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Public Service Commission of Canada — Second language evaluation: Test of reading comprehension — Information & Free Practice

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About Public Service Commission of Canada — Second language evaluation: Test of reading comprehension

Public Service Commission of Canada — Second language evaluation: Test of reading comprehension · CA

Key exam facts

Provider
Public Service Commission of Canada (PSC), test owner and assessment provider; federal departments and agencies arrange access and administer supervised sessions. Treasury Board Secretariat defines the underlying official-language qualification standards. The Candidate Assessment Tool is PSC's delivery platform.
Format
Supervised, in-person online reading test at a federal government building via the Candidate Assessment Tool; paper only exceptionally and alternative formats for accommodation. Two multiple-choice task types: contextual word/group-of-words completion and answering questions about a text; four response options in published instructions.
Exam questions
Total questions: 60; Scored questions: 50; Unscored questions: 10; The total includes the scored and unscored questions.
Time limit
90 minutes of test answering time; allow an additional 20–30 minutes for administrative procedures. Accommodation may require alternative arrangements.
Passing score
Score out of 50: X 0–17 (below A); A 18–27; B 28–37; C 38–44; E exemption 45–50. The required result depends on the position's language profile; no single universal percentage pass mark.
Exam fee
Candidates cannot pay to be tested; access is arranged by federal organizations. Institutional charges published for OTF administration are in Canadian dollars, per test and candidate: organization-administered core clients no fee, extended clients $30 online/$48 exceptional paper; PSC-administered service $100, with extended-client totals $130 online/$148 paper. PSC late cancellation/rescheduling/no-show charge is $100 if fewer than two working days' notice. These institutional charges are not a candidate registration price.

Topics covered

  • Level A — texts on topics of limited scope

    • understand simple texts with elementary information
    • grasp the main idea of texts on familiar topics

  • Level B — descriptive or factual material on work-related topics

    • grasp the main idea of most work-related texts
    • identify specific details
    • distinguish between main and subsidiary ideas

  • Level C — texts on a wide variety of work-related topics

    • understand most complex details, inferences and fine points of meaning
    • demonstrate good comprehension of specialized or less familiar material

How to prepare

Work through the topics, read the explanation after each answer, and revisit the areas where you miss questions. Use the official outline and reference materials below to guide your study.

These independent practice questions are not actual exam items and do not guarantee a passing result.

Frequently asked questions

What is the exam format?

Supervised, in-person online reading test at a federal government building via the Candidate Assessment Tool; paper only exceptionally and alternative formats for accommodation. Two multiple-choice task types: contextual word/group-of-words completion and answering questions about a text; four response options in published instructions.

How many questions are on the exam?

Total questions: 60; Scored questions: 50; Unscored questions: 10; The total includes the scored and unscored questions.

How long is the exam?

90 minutes of test answering time; allow an additional 20–30 minutes for administrative procedures. Accommodation may require alternative arrangements.

What is the passing score?

Score out of 50: X 0–17 (below A); A 18–27; B 28–37; C 38–44; E exemption 45–50. The required result depends on the position's language profile; no single universal percentage pass mark.

How much does the exam cost?

Candidates cannot pay to be tested; access is arranged by federal organizations. Institutional charges published for OTF administration are in Canadian dollars, per test and candidate: organization-administered core clients no fee, extended clients $30 online/$48 exceptional paper; PSC-administered service $100, with extended-client totals $130 online/$148 paper. PSC late cancellation/rescheduling/no-show charge is $100 if fewer than two working days' notice. These institutional charges are not a candidate registration price.

Official sources and references

Confirm current exam arrangements with the exam provider.