100+ Free OSSLT Practice Questions

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A news report states: "Although the new bridge cost millions to build, officials say it will cut the average commute by twenty minutes each day." What benefit of the bridge is mentioned?

More parking spaces

A shorter daily commute

Cleaner river water

Lower construction costs

to track

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Key Facts: OSSLT Exam

A free, computer-based Ontario graduation literacy test of 37 scored questions (35 selected-response plus two written tasks) across two sessions; a scale score of at least 300 out of 400 earns a successful outcome.

Sample OSSLT Practice Questions

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

1Read this sentence from an information paragraph: "The community garden, started in 2019, now feeds over 200 families each summer with fresh vegetables grown by local volunteers." According to the sentence, in what year did the community garden start?

A.2009

B.2020

C.200

D.2019

Explanation: This is an explicitly stated detail question, the most common OSSLT reading skill. The phrase "started in 2019" directly states the answer; you simply locate the year in the text.

2Read this excerpt: "Maya glanced at the clock for the fifth time, tapping her pen against the desk. The interviewer was now twenty minutes late." What can you most reasonably infer about how Maya is feeling?

A.Anxious and impatient

B.Relaxed and confident

C.Bored and sleepy

D.Angry and aggressive

Explanation: This tests understanding of implicitly stated information (making inferences). Repeatedly checking the clock and tapping her pen are clues that imply nervousness and impatience, even though the text never names the feeling directly.

3A news report begins: "A burst water main flooded three downtown streets early Tuesday, forcing crews to shut off service to nearly 4,000 homes for six hours." Which question is answered by the words "early Tuesday"?

A.Who?

B.When?

C.Why?

D.How many?

Explanation: News reports answer the 5 Ws (who, what, when, where, why). The phrase "early Tuesday" tells the reader the time the event happened, which answers the question "When?"

4Read this dialogue: "'I can't believe you finished the whole project alone,' said Devon. 'You should have asked me for help.' Priya smiled. 'I knew you were busy with your own deadlines.'" What does Priya's reply reveal about her?

A.She dislikes working with Devon

B.She forgot Devon was available

C.She is considerate of Devon's situation

D.She is angry that Devon did not help

Explanation: This is an inference question about character. Priya explains she did not ask for help because she knew Devon was busy with his own deadlines, which shows she was being thoughtful and considerate of him.

5Read this sentence: "Despite the heavy rain, the volunteers managed to plant every tree on the list before sunset." What does the word "despite" signal in this sentence?

A.A cause-and-effect relationship

B.A list of items in sequence

C.A comparison of two equal things

D.A contrast between difficulty and success

Explanation: The word "despite" introduces a contrast: the heavy rain was an obstacle, yet the volunteers still succeeded. Recognizing transition words is a key OSSLT vocabulary and comprehension skill.

6An information paragraph states: "Recycling one tonne of paper saves about 17 trees, 26,000 litres of water and enough energy to power an average home for six months." What is the main idea of this sentence?

A.Recycling paper conserves several important resources

B.Paper is the most common item people recycle

C.Homes use too much energy in winter

D.Trees take many years to grow

Explanation: Identifying the main idea is a core OSSLT reading skill. The sentence lists trees, water and energy saved by recycling paper, so the overall point is that recycling paper conserves several resources. The other details support this central idea.

7Read this real-life narrative excerpt: "My grandmother never raised her voice, but when she set down her teacup and folded her hands, every grandchild in the room fell silent." What does this detail suggest about the grandmother?

A.She was strict and frequently shouted

B.She commanded respect through quiet authority

C.She was nervous around her grandchildren

D.She rarely spent time with her family

Explanation: This is a global inference about character. The fact that she never raised her voice yet could silence a room with a simple gesture shows she held authority through calm presence rather than volume.

8A graphic text (a bar graph) shows monthly library visits: January 800, February 950, March 1,200, April 1,100. During which month were there the most visits?

A.January

B.April

C.March

D.February

Explanation: Reading graphic texts is part of the OSSLT. Comparing the four values, March has the highest count at 1,200 visits, more than any other listed month.

9Read this excerpt: "The new policy aims to reduce single-use plastics in school cafeterias by replacing plastic cutlery with compostable alternatives." What is the purpose of the new policy?

A.To lower the cost of school lunches

B.To improve the taste of cafeteria food

C.To hire more cafeteria staff

D.To reduce single-use plastic waste

Explanation: This explicitly stated detail is found in the phrase "aims to reduce single-use plastics." The policy's stated goal is reducing plastic waste by switching to compostable cutlery.

10Read this dialogue: "'Are you sure this trail is safe?' asked Leo, eyeing the steep drop. 'Trust me,' said his sister, already three steps ahead." What can you infer about the sister compared with Leo?

A.She is more confident and adventurous

B.She is more cautious than Leo

C.She is afraid of heights

D.She wants to turn back

Explanation: This is a character comparison inference. Leo worries about safety and the steep drop, while his sister says "Trust me" and moves ahead, showing she is the more confident and adventurous of the two.

About the OSSLT Exam

The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) measures whether students meet the minimum standard for literacy across all subjects up to the end of Grade 9, and successful completion is one of the requirements to earn an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). It is a computer-based assessment delivered online and completed in person at school, made up of two sessions (Session A and Session B). The operational test contains 37 scored questions: 35 selected-response questions (single-selection, multiple-selection, drag-and-drop, drop-down menu and checklist) and two open-response written tasks. Reading is assessed through four selection types (real-life narrative, information paragraph, news report and dialogue) using three skills: understanding explicitly stated ideas, making inferences, and making connections. Writing is assessed through selected-response questions and an opinion essay, focusing on developing a main idea, organizing ideas, and using conventions. EQAO uses Item Response Theory to report outcomes on a 200-400 scale, with 300 the minimum for a successful result.

Questions

100 scored questions

Time Limit

Two sessions: Session A about 65 minutes and Session B about 75 minutes (extra time available).

Passing Score

Successful outcome requires a scale score of at least 300 on EQAO's 200-400 scale; results are reported as successful or not yet successful.

Exam Fee

Free. The OSSLT is a publicly funded Ontario graduation requirement with no fee to students. (Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO), Government of Ontario)

OSSLT Exam Content Outline

49%

Reading Comprehension

Explicitly stated information, inferences (implicit ideas) and making connections across real-life narratives, information paragraphs, news reports, dialogues and graphic texts.

29%

Writing Conventions

Grammar, subject-verb agreement, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, sentence structure and commonly confused words tested through editing and revision.

22%

Writing Skills

Developing a main idea with supporting details, organizing ideas coherently, and structuring an opinion essay and news report.

How to Pass the OSSLT Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Successful outcome requires a scale score of at least 300 on EQAO's 200-400 scale; results are reported as successful or not yet successful.
Exam length: 100 questions
Time limit: Two sessions: Session A about 65 minutes and Session B about 75 minutes (extra time available).
Exam fee: Free. The OSSLT is a publicly funded Ontario graduation requirement with no fee to students.

Keys to Passing

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

OSSLT Study Tips from Top Performers

1Practise the three reading skills directly: find explicitly stated details, make inferences from clues, and connect ideas to your own knowledge and experience.

2Learn the four reading-selection types (real-life narrative, information paragraph, news report and dialogue) so each format feels familiar on test day.

3For the opinion essay, state a clear opinion, support it with specific details and examples, and organize it logically with a beginning, middle and end.

4Review writing conventions tested in selected-response items: subject-verb agreement, commonly confused homophones (their/there/they're, your/you're), apostrophes, commas and run-on sentences.

5Remember a news report answers the 5 Ws (who, what, when, where, why) and stays factual rather than expressing personal opinion.

6Take EQAO's free online practice test to get used to the platform tools such as the highlighter, line reader, rough-notes area and text-to-speech.

7Read the question and any passage carefully, eliminate clearly wrong choices, and never leave open-response boxes blank, since blank or off-topic responses score zero.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on the OSSLT and what types are they?

The scored (operational) component has 37 questions: 35 selected-response questions (single-selection, multiple-selection, drag-and-drop, drop-down menu and checklist) and two open-response written tasks. Additional unscored field-test items are also embedded but do not count toward your result.

How is the OSSLT scored and what counts as passing?

EQAO uses Item Response Theory to place each student on a scale from 200 to 400. A scale score of at least 300 is required for a successful outcome. Results are reported only as successful or not yet successful, not as a percentage or letter grade.

How long does the OSSLT take?

The test has two sessions. Session A is designed to take about 65 minutes and Session B about 75 minutes. Students complete each session in one sitting, and extra time is available to all students if needed.

Is there a fee to write the OSSLT?

No. The OSSLT is a publicly funded Ontario graduation requirement administered free of charge at the student's own secondary school. Students complete the online test in person using a school-provided or approved device.

What reading and writing skills does the OSSLT assess?

Reading is assessed through understanding explicitly stated ideas, making inferences from implicit ideas, and making connections, using four selection types: real-life narrative, information paragraph, news report and dialogue. Writing is assessed through selected-response questions and an opinion essay, focusing on developing a main idea, organizing ideas, and using conventions.

What happens if a student does not pass the OSSLT?

A student can write the OSSLT again at a later administration. After two opportunities (with at least one unsuccessful), a student may instead enrol in the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course (OSSLC) to meet the graduation literacy requirement.

When is the OSSLT administered?

EQAO offers the OSSLT in a fall window and a spring window each school year. Schools schedule their sessions within these windows during the regular school day. Students normally write for the first time in Grade 10.