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100+ Free CSET: Physical Education (129/130/131) Practice Questions

Pass your CSET California Subject Examinations for Teachers: Physical Education (Subtests 129, 130, 131) exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

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A student exhibits good sportsmanship by shaking hands with opponents after losing a close match. In the affective domain, this behavior demonstrates:

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D
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ArticleFREE CSET Exam Guide 2026: California Teacher Subject Prep6 min read
2026 Statistics

Key Facts: CSET: Physical Education (129/130/131) Exam

3 subtests

Separately Scored Subtests (129, 130, 131)

Official CSET Physical Education test structure

40 MC

Multiple-Choice Questions Per Subtest

Official CSET Physical Education test page

70/30

Multiple-Choice to Constructed-Response Weighting

Official CSET Physical Education test structure

220

Scaled Passing Score Per Subtest

Official CSET score-report guidance

$99 / $297

Single Subtest / All-Three Fee

Official CSET Physical Education fee table

Subtest II only

Online-Proctored Subtest

Official CSET Physical Education test page

7 domains

Content Domains Across the Three Subtests

Official CSET Physical Education content specifications

5 hours

Combined Test-Center Session

Official CSET Physical Education test page

For 2026 planning, the official CSET: Physical Education structure is three separately scored subtests. Subtest I (129) and Subtest II (130) each have 40 multiple-choice questions plus 2 constructed-response questions, and Subtest III (131) has 40 multiple-choice questions plus 1 constructed-response question. Each subtest is scored on the same 70% multiple-choice / 30% constructed-response weighting, with a 220 scaled passing score. Fees are $99 per subtest or $297 for all three in one session; the combined session runs about 5 hours. Subtests I and III include videotaped constructed-response components, and only Subtest II is offered with online proctoring. California also allows an approved subject-matter program to substitute for CSET in some credential routes, so verify your pathway before registering.

Sample CSET: Physical Education (129/130/131) Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your CSET: Physical Education (129/130/131) exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A teacher observes a kindergartner who can run but still uses a wide base of support and has difficulty stopping quickly. According to motor development theory, which category of motor skill is this child demonstrating?
A.Fundamental locomotor skill
B.Specialized sport skill
C.Reflexive movement
D.Fine motor manipulation
Explanation: Running is a fundamental locomotor skill, one of the basic movement patterns (running, jumping, hopping, skipping) children develop in early childhood. A wide base of support and difficulty stopping indicate the child is still refining this fundamental pattern. Specialized sport skills build on these fundamentals later.
2During the cognitive stage of Fitts and Posner's model of motor learning, a learner primarily focuses on which of the following?
A.Automatically executing the skill while attending to strategy
B.Understanding the task and what to do, often making large, frequent errors
C.Refining minor errors with consistent, smooth performance
D.Performing the skill without any conscious attention
Explanation: In Fitts and Posner's cognitive (verbal-cognitive) stage, the learner is trying to understand the goal and mechanics of the task. Performance is inconsistent and errors are large and frequent as the learner figures out what to do. This precedes the associative and autonomous stages.
3Which type of feedback is provided by a coach who tells a sprinter, 'Your start was slow because you didn't drive your arms,' rather than just stating the finishing time?
A.Knowledge of results (KR)
B.Intrinsic feedback
C.Knowledge of performance (KP)
D.Proprioceptive feedback
Explanation: Knowledge of performance (KP) is augmented feedback about the quality or movement pattern of the action, such as arm drive technique. Knowledge of results (KR) concerns the outcome (the time). KP helps the learner improve the movement itself.
4A first base in the human body that allows the forearm to flex at the elbow is an example of which class of lever, where the muscle force is between the joint (fulcrum) and the resistance?
A.First-class lever
B.Second-class lever
C.Compound lever
D.Third-class lever
Explanation: Most levers in the human body are third-class levers, in which the effort (muscle force) is applied between the fulcrum (joint) and the resistance (load). Elbow flexion by the biceps is the classic example. Third-class levers favor speed and range of motion over force.
5Which energy system is the predominant supplier of ATP during a maximal-effort activity lasting about 8 to 10 seconds, such as a short sprint or shot put?
A.ATP-PC (phosphagen) system
B.Aerobic (oxidative) system
C.Lactic acid (glycolytic) system
D.Beta-oxidation system
Explanation: The ATP-PC (phosphagen) system uses stored ATP and creatine phosphate to rapidly supply energy for very short, high-intensity efforts up to roughly 10 seconds. It requires no oxygen and produces no fatiguing byproducts but has very limited capacity.
6The principle of specificity in exercise training states that:
A.Training must progressively increase in difficulty over time
B.Adaptations are specific to the type of training stimulus applied
C.Fitness gains are lost when training stops
D.Workloads must exceed normal demands to cause adaptation
Explanation: Specificity (the SAID principle: Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands) means the body adapts specifically to the type of demand placed on it. Endurance training improves aerobic capacity, while strength training improves strength. To improve a particular skill or system, training must target it directly.
7Which of the following best defines a child's 'fundamental movement phase' in motor development, typically occurring between ages 2 and 7?
A.A period dominated by involuntary reflexes triggered by stimuli
B.A period when children apply skills to organized competitive sports
C.A period when children develop and refine basic locomotor, manipulative, and stability skills
D.A period of rapid decline in coordination due to growth spurts
Explanation: The fundamental movement phase (roughly ages 2 to 7) is when children develop and refine basic locomotor (running, jumping), manipulative (throwing, catching), and stability (balancing, twisting) skills. These build the foundation for later specialized sport skills.
8A PE teacher wants to improve students' cardiovascular endurance using the FITT principle. The 'I' in FITT refers to which variable?
A.Interval, the rest between work bouts
B.Improvement, the rate of fitness gain
C.Individuality of the program
D.Intensity, such as the percentage of maximum heart rate
Explanation: FITT stands for Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type. Intensity refers to how hard the activity is performed, often measured as a percentage of maximum heart rate or perceived exertion. Manipulating intensity is central to developing cardiovascular endurance.
9When a baseball outfielder runs to catch a fly ball, the brain continuously updates the body's position using sensory information. This ongoing correction of movement based on feedback is characteristic of which type of motor control?
A.Closed-loop control
B.Open-loop control
C.Reflexive control
D.Ballistic control
Explanation: Closed-loop control uses continuous sensory feedback to monitor and adjust an ongoing movement. Catching a moving ball requires constant corrections based on visual and proprioceptive input, making it closed-loop. Slow or continuous tasks generally rely on closed-loop processing.
10Which muscle action occurs when the quadriceps lengthens under tension while lowering the body during the downward phase of a squat?
A.Concentric contraction
B.Eccentric contraction
C.Isometric contraction
D.Isokinetic contraction
Explanation: An eccentric contraction occurs when a muscle produces force while lengthening, as the quadriceps does to control the descent in a squat. Eccentric actions decelerate movement and absorb force. Concentric actions, by contrast, shorten the muscle during the upward push.

About the CSET: Physical Education (129/130/131) Exam

CSET: Physical Education is the California subject-matter exam used to demonstrate competence for a Single Subject Physical Education teaching credential. The official blueprint spans seven content domains across three separately scored subtests: growth/motor development/motor learning and the science of human movement (Subtest I); the sociology and psychology of human movement, movement concepts and forms, and assessment and evaluation (Subtest II); and professional foundations and integration of concepts (Subtest III).

Questions

120 scored questions

Time Limit

5h combined (1h 45m / 1h 30m / 1h 45m by subtest)

Passing Score

220 scaled on each subtest

Exam Fee

$99 per subtest or $297 for all three together (California Commission on Teacher Credentialing / Pearson Evaluation Systems)

CSET: Physical Education (129/130/131) Exam Content Outline

20 MC + 1 CR (Subtest I)

Growth, Motor Development, and Motor Learning

Growth patterns, developmental movement phases, fundamental movement skills, motor control, stages of learning, practice and feedback, transfer, and retention.

20 MC + 1 CR (Subtest I)

The Science of Human Movement

Biomechanics (levers, planes, force, stability), functional anatomy and muscle action, exercise physiology, energy systems, fitness components, and training principles.

10 MC + 1 CR (Subtest II)

Sociology and Psychology of Human Movement

Motivation, self-efficacy, goal setting, the affective domain, socialization into activity, fair play, cultural diversity, and social development through movement.

24 MC + 1 CR (Subtest II)

Movement Concepts and Forms

Fundamental and rhythmic movement, dance concepts and cultural forms, aquatics, and individual, dual, and team games and sports with skill progressions.

6 MC (Subtest II)

Assessment and Evaluation Principles

Validity, reliability, formative and summative assessment, authentic and peer assessment, rubrics, fitness testing, and norm- vs. criterion-referenced interpretation.

16 MC (Subtest III)

Professional Foundations

National standards, physical literacy, safety and legal duties, injury care, adapted PE and inclusion, advocacy, and the history and benefits of physical education.

24 MC + 1 CR (Subtest III)

Integration of Concepts

Pedagogy and teaching styles, curriculum and lesson planning, class management, cross-curricular integration, learning domains, and transfer to lifelong activity.

How to Pass the CSET: Physical Education (129/130/131) Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 220 scaled on each subtest
  • Exam length: 120 questions
  • Time limit: 5h combined (1h 45m / 1h 30m / 1h 45m by subtest)
  • Exam fee: $99 per subtest or $297 for all three together

Keys to Passing

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

CSET: Physical Education (129/130/131) Study Tips from Top Performers

1Study by subtest: 129 movement science and motor development/learning, 130 sociology-psychology/movement forms/assessment, 131 professional foundations and integration
2For Subtest I, master biomechanics terms (lever classes, planes of motion, agonist/antagonist) and the three energy systems with their time domains
3Distinguish closely related concepts precisely: validity vs. reliability, KP vs. KR feedback, norm- vs. criterion-referenced, specificity vs. overload vs. progression
4Do not skip constructed responses; they account for 30% of each subtest score and Subtests I and III include videotaped components
5Link concepts to teaching: be ready to apply motor development phases and developmentally appropriate practice to real lesson scenarios
6If your program may allow an approved subject-matter route, confirm it before scheduling expensive retakes of all three subtests

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the CSET Physical Education exam?

CSET: Physical Education is California's subject-matter exam for a Single Subject Physical Education teaching credential. It is divided into three separately scored subtests, 129, 130, and 131, that together cover seven domains spanning movement science, motor development and learning, the sociology and psychology of movement, movement forms, assessment, professional foundations, and the integration of concepts.

How many questions are on CSET Physical Education?

Each subtest has 40 multiple-choice questions. Subtest I (129) and Subtest II (130) each add 2 constructed-response questions, and Subtest III (131) adds 1 constructed-response question. Every subtest is weighted 70% multiple-choice and 30% constructed-response.

What passing score do I need for CSET Physical Education?

The official passing standard is a scaled score of 220 on each subtest. Because the subtests are scored separately, you must reach 220 on all three (129, 130, and 131) to satisfy the full subject-matter requirement; passing one subtest does not pass the others.

How much does CSET Physical Education cost in 2026 planning?

The current fee table lists $99 for each individual subtest, or $297 if you register for all three Physical Education subtests in a single session. Always confirm the fee in your registration cart before checkout.

Can I take CSET Physical Education online from home?

Only partially. Official CSET Physical Education pages currently list online proctoring for Subtest II, while Subtests I and III remain test-center based and include videotaped constructed-response components. The combined 5-hour session is taken at a test center.

Do I still need CSET Physical Education to show subject-matter competence?

Not always. California Commission on Teacher Credentialing guidance continues to allow alternative subject-matter pathways, such as completing an approved subject-matter preparation program, in some credential routes. Verify your specific Physical Education credential pathway before paying for the exam.