Language Arts – Reading
About The Language Arts Test
Reading test provides evidence of a candidate’s ability to understand, comprehend, interpret, and analyze a variety of reading material. The Language Arts – Reading test forms will include 60 percent of texts that are literary and 40 percent of texts that are informational. In the ETS HiSET program, candidates will be required to read a broad range of high-quality literary and informational texts. The selections are presented in multiple genres on subject matter that varies in purpose and style. The selections will span various forms (e.g., narratives, memoirs, essays, biographical sketches, editorials, and poetry). The texts generally range in length from approximately 400 to 600 words. This test may contain some questions that will not count toward your score.
Martin Luther King Jr.

Nikola Tesla

Hiset Language Arts – Reading
Hiset Language Arts – Reading
The Language Arts – Reading test framework is organized into broad areas of content, called Content Categories. Each Content Category is further divided into Process Categories and Process Category Descriptors. The Process Category Descriptors describe in greater detail the skills and knowledge eligible for testing. Candidates answer questions about the provided texts that may involve one or more of the Process Category Descriptors that are numbered under each Reading Process Category on the next page.


A. Comprehension
1. Understand restatements of information 2. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text 3. Analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone
B. Inference and Interpretation
1. Make inferences from the text 2. Draw conclusions or deduce meanings not explicitly present in the text 3. Infer the traits, feelings, and motives of characters or individuals 4. Apply information 5. Interpret nonliteral language
C. Analysis
1. Determine the main idea, topic, or theme of a text 2. Identify the author’s or speaker’s purpose or viewpoint 3. Distinguish among opinions, facts, assumptions, observations, and conclusions 4. Recognize aspects of an author’s style, structure, mood, or tone 5. Recognize literary or argumentative techniques
D. Synthesis and Generalization
1. Draw conclusions and make generalizations 2. Make predictions 3. Compare and contrast 4. Synthesize information across multiple sources