5047 · Syllabus & Exam Outline 2026
Praxis (5047): Middle School English Language Arts
In short
The Praxis 5047 Middle School English Language Arts exam has 110 selected-response and 2 constructed-response questions in 160 minutes; passing scores vary by state (commonly 164). It covers reading, language use and vocabulary, writing and listening, and ELA instruction. Free practice questions and a full study plan are below.
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- Questions
- 110 SR questions and 2 CR questions
- Time limit
- 160 minutes
- Passing score
- 164 (varies by state)
- Cost
- $156
- Format
- Selected-response · Constructed-response · Multiple-selection multiple-choice · Order/match · Audio or video stimulus · Table/grid · Select-in-passage
- Delivery
- Computer-delivered
- Prep time
- ~90 hours
Exam overview
The Praxis Middle School English Language Arts (5047) exam is designed to measure the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for prospective middle school English teachers to practice competently. Aligned with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English Language Arts, the exam tests your proficiency across reading comprehension, vocabulary, writing, and effective instructional practices. Passing this exam demonstrates your readiness to teach literature, guide writing development, and implement differentiated instruction for diverse middle school learners. The exam features a hybrid format combining 110 selected-response questions and 2 constructed-response essay prompts. The selected-response items span all four curriculum categories and include interactive formats such as order/match, audio/video stimulus, and select-in-passage tasks. The two constructed-response questions focus specifically on reading analysis and ELA instructional strategies, requiring you to interpret texts and evaluate student work. To streamline your preparation, Only Ever maps every domain to 15-minute study topics. This focused approach ensures you can efficiently master major literary works, complex grammar rules, and research-based reading strategies without getting overwhelmed.
Exam domains & weighting
Each domain's share of the exam — study deepest where the weight is highest. Open one for how to study it and its objectives.
How to study this domain
Immerse yourself in major works of American, British, and World literature. Practice identifying theme development, literary devices, and rhetorical strategies in both fiction and informational texts. Be prepared to support your literary interpretations with direct textual evidence.
Key objectives
- Major Works and Authors: United States Literature
- Major Works and Authors: British and World Literature
- Characteristics of Literary Genres
- Characteristics of Literary Subgenres
- Literal and Inferential Interpretations of Literature
- Analyzing Theme Development
- Analyzing Literary Elements
- Word Choice and Tone in Literature
- Poetic Devices and Structure
- Active Reading Literacy Skills
- Literal and Inferential Interpretations of Informational Texts
- Organizational Patterns in Informational Texts
- Word Choice and Rhetoric in Informational Texts
Readiness self-check
Tick off everything you can confidently explain. Anything left unchecked is your study list — tap “Review” to jump straight into that domain.
Quick reference
Literary & Poetic Devices
Common literary and poetic terms frequently tested on the exam.
Allusion
A brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, literary, or political significance.
Personification
A figure of speech in which a thing, an idea, or an animal is given human attributes.
Simile
A figure of speech that makes a comparison showing similarities between two different things, usually utilizing the words 'like' or 'as'.
Aside
A short comment or speech that a character delivers directly to the audience or to themselves, while other actors on the stage cannot listen.
Haiku
A poetic form composed of exactly 17 syllables, usually structured in lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables, often focused on nature.
Limerick
A poetic form composed of 5 lines of verse that follows a strict AABBA rhyme scheme, frequently focusing on nonsensical themes.
Frequently asked questions
Good to know
- The exam is strictly timed: you have 130 minutes allocated solely for the selected-response section and 30 minutes allocated solely for the constructed-response section.
- The two constructed-response questions are equally weighted and collectively constitute approximately 25 percent of the test taker's total score.
- On your official score report, points earned on the constructed-response questions are reported separately from points earned on the selected-response questions.
- The test may contain some pretest questions that will not count toward your final score.
- Some selected-response items utilize audio or video clips as stimuli instead of standard reading passages.
Reading isn’t remembering.
Most Praxis middle school ELA prep either fragments skills across standards or drills isolated mechanics without the integrated reading-and-writing reasoning the exam emphasizes.
We translate the official ETS syllabus into a full learning map with topic-sized notes, explicit domain boundaries, and retention-focused structure across literature, informational text, writing, and language use.