Updated
· 7 min read · Built from the official USCIS question lists
"The naturalization test" is really three tests plus an interview, all in one appointment.
Most preparation focuses only on the civics questions, which is why people are surprised on the day.
You need to pass an English speaking assessment, an English reading test, an English writing test, and
the civics test — and answer questions about your own N-400 application under oath.
This guide walks through each part and how to practise it, with free civics practice built in.
Assessed from your normal conversation with the officer throughout the interview
The officer must be able to conduct the interview with you
Reading English
You read sentences aloud from a screen or card
Read 1 of 3 sentences correctly
Writing English
The officer dictates sentences and you write them
Write 1 of 3 sentences correctly
Civics
Oral questions from the official bank
12 of 20 (2025 version) or 6 of 10 (2008 version)
There is no separate appointment for these. They all happen in one interview, usually inside an hour.
The civics test
This is the part with a published question bank, which makes it the most learnable. Which bank you use
depends on your filing date — 128 questions if you filed Form N-400 on or after 20 October 2025, 100
questions if you filed before. Practise it here:
The critical thing about civics practice is that the real test is oral. Multiple
choice is a fine way to learn the material quickly, but it will overstate how ready you are. Before your
interview, switch to flashcard mode and say each answer out loud from memory.
The English tests
The reading and writing tests draw on a published vocabulary list of civics and everyday words —
things like President, Congress, citizens, vote, country,
February, Washington. The sentences are short and use that vocabulary, so the tests are
much more predictable than they sound.
For writing, spelling and grammar errors are tolerated as long as the sentence still means the same
thing. Our English test guide covers the vocabulary and
sample sentences in detail.
Exemptions exist
If you are 50 or older with 20 years as a lawful permanent resident (50/20), or 55 or older with 15
years (55/15), you may take the whole interview in your own language with an interpreter and skip the
English test. You still take the civics test. Separately, the 65/20 rule cuts the civics test down to
20 starred questions.
Study the whole bank on your phone
All 128 questions of the 2025 version and all 100 of the 2008 version, offline, with mastery
tracking per category and study in your own language. Free on iPhone and Android.
The N-400 review
The officer goes through your application with you under oath, confirming your answers and asking
about anything that has changed — addresses, employment, trips outside the United States, marital status,
and the "good moral character" questions about arrests, taxes and Selective Service.
The best practice here is simply to reread your own N-400 before the interview so nothing in it
surprises you, and to bring documents for anything that has changed since you filed.
What happens if you fail
You get a second attempt. USCIS retests you only on the portion you failed — so if you passed English
and failed civics, you retake civics only — between 60 and 90 days after the first interview. If you fail
the second time, the application is denied, though you may reapply.
A practice plan
Take a cold civics mock test to find your starting point.
Drill civics by category, twenty minutes a day, starting with American Government.
Read your vocabulary list out loud a couple of times a week, and hand-write a few
practice sentences.
Reread your N-400 and list anything that has changed since you filed.
In the final two weeks, move to flashcards, look up your state-specific answers, and
check the current officials on the USCIS test updates page.
The iPhone app is built around exactly this loop — timed mock tests in the official format, category
quizzes with a mastery indicator, and a daily challenge that keeps you honest about doing a little every
day rather than cramming the week before.
Frequently asked
What is on the naturalization test?
Four things: spoken English assessed during the interview, an English reading test where you read 1 of 3 sentences correctly, an English writing test where you write 1 of 3 sentences correctly, and the civics test. The officer also reviews your Form N-400 answers with you under oath.
How many questions are on the naturalization test?
The civics portion asks up to 20 questions from a bank of 128 if you filed Form N-400 on or after 20 October 2025, or up to 10 from a bank of 100 if you filed before. You need 12 correct or 6 correct respectively.
How long does the naturalization interview take?
Most interviews last around 20 minutes, though the whole appointment including waiting typically runs an hour or more. The officer stops the civics test as soon as you have answered enough questions correctly to pass.
What happens if I fail the naturalization test?
You are retested between 60 and 90 days later, and only on the portion you failed. If you passed the English test but failed civics, you retake civics alone. Failing the second attempt results in a denial, but you may reapply.
