Free Practice Questions for ELA 30-1 Diploma
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Key Facts: ELA 30-1 Diploma Exam
The ELA 30-1 Diploma Exam counts for 30% of the final course mark; the school-awarded mark counts for 70% (Alberta Education).
Part B: Reading consists of 70 machine-scored multiple-choice questions and is worth 50% of the diploma exam mark (Alberta Education).
Part A: Written Response has two assignments: Personal Response to Texts (20%) and Critical/Analytical Response to Literary Texts (30%) (ELA 30-1 Information Bulletin).
Each part was developed for 3 hours, but students may take up to 6 hours if needed (Alberta Education).
Alberta reports diploma exam results against an acceptable standard of 50% and a standard of excellence of 80%.
Part B reading selections must include a minimum of one-third Canadian texts (Alberta Programs of Study).
In 2026–2027, the diploma exam rewrite fee is $35.00 and non-funded visiting students pay $55.00 per exam (General Information Bulletin 2026–2027).
In 2026–2027, ELA 30-1 is offered in November, January, April, June, and August, with Part A written before Part B (General Information Bulletin 2026–2027).
The ELA 30-1 Diploma Exam has two equally weighted parts: Part A: Written Response (two essay assignments) and Part B: Reading (70 multiple-choice questions); together the exam counts for 30% of the final course mark, with each part designed for 3 hours and up to 6 hours available.
Sample ELA 30-1 Diploma Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to review concepts for the ELA 30-1 Diploma exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 122+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1On the Alberta English Language Arts 30-1 Diploma Exam, Part B: Reading is best described as an assessment of a student's ability to do which of the following?
2A poet describes a city skyline as "steel teeth biting the dusk." This phrase is an example of which literary device?
3In a poem, the speaker repeatedly begins successive lines with the phrase "I shall." This deliberate repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of consecutive clauses is called
4A short story narrator says of a wealthy man's funeral: "Hundreds came to mourn the generous soul who had spent his life ensuring the poor stayed poor." The narrator's tone is best described as
5In the Part B: Reading blueprint, questions that ask students to draw inferences about a character's motivations from textual evidence fall primarily under which reporting category?
6A novel opens: "The drawing room had not changed in forty years, and neither, the visitor suspected, had its inhabitants." What does this sentence most strongly imply about the inhabitants?
7When the choice of words in a passage is described as its "diction," the term refers to
8A passage describes a battlefield using phrases such as "the coppery smell of blood," "mud sucking at boots," and "the ceaseless chatter of gunfire." Collectively these phrases create
9In Shakespearean drama, a character alone on stage who speaks his private thoughts aloud to the audience is delivering a
10A story is told entirely through the perspective of a single character who refers to herself as "I" and can report only what she personally observes and feels. This narrative point of view is
About the ELA 30-1 Diploma Exam
The Alberta English Language Arts 30-1 Diploma Examination is a Grade 12 provincial exam that contributes 30% of a student's final course mark, with the school-awarded mark making up the remaining 70%. It has two parts written on different days, each worth 50% of the exam: Part A: Written Response, consisting of a Personal Response to Texts assignment (20%) and a Critical/Analytical Response to Literary Texts assignment (30%); and Part B: Reading, consisting of 70 machine-scored multiple-choice questions. ELA 30-1 is a separate course and exam from ELA 30-2, whose Part A has three assignments. Part B assesses close reading of fiction, nonfiction (including popular nonfiction), poetry, Shakespearean and modern drama, and visual texts, reflecting the minimum one-third Canadian texts requirement and a variety of cultural perspectives. This free practice bank focuses on Part B reading skills: comprehension, inference, literary devices, and rhetorical analysis.
Exam sponsor: Alberta Education and Childcare, Provincial Assessment (Government of Alberta). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.
Questions
70 questions
Time Limit
3 hours per part (9 AM–12 PM), with up to double time for all students
Passing Score
50% final blended course mark to pass (diploma exam 30%, school mark 70%); results reported against the acceptable standard (50%) and standard of excellence (80%)
Exam / Certification Fees
Free for funded Alberta students writing for the first time; 2026–2027 fees (GST included): $35.00 rewrite, $55.00 per exam for non-funded visiting students, $35.00 for mature students
Exam sponsor websiteFees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.
Our practice resources: topics covered
We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.
Construct Meaning from Content and Context
Part B Reporting Category 1: literal and inferred meaning, vocabulary in context, and contextual knowledge
Textual Forms, Elements, and Techniques
Part B Reporting Category 2: figurative language, tone, diction, structure, point of view, and rhetorical devices related to purpose and effect
Self, Culture, and Milieu
Part B Reporting Category 3: values, cultural perspectives, and the context in which texts are created
Preparing for the ELA 30-1 Diploma Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: 50% final blended course mark to pass (diploma exam 30%, school mark 70%); results reported against the acceptable standard (50%) and standard of excellence (80%)
- Exam length: 70 questions
- Time limit: 3 hours per part (9 AM–12 PM), with up to double time for all students
- Exam / certification fees: Free for funded Alberta students writing for the first time; 2026–2027 fees (GST included): $35.00 rewrite, $55.00 per exam for non-funded visiting students, $35.00 for mature students Official sources
Using Our Practice Resources
- Work through all 122 available questions
- Review every answer and explanation
- Track weak areas and revisit them
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
ELA 30-1 Diploma: Suggested Study Strategy
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between English 30-1 and 30-2?
English Language Arts 30-1 and 30-2 are separate Grade 12 courses with separate diploma exams, each worth 30% of the final course mark. The ELA 30-1 exam's Part A has two assignments (Personal Response to Texts and Critical/Analytical Response to Literary Texts), while the ELA 30-2 Part A has three (Visual Reflection, Literary Exploration, and Persuasive Writing in Context).
How is the ELA 30-1 Diploma Exam structured?
It has two parts written on different days, each worth 50% of the exam mark. Part A: Written Response includes a Personal Response to Texts (20%) and a Critical/Analytical Response to Literary Texts (30%). Part B: Reading has 70 machine-scored questions.
How much is the diploma exam worth in my final grade?
The diploma exam counts for 30% of your final English 30-1 course mark, and your school-awarded mark counts for the other 70%. You need a final blended mark of at least 50% to pass the course, and final marks of 48% or 49% are raised to 50%.
How much time do I get for the exam?
Each part is scheduled for 3 hours (9 AM–12 PM) and is designed so most students can finish in that time, but all students may take up to double the official time (6 hours) if they need it.
Is there a fee to write the diploma exam?
It is free for funded Alberta high school students writing for the first time. For 2026–2027, rewrites cost $35.00 per exam for Alberta-resident students, non-funded visiting students pay $55.00 per exam, and mature students pay $35.00 per exam (GST included). A rescore costs $35.00 and is refunded if the mark rises by 5 percent or more.
What kinds of texts appear on Part B: Reading?
Part B includes excerpts from novels, book-length nonfiction, modern or contemporary drama (including television or radio scripts and screenplays), and Shakespearean drama, plus poetry, short stories, visual texts, essays, and popular nonfiction. Selections reflect the minimum one-third Canadian texts requirement and a variety of cultural perspectives, and Part B is secured, so readings are not published in advance.
What happens if I rewrite the ELA 30-1 diploma exam?
You must rewrite both Part A and Part B. All of your marks appear on your academic record, but only your highest diploma exam mark is reported on your transcript (General Information Bulletin 2026–2027).