NATURALIZATION ENGLISH TEST
U.S. citizenship reading test practice
During the naturalization test, you must read one out of three English sentences correctly. The sentences use civics and history vocabulary. Practice slowly at first, then read each sentence naturally and clearly.
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USCIS determines whether you demonstrated the required English reading ability. Review the official USCIS study guidance before your interview.
Reading sentences to practice aloud
- Who was George Washington?
- Washington was the first president.
- What is the capital of the United States?
- Washington, D.C. is the capital.
- Citizens can vote.
- Congress makes federal laws.
- The President lives in the White House.
- We celebrate Independence Day in July.
- The American flag is red, white, and blue.
- People have freedom of speech.
A simple reading routine
- Look for familiar civics words such as President, Congress, state, vote, and flag.
- Read the sentence once slowly.
- Read it again without stopping between every word.
- Listen to a clear model and repeat it.
- Return to difficult words the next day.
Reading is only one part of the interview
Also prepare to write an English sentence, answer civics questions aloud, and discuss information from your Form N-400.
Practice unfamiliar words in a full sentence
When a word slows you down, practice it separately, then put it back into the sentence. For example, read “President,” then “The President lives,” then the complete sentence. This helps connect the word you recognize on the page with the sound you say aloud.
Use a short session: choose three sentences, read each one twice, and ask a study partner to listen. Have them point to any word they could not understand. Keep a small list of those words and review it before your next session. This is a study routine, not an official scoring checklist.
Reading practice and civics answers are different
For reading practice, say the words printed in the sentence. For spoken civics practice, listen to the question and give an accepted answer. Prepare both skills with the sample civics questions and answers, and check whether you need the 2008 test guide or 2025 test guide.
Practice listening, reading, and speaking together
SpeakCivics combines civics questions, spoken answers, reading, writing, translation help, and interview simulation.
Explore the free 24-hour trialThese are practice sentences built from common civics vocabulary, not a prediction of the sentence USCIS will give you.
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