and Present Knowledge (SMR 3.5)74 questions · 4 materials · 24 cards · 2 videosCovered
| Official competency | Matching 240 topics | Alignment | Qs | Mats | Cards | Vids | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for developing and applying research questions | ELA.The Research Process | Covered | 24 | 1 | 11 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (24 questions, 1 materials, 11 cards, 0 videos). |
| b. Demonstrate knowledge of methods of inquiry and investigation | ELA.The Research Process | Covered | 24 | 1 | 11 | 0 | Covered by 1 topic (24 questions, 1 materials, 11 cards, 0 videos). |
| c. Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms of the task, purpose, and knowledge; and critically evaluate the quality of the sources | ELA.Credible Sources | Covered | 29 | 1 | 6 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (29 questions, 1 materials, 6 cards, 1 videos). |
| d. Interpret and apply findings | ELA.Credible Sources | Covered | 29 | 1 | 6 | 1 | Covered by 1 topic (29 questions, 1 materials, 6 cards, 1 videos). |
| e. Integrate information into a written text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following professional conventions and ethical standards of citation and attribution, including footnotes and endnotes | ELA.Proper Use of Source Information; ELA.Direct Quotations | Covered | 21 | 2 | 9 | 1 | Covered by 2 topics (21 questions, 2 materials, 9 cards, 1 videos). |
How 240 Creates The CSET: English Subtest I (105) Study Guide
Every 240 study guide starts with the official exam framework. From there, we organize lessons, practice, and study tools around the categories the exam uses to measure candidate knowledge.
Review the official exam framework
We begin with the standards, domains, competencies, objectives, or content categories published by the testing authority.
Map the tested categories
We map every major area the exam is designed to cover so the guide reflects the real structure of the test.
Build lessons around tested content
We create study materials to support the official blueprint, not broad filler content.
Cross-check practice against exam expectations
We review practice content against the framework and real exam patterns so preparation stays targeted.
Review and update as standards change
When official frameworks change, we review guides and update alignment as needed.
Reviewed by subject-matter experts and maintained to reflect current standards.
Why 240 Is Better Than Other Generic Study Guides
Not all study guides are built the same way. Here is what separates a test-aligned guide from a generic one — and why it matters when you are preparing for the CSET: English Subtest I.
Generic prep
- Covers broad subject areas without structure
- No clear connection to the official exam framework
- Practice questions may not reflect the real test format
- May not update when official standards change
- Can be helpful for quick, broad review
240 test-aligned CSET 105 prep
- Every lesson maps to an official domain or competency
- Built directly from the official exam framework
- Practice questions aligned to what the exam actually measures
- A clear study path by tested category
- Study smarter and enter test day more prepared
FAQs About the CSET: English Subtest I Study Guide
The questions teacher candidates ask us most often about the CSET: English Subtest I study guide.
Is 240 a good study guide for CSET: English Subtest I?
240 is a strong option because the guide is built around the official exam framework and shows detailed alignment by SMR and competency.
How closely does 240 align to the CSET 105 exam?
This guide is 98% aligned based on a competency-by-competency review of the official framework and the study resources included in the guide.
Does 240 cover every competency?
This page shows coverage transparently across covered, partially covered, and identified gaps so candidates can see exactly how the guide maps to the exam.
What does “partially covered” mean?
Partially covered means the guide addresses the core parts of a competency, but some depth or subtopics may still be limited.