100+ Free GLA 10 Practice Questions

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Read this excerpt: "She read the letter twice, then a third time, her hands trembling slightly as she set it down." What does the detail of trembling hands most likely convey?

That she could not read the words

Strong emotion provoked by the letter's contents

That she disliked writing letters

That the room was very cold

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Key Facts: GLA 10 Exam

A free, mandatory BC online literacy assessment for graduation, completed in about two hours, scored on a four-level proficiency scale (Emerging to Extending) with no pass/fail; it weights analyzing texts (Comprehend, 50%) and writing (Communicate, 50%) equally.

Sample GLA 10 Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your GLA 10 exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Read this short passage: "Maya hesitated at the edge of the diving board. Her heart pounded, but she remembered her coach's words: courage is not the absence of fear, but acting in spite of it. She took a breath and jumped." What is the main idea of this passage?

A.Diving boards are dangerous for beginners

B.Acting despite fear is what courage means

C.Maya wanted to disappoint her coach

D.Coaches give confusing advice to athletes

Explanation: The passage explicitly defines courage through the coach's words — "courage is not the absence of fear, but acting in spite of it" — and Maya enacts this by jumping despite her pounding heart. Identifying the main idea is a Depth of Knowledge Level 2 Comprehend skill on the GLA 10.

2The Grade 10 Graduation Literacy Assessment (GLA 10) reports each student's overall result using a four-level proficiency scale. Which set correctly lists the four levels from lowest to highest?

A.Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, Mastery

B.Beginning, Approaching, Meeting, Exceeding

C.Emerging, Developing, Proficient, Extending

D.Pass, Credit, Distinction, Honours

Explanation: The GLA 10 uses the four-level provincial proficiency scale: Emerging, Developing, Proficient, and Extending. Results are reported on the transcript with a "requirement met" indicator only — there is no percentage or pass/fail grade.

3An infographic states: "In 2024, teens aged 13–18 spent an average of 4.8 hours per day on screens, up from 3.1 hours in 2019." By approximately how many hours did average daily screen time increase from 2019 to 2024?

A.4.8 hours

B.0.7 hours

C.7.9 hours

D.1.7 hours

Explanation: Locating and computing with data from a graphic is a Depth of Knowledge Level 1–2 skill. The increase is 4.8 − 3.1 = 1.7 hours. Reading values accurately from infographics, charts, and tables is a core Comprehend competency on the GLA 10.

4The GLA 10 is organized around a "big idea" that frames the entire assessment. According to the official specifications, what is the primary purpose of the big idea?

A.To provide a realistic context that activates student thinking and links the texts together

B.To test students' memorization of a specific novel studied in class

C.To assign each student a numerical grade out of 100

D.To replace the need for students to read any texts

Explanation: The official GLA 10 specifications describe the big idea as providing "a realistic context within which students apply their literacy skills," activating thinking and linking the passages. Each part also has its own main idea related to the overall big idea.

5Read this sentence from an opinion blog: "Banning phones in classrooms is a band-aid solution that ignores the deeper problem of why students feel the need to escape into their screens." The phrase "band-aid solution" suggests the writer believes the ban is:

A.A medically necessary and urgent measure

B.A superficial fix that does not address the root cause

C.A permanent and complete solution to the problem

D.An expensive policy that wastes school funding

Explanation: A "band-aid solution" is an idiom for a temporary, surface-level fix that covers a symptom without curing the underlying cause. The writer reinforces this by saying the ban "ignores the deeper problem," so the figurative phrase signals superficiality.

6The GLA 10 is a graduation requirement in British Columbia. Which statement best describes how a student "passes" the assessment?

A.Students must score at least 50% to graduate

B.Only students who reach the Extending level meet the requirement

C.There is no pass or fail; students must write it to meet the graduation requirement and may rewrite to improve

D.Students must answer every constructed-response question perfectly

Explanation: The GLA 10 has no pass/fail grade. Writing the assessment satisfies the graduation requirement, and results are placed on a four-level proficiency scale reported as "requirement met." Students may rewrite (typically up to two more times) to set goals and improve their proficiency level.

7Read this passage: "The old lighthouse stood alone on the cliff, its paint peeling and its lamp long dark. Yet every sailor in the bay still spoke of it with respect, as if it could still guide them home." What does the lighthouse most likely symbolize in this passage?

A.The dangers of sailing in stormy weather

B.The high cost of maintaining old buildings

C.A government's failure to fund coastal safety

D.Enduring guidance and respect despite no longer functioning

Explanation: Symbolism asks readers to interpret what an object represents beyond its literal meaning. Though the lighthouse is dark and decaying, sailors still treat it with respect "as if it could still guide them home," so it symbolizes enduring guidance and lasting respect. This is a Depth of Knowledge Level 3 Comprehend skill.

8On the GLA 10, selected-response questions are described as "machine scored," while constructed-response questions are "marked by teachers using holistic scoring rubrics." Which task does a constructed-response question assess?

A.Communicating understanding or personal connections through writing

B.Selecting the single correct radio button quickly

C.Memorizing vocabulary definitions for a quiz

D.Identifying the correct hot spot on a map

Explanation: Constructed-response questions (graphic organizer and extended written responses) measure the Communicate task — communicating understanding of texts and making personal connections. They are scored by teachers with holistic rubrics, unlike machine-scored selected-response items.

9Read this sentence: "Although the experiment failed three times, the researchers persisted, convinced that each failure brought them closer to the truth." What does the word "persisted" mean as used here?

A.Gave up entirely

B.Continued despite difficulty

C.Celebrated their success

D.Argued with one another

Explanation: Determining word meaning from context is a foundational GLA 10 Comprehend skill. The sentence contrasts repeated failure ("failed three times") with the researchers' choice to keep going ("convinced that each failure brought them closer"), so "persisted" means continued despite difficulty.

10A bar graph shows recycling rates: City A = 62%, City B = 48%, City C = 71%, City D = 55%. A caption claims, "More than half of all four cities recycle the majority of their waste." Is this claim fully supported by the data?

A.Yes, all four cities are above 50%

B.No, City C is below 50%

C.No, City B at 48% does not recycle a majority

D.Yes, the average of all cities is above 50%

Explanation: Distinguishing supported from unsupported claims is a Depth of Knowledge Level 2–3 Comprehend skill. The claim says all four cities recycle a majority, but City B at 48% is below 50%, so the claim is not fully supported by the data shown.

About the GLA 10 Exam

The Grade 10 Graduation Literacy Assessment (GLA 10) is a mandatory provincial graduation assessment in British Columbia that measures students' ability to critically analyze and make meaning from a diverse array of texts and to communicate their own ideas through writing. It is cross-curricular by design, drawing texts from Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, and Mathematics, and like PISA it assesses applied literacy rather than specific course content. The online assessment has two scored parts framed by a "big idea": Part A (analyzing texts and communicating understanding) and Part B (analyzing texts and communicating personal connections, where students choose one of two equal writing pathways). Two key tasks are weighted equally: Comprehend (selected-response, machine-scored, 50%) and Communicate (constructed-response, teacher-scored with holistic rubrics, 50%). Results are reported on a four-level proficiency scale and appear on the transcript as "requirement met"; there is no pass or fail, and students may rewrite to improve their proficiency level.

Questions

100 scored questions

Time Limit

Approximately two hours (Part A about 65 minutes, Part B about 55 minutes; extra time available)

Passing Score

No pass/fail and no percentage. Four-level proficiency scale (Emerging, Developing, Proficient, Extending); transcript shows "requirement met" only. Students may rewrite to improve.

Exam Fee

Free; no exam fee for BC students sitting this provincial graduation assessment. (British Columbia Ministry of Education and Child Care)

GLA 10 Exam Content Outline

50%

Analyzing and Making Meaning from Texts (Comprehend)

Selected-response questions: main idea, inference, vocabulary in context, author's purpose and craft, figurative language, text structure, evaluating claims and sources, and interpreting infographics, charts, maps, and data across curricular areas.

30%

Communicating Understanding and Personal Connections (Communicate)

Constructed-response writing: Part A graphic organizer and written response communicate understanding of texts; Part B written response makes personal connections to the big idea using a chosen writing approach.

20%

Assessment Structure, Proficiency Scale, and Conventions

Big idea framework, Parts A/B/C structure, writing pathways, Webb's Depth of Knowledge levels 1-3, the four-level proficiency scale, transcript reporting, rewrite policy, and conventions of language in written responses.

How to Pass the GLA 10 Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: No pass/fail and no percentage. Four-level proficiency scale (Emerging, Developing, Proficient, Extending); transcript shows "requirement met" only. Students may rewrite to improve.
Exam length: 100 questions
Time limit: Approximately two hours (Part A about 65 minutes, Part B about 55 minutes; extra time available)
Exam fee: Free; no exam fee for BC students sitting this provincial graduation assessment.

Keys to Passing

Complete 500+ practice questions
Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
Focus on highest-weighted sections
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

GLA 10 Study Tips from Top Performers

1Practise reading a wide variety of texts - news articles, blogs, infographics, charts, maps, poems, and stories - because the GLA 10 draws texts from Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, and Mathematics.

2Drill inference and main-idea questions: many items at Depth of Knowledge levels 2 and 3 ask you to go beyond what is stated and support your conclusion with evidence from the text.

3Learn to spot author's craft - tone, irony, figurative language, persuasive techniques, and bias - and explain the effect, since craft analysis appears throughout the Comprehend task.

4For the constructed responses, organize your writing clearly, cite specific details from the texts, and make a genuine personal connection in Part B; conventions of language affect your proficiency placement.

5Use the official pre-assessment activities, sample assessments, and student exemplars on the BC curriculum site to get comfortable with hot spot, matching, sequencing, drag-and-drop, and drop-down question formats.

6Practise reading data displays critically - watch for truncated axes, missing sample sizes, correlation-versus-causation traps, and confounding variables.

7Remember there is no pass or fail: aim to demonstrate Proficient or Extending by critically analyzing and synthesizing across texts and communicating ideas with relevant evidence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a pass or fail on the GLA 10?

No. The GLA 10 has no pass/fail and no percentage cut score. Results are placed on a four-level proficiency scale (Emerging, Developing, Proficient, Extending) and reported on the transcript as "requirement met." Writing the assessment satisfies the graduation requirement.

How long is the GLA 10 and how is it delivered?

It is delivered online and designed to be completed in approximately two hours, with Part A suggested at about 65 minutes and Part B about 55 minutes. Some students may take additional time, and they can move back and forth through the assessment.

What are the two main parts of the GLA 10?

Part A asks students to analyze texts and communicate their understanding through selected-response questions, a graphic organizer, and a written response. Part B asks students to analyze new texts and then make personal connections in an extended written response, choosing one of two equal writing pathways. A non-scored self-reflection (Part C) follows.

What is the four-level proficiency scale?

Results are reported as Emerging (initial understanding), Developing (partial understanding), Proficient (complete understanding with critical analysis and synthesis), or Extending (sophisticated, insightful understanding). Some district summaries also use NC (Non-Complete) and numbers 1 to 4.

How much does the GLA 10 cost?

It is free. As a provincial graduation assessment in British Columbia, there is no registration or exam fee for enrolled students.

Can students rewrite the GLA 10?

Yes. Students have opportunities to rewrite the graduation assessments (typically up to two more times) to set goals and improve their proficiency level. Because results are reported as "requirement met," rewriting focuses on personal improvement rather than passing a cut score.

Is the GLA 10 required to graduate in British Columbia?

Yes. The GLA 10 is a graduation requirement, along with the Grade 10 Graduation Numeracy Assessment (GNA 10) and the Grade 12 Graduation Literacy Assessment (GLA 12). The assessments stand alone on the transcript and are not blended with any course mark.