CSET English Pass Rate, Format & Study Guide

The official CSET English test page lists four subtests: Subtest I (105) has 50 multiple-choice questions in 1 hour 30 minutes, Subtest II (106) has 50 multiple-choice questions in 1 hour, Subtest III (107) has 2 constructed-response questions in 2 hours and Subtest IV (108) has 4 constructed-response questions in 1 hour 30 minutes. The passing score is 220 on each subtest, and the CTC lists 220 for all four English subtests; you must pass each subtest. Subtest I covers Reading Literature and Informational Texts (40 questions) and Composition and Rhetoric (10 questions); Subtest II covers Language, Linguistics, and Literacy (50 questions). The portal mock has 100 multiple-choice questions in 150 minutes, the combined questions and time of Subtests I and II; it does not include the written responses of Subtests III and IV.

CSET English is one of the ways to show subject matter competence for a California single subject English credential; the CTC leaflet CL-674S explains the options.

Prospective California English teachers who are preparing for the multiple-choice subtests of CSET English.

The certifying body does not publicly publish an official pass rate for this exam. Be wary of third-party sites citing a specific number here — treat any pass-rate claim you see elsewhere for this exam as unverified.

You can retake a computer-based subtest 45 calendar days after the test date, as many times as needed; a passing score must come from a single test administration. Confirm the current rules on the CSET retake policy page.

The passing score is 220 on each subtest; a scaled score is not a percentage of correct answers, so the percent score in the portal mock is only a self-check, and the written subtests are not simulated. Format: four subtests, two multiple-choice (50 questions each) and two constructed-response; the portal mock follows the two multiple-choice subtests with 100 questions in 150 minutes. No official pass rate is available for this exam, so none is quoted here.

The official CSET English test page lists four subtests: Subtest I (105) has 50 multiple-choice questions in 1 hour 30 minutes, Subtest II (106) has 50 multiple-choice questions in 1 hour, Subtest III (107) has 2 constructed-response questions in 2 hours and Subtest IV (108) has 4 constructed-response questions in 1 hour 30 minutes. The passing score is 220 on each subtest, and the CTC lists 220 for all four English subtests; you must pass each subtest. Subtest I covers Reading Literature and Informational Texts (40 questions) and Composition and Rhetoric (10 questions); Subtest II covers Language, Linguistics, and Literacy (50 questions). The portal mock has 100 multiple-choice questions in 150 minutes, the combined questions and time of Subtests I and II; it does not include the written responses of Subtests III and IV. Four subtests: I and II are 50 multiple-choice questions each (1 h 30 min and 1 h); III is 2 constructed-response questions (2 h); IV is 4 constructed-response questions (1 h 30 min) · passing score 220 on each subtest. The passing score is 220 on each subtest; a scaled score is not a percentage of correct answers, so the percent score in the portal mock is only a self-check, and the written subtests are not simulated.

• Reading Literature and Informational Texts40%
• Language, Linguistics, and Literacy50%
• Composition and Rhetoric10%

The content outline spreads questions across 3 areas: Reading Literature and Informational Texts (40.0%); Language, Linguistics, and Literacy (50.0%); Composition and Rhetoric (10.0%).

There is no separate eligibility form for taking the exam; what matters is whether your credential route accepts it. The CTC leaflet CL-674S explains who must show subject matter competence and which exams count.

Subtest I costs $72 and Subtests II, III and IV cost $75 each; taking all four together at a test center costs $297. Online proctoring is paid per subtest. A retake needs a new registration and fee.

The exam is not itself a credential; credential renewal rules are set by the CTC. A passed subtest generally does not need to be retaken if you use it toward certification within the time the CTC allows.

Work through the three domains with questions and flashcards, weighting language, linguistics and literacy most, then finish with the timed 100-question mock. Practise your written responses separately for Subtests III and IV.

This guide follows the CSET English test page, the NES test guide and CTC leaflet CL-674S Table 1 (no end date listed for English), checked October 30, 2026. Fees and registration rules can change, so check the CSET site before you book.