How the English test works
The English test has three parts. Your ability to speak and understand English is judged by the USCIS officer during your eligibility interview.
Reading: you must read one of three sentences out loud correctly.
Writing: you must write one of three sentences correctly.
USCIS publishes the vocabulary used in the reading and writing parts. This page uses those official lists.
About the practice sentences
The practice sentences in this tool were written by KorayGlobal using only words from the official USCIS reading and writing vocabulary lists. They are practice material, not the sentences an officer will use in your interview.
In the listen-and-write practice, capital letters and punctuation are not counted, numbers can be written as words or digits, and a small spelling slip is accepted but shown. This follows the USCIS Policy Manual, which says an applicant does not fail the writing test because of spelling, capitalization or punctuation errors. Deciding what is a spelling slip and what is a different word is this tool’s own approximation; in the real test the officer decides.
In spelling practice, each word must be spelled exactly, because spelling is what you are practicing there. Words you get wrong in writing or spelling practice are kept on this device in a review list until you spell them correctly.
Audio, where your browser supports it, is your browser’s own text-to-speech voice. It is not official USCIS audio and does not sound like an interview.
The official rules for the reading and writing tests: USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 12, Part E, Chapter 2: English and Civics Testing
Official vocabulary lists
Source: USCIS: Reading and Writing Vocabulary for the Naturalization Test (rev. 07/14). Last checked: October 13, 2026.
Reading vocabulary
People: Abraham Lincoln, George Washington
Civics: American flag, Bill of Rights, capital, citizen, city, Congress, country, Father of Our Country, government, President, right, Senators, state/states, White House
Places: America, United States, U.S.
Holidays: Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Thanksgiving
Question Words: How, What, When, Where, Who, Why
Verbs: can, come, do/does, elects, have/has, is/are/was/be, lives/lived, meet, name, pay, vote, want
Other (Function): a, for, here, in, of, on, the, to, we
Other (Content): colors, dollar bill, first, largest, many, most, north, one, people, second, south
Official reading vocabulary (text file)
Writing vocabulary
People: Adams, Lincoln, Washington
Civics: American Indians, capital, citizens, Civil War, Congress, Father of Our Country, flag, free, freedom of speech, President, right, Senators, state/states, White House
Places: Alaska, California, Canada, Delaware, Mexico, New York City, United States, Washington, Washington, D.C.
Months: February, May, June, July, September, October, November
Holidays: Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Thanksgiving
Verbs: can, come, elect, have/has, is/was/be, lives/lived, meets, pay, vote, want
Other (Function): and, during, for, here, in, of, on, the, to, we
Other (Content): blue, dollar bill, fifty/50, first, largest, most, north, one, one hundred/100, people, red, second, south, taxes, white
Official writing vocabulary (text file)
Practice the civics test too
The naturalization test also has a civics part. Choose the version for the date you filed Form N-400:
- U.S. Civics Test, 2008 Version: 100 Questions (Form N-400 filed before October 20, 2025)
- U.S. Citizenship Civics Test 2025: 128 Questions (Form N-400 filed on or after October 20, 2025)
This is an independent practice tool, not an official USCIS test.