TABE Practice Test: 40 Reading, Math and Language Questions
Warm up for the TABE with the 40 original questions from our practice-test video, each with an explanation, then see how the current TABE 13&14 is set up: the locator, the four levels, the item counts and time limits, and how programs use your scale scores.
The TABE (Tests of Adult Basic Education), published by DRC, measures reading, mathematics and language. The current forms are TABE 13&14, the successor to TABE 11&12. A 16-item locator in each subject picks your level (E, M, D or A). DRC's maximum times: Reading 39 to 42 items in two 50-minute parts, Mathematics 40 items in 45 plus 15 minutes, and Language 33 items in 50 minutes. There is no passing score: DRC does not set cut scores, so your program sets its own target.
TABE facts at a glance
| Subjects | 3: Reading, Mathematics, Language |
|---|---|
| Levels | E, M, D, A: chosen per subject by the locator |
| Locator | 16 items: per subject: Reading 35 min, Language 20 min, Math 10 + 10 min |
| Passing score | None: DRC does not set or recommend cut scores |
| Reading | 39–42 items: by level, in two 50-minute parts |
| Mathematics | 40 items: a 45-minute part and a 15-minute part |
| Language | 33 items: 50 minutes |
| Scores | Scale scores: one scale across levels, so pre-tests and post-tests can be compared |
Checked against the official DRC page and the sources listed at the end of this page on 2026-10-26.
Watch: TABE video
TABE Practice Test 2026: 40 Reading, Math & Language Questions With Answers
TABE practice test: 40 questions
These are the questions from our TABE practice-test video, at about the middle and upper levels: 14 reading, 7 math to work by hand, 7 math word problems where a calculator helps, and 12 language. On the real test, follow your examiner's calculator rules. Pick an answer and press Check Answer to see the explanation; missed questions go to a retry queue. Every question is original, not from a real TABE.
The real TABE has no single passing score; your program or employer sets the target. As a planning goal, 32 or more of 40 (80%) suggests you are in good shape at the middle and upper levels. That is our estimate, not an official score.
What the TABE is used for
The TABE measures the reading, math and language skills adults use at work and in daily life. DRC's 13&14 is approved for reporting to the U.S. Department of Education's National Reporting System (NRS), which is how adult education programs report learners' educational functioning levels.
Other uses, such as program entry, hiring, or promotion, are up to the employer or the state or local agency, according to DRC. That is why there is no universal passing score: ask your program or employer what scale score they expect.
TABE 13&14 versus TABE 11&12
TABE 13&14 replaced TABE 11&12, so older guides may show slightly different numbers. DRC says the 13&14 reading passages are shorter, testing times are consistent across levels, and the math test uses the Desmos calculator in place of the calculator built into the DRC INSIGHT platform.
Use the locator only to choose the level you take. DRC's guidance is not to use locator results for instructional placement; the full test at the right level gives the score that counts.
Retesting
DRC recommends 60 to 80 hours of instruction before retesting with the same form. With an alternate form, it recommends 50 to 60 hours (at least 40) for NRS adult basic education levels 1 to 4, and 30 to 59 hours for levels 5 and 6.
How to use this practice test
Reading: read the question first, then go back to the passage for proof. The main idea covers the whole passage, not one detail, and an opinion is a judgment you cannot check.
Math: write every step on scratch paper, even easy ones. To add fractions find a common denominator; subtracting a negative is adding; percent change is the change divided by the starting amount.
Language: say each choice in your head, then check it against the rule. Match the verb to the real subject, not the nearest noun, and never join two sentences with only a comma. Start your review with your weakest subject.
Sample TABE questions with answers
One question from each content area of the practice set above, with the answer and explanation. Try it before you open the answer.
Reading
“The city library now lends more than books. Residents can borrow laptops, Wi-Fi hotspots, and even tools such as drills. Tool loans have doubled since spring.” The main idea is that the library:
- lends many kinds of items, not just books
- has stopped lending books
- sells used tools
- is closed in the spring
Show answer
A. lends many kinds of items, not just books
Laptops, hotspots, and tools are all things to borrow besides books, and that is the big idea that ties the passage together. The passage never says books stopped, and the library lends tools. It does not sell them.
Mathematics, by hand
3/4 + 2/3 = ?
- 5/7
- 1 5/12
- 1 1/12
- 5/12
Show answer
B. 1 5/12
Find a common denominator of 12. Three fourths is nine twelfths, and two thirds is eight twelfths. Nine plus eight is 17 twelfths, which is one and five twelfths. Five sevenths comes from adding tops and bottoms, which never works.
Mathematics, word problems
A 24-pack of water costs $5.76. What is the price per bottle?
- $0.24
- $0.22
- $0.26
- $0.42
Show answer
A. $0.24
Unit price is the total cost divided by the number of items. 576 divided by 24 is 0.24, or 24 cents a bottle. Check it: 24 times 24 cents is 576.
Language
Choose the word that fits: “The box of tools ___ in the truck.”
- are
- is
- were
- be
Show answer
B. is
The subject is box, not tools. Of tools just describes the box. One box takes a singular verb, so the box of tools is in the truck. Match the verb to the real subject, not the nearest noun.
TABE FAQ
What is a passing score on the TABE?
There isn't one. DRC does not set or recommend cut scores, so each adult education program, training center, or employer decides what scale score it needs. Ask yours.
How long is the TABE?
Under DRC's maximum times for TABE 13&14, Reading is two 50-minute parts, Mathematics is a 45-minute part and a 15-minute part, and Language is 50 minutes, plus the locator if you take it.
What are the TABE levels?
E, M, D and A, from easiest to most advanced. A short locator test in each subject picks your level, and it can differ by subject.
Is the TABE 11&12 still used?
The current forms are TABE 13&14, the successor to TABE 11&12. Your program will tell you which form it gives.
How soon can I retake the TABE?
DRC recommends 60 to 80 hours of instruction before retesting with the same form, and fewer hours with an alternate form.
Related practice and guides
Sources
Exam facts on this page were checked against these official pages on 2026-10-26.
- DRC: TABE 13&14 Maximum Allowable Testing Times (PDF)
- DRC: TABE 13&14 FAQs (PDF)
- DRC: TABE 13&14 Brochure (PDF)
- DRC: Pre- and Post-Testing Recommendations for NRS Reporting (PDF)
- DRC: TABE Grade-Based Scale Score Guidance (PDF)
- DRC: What's New with TABE 13&14
OpenExamHub is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with DRC or TABE. All practice questions are original, not from a real TABE. Test forms, times, and score uses can change; confirm details with DRC and your program before you test.