TABE test practice: free TABE 13&14 reading, math and language questions

A practice test for the TABE (Test of Adult Basic Education), the skills test that adult education programs, job training and many colleges use to place you. Start with 5 free questions, then take two timed tests of 42 questions each (15 reading, 15 math, 12 language) at the pace of DRC's official TABE 13&14 testing times, with an explanation for every answer and your score per subject.

• 5 free questions
• 2 timed tests, 84 questions
• Reading, math and language
• Score per subject
• Practice certificate PDF

TABE 13&14 test format

The Locator is a short test that decides which level you take in each subject: L (literacy), E, M, D or A, from easiest to hardest. Your result is a scale score from 310 to 800 per subject, which your program turns into a National Reporting System (NRS) level from 1 to 6. TABE 13&14 came into use on 1 July 2025 with shorter reading passages, and the online math test offers the Desmos calculator.

Sources: DRC, TABE 13&14 Maximum Allowable Testing Times and TABE 13&14 Scoring Levels: Best Practice Guidance (tabetest.com), checked 31 October 2026; start date: ProLiteracy, New materials meet TABE 13&14 updates. Testing times are the maximum allowed; your program may give only some subjects.

Is there a passing score on the TABE?

No. The TABE is a placement test, not a pass-or-fail exam. DRC reports a scale score per subject and the NRS level it falls in; your school, training program or employer decides which score it needs. Ask them which subjects and which score you need before test day.

Source: DRC, TABE 13&14 and TABE CLAS-E Scoring Levels: Best Practice Guidance, checked 31 October 2026. A MyLevel percentage is not a TABE scale score.

What you practise on MyLevel

Every MyLevel question is original: short passages we wrote ourselves (notices, labels, job ads, stories and short articles), everyday math and real-life language questions, each with one correct answer and a short explanation. Each full test mixes 15 reading, 15 math and 12 language questions in 78 minutes, timed at DRC's official pace: about 150 seconds per reading question (100 minutes for 40 items) and 90 seconds per math and language question. The questions are mostly at the M, D and A levels: fractions, percents, unit prices, mean and median, equations, slope, area and volume, main idea, inference, word meaning, grammar, punctuation and paragraph structure. Every calculation was re-solved by script.

MyLevel questions are single-answer multiple choice and do not copy the Locator or the adaptive level choice. MyLevel costs $9.99, a one-time payment with no subscription and no time limit, and also unlocks every other MyLevel job test.

How to prepare for the TABE

• Ask what you need: find out which subjects your program tests and which score or NRS level it asks for.
• Practise reading everyday texts: TABE 13&14 tests skills through tasks adults meet at work and in life, so read notices, instructions and labels for exact details.
• Learn the math basics by hand: percents, fractions, ratios and two-step equations come up at every level. DRC's math reference sheets give the area and volume formulas, so practise when to use each one.
• Know the grammar rules that come up most: subject-verb agreement, its/it's, commas, apostrophes and verb tense.
• Train under time: take a full MyLevel test, read the explanation of every miss, work on your weakest subject and retake. Aim for 70% or more in each subject; this is our own practice target, not a TABE score.

MyLevel is independent and not affiliated with, or endorsed by, Data Recognition Corporation (DRC). TABE is a trademark of Data Recognition Corporation. All questions and passages are original practice questions written by MyLevel, not real TABE questions, and a practice score is not a TABE scale score or NRS level.

Sample question with explanation

Frequently asked questions

More practice tests