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Free Practice Questions for TExES Core Subjects EC-6 (391)

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Exam Review

Key Facts: TExES Core Subjects EC-6 (391) Exam

210

Total Selected-Response Questions

TExES 391 preparation manual

5

Subject Exams (901-905)

TExES 391 exam framework

240

Scaled Passing Score per Subject

Texas educator testing program

$116

Combined Exam Fee

TExES fees page

5 hours

Session Time (timed by subject)

TExES 391 test page

21.5%

Weight of ELAR (901) and Science (904)

TExES 391 exam framework

19%

Weight of Math, Social Studies, and Fine Arts

TExES 391 exam framework

STR

Also Required for EC-6 Certification

TEA required certification tests chart

For 2026 planning, the Core Subjects EC-6 (391) is a combined, selected-response exam of 210 questions across five subject exams, timed by subject within a 5-hour session, with a 240 scaled passing score required on each subject and a $116 fee. ELAR (901) and Science (904) carry the largest share at roughly 21.5% each, while Mathematics (902), Social Studies (903), and Fine Arts/Health/PE (905) each carry about 19%. Texas also requires the Science of Teaching Reading (STR) exam for EC-6 certificates, so candidates should confirm the current Required Texas Certification Tests chart before scheduling.

Sample TExES Core Subjects EC-6 (391) Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the TExES Core Subjects EC-6 (391) exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 101+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A fourth-grade teacher asks students to say the word 'responsibility,' clap each spoken syllable, and count the beats before examining its spelling. Which language skill do the clapping and counting directly use?
A.Print awareness
B.Phonological awareness
C.Alphabetic principle
D.Reading fluency
Explanation: Phonological awareness is the ability to recognize and manipulate the sound structure of spoken language, including syllables. Clapping and counting the syllables in a spoken multisyllabic word directly uses phonological awareness. Because this step occurs before students examine print, it does not yet require letter-sound mapping.
2The smallest unit of sound that distinguishes one word from another, such as the difference between 'bat' and 'pat', is called a:
A.Grapheme
B.Phoneme
C.Morpheme
D.Syllable
Explanation: A phoneme is the smallest contrastive sound unit in a language: /b/ and /p/ are distinct phonemes because substituting one for the other changes 'bat' to 'pat.' Phonemic analysis focuses on these individual speech sounds; the precise phoneme inventory can vary by dialect.
3A fifth grader reads aloud at an appropriate rate, with accuracy and expression, grouping words into meaningful phrases. This describes strong reading:
A.Decoding
B.Phonemic awareness
C.Fluency
D.Vocabulary
Explanation: Reading fluency is the ability to read text accurately, at an appropriate rate, and with proper expression (prosody). Fluent readers group words into meaningful phrases, which frees cognitive resources for comprehension. The three components are accuracy, rate, and prosody.
4A teacher wants students to use context clues to determine the meaning of an unfamiliar word in a passage. This strategy primarily supports development of:
A.Phonics skills
B.Handwriting
C.Spelling patterns
D.Vocabulary
Explanation: Using context clues, such as definitions, synonyms, or examples embedded in surrounding text, is a key strategy for inferring and learning word meanings, which builds vocabulary. Context-based instruction helps students independently acquire new words during reading. Vocabulary knowledge strongly predicts comprehension.
5Which prewriting activity would best help a fourth grader generate and organize ideas before drafting a personal narrative?
A.Creating a graphic organizer with a sequence of events
B.Editing the finished draft for capitalization, punctuation, and spelling
C.Publishing the completed story in a class anthology
D.Copying a teacher's model paragraph into a writing notebook
Explanation: Prewriting is the planning stage where writers generate and organize ideas before drafting. A graphic organizer that sequences events helps young writers structure a narrative chronologically. This matches the developmental needs of early writers planning a personal narrative.
6A student reads 'house' for 'home' and 'big' for 'large.' The substitutions preserve the passage's meaning but do not resemble the printed words. Which information is the student relying on most?
A.Grapheme-phoneme correspondences
B.Semantic information from context
C.Syntactic information alone
D.Phoneme segmentation
Explanation: The substitutions are synonyms that preserve meaning, so they show reliance on semantic information from context rather than close attention to the printed letter sequences. The teacher should explicitly reinforce checking every grapheme and applying accurate decoding while also monitoring meaning.
7In the word 'unhappiness', how many morphemes are present?
A.One
B.Three
C.Two
D.Four
Explanation: The word 'unhappiness' contains three morphemes: the prefix 'un-' (meaning not), the root 'happy', and the suffix '-ness' (forming a noun). Morphemes are the smallest units of meaning. Teaching morphology helps students decode and understand complex words.
8A teacher asks students to predict what will happen next, visualize the setting, and summarize each chapter. These are examples of:
A.Decoding strategies
B.Phonics rules
C.Fluency drills
D.Comprehension strategies
Explanation: Predicting, visualizing, and summarizing are research-based comprehension strategies that active readers use to construct meaning from text. Explicitly teaching these metacognitive strategies improves understanding and retention. They go beyond simply reading the words.
9An emergent bilingual student is stronger in conversational English than in academic English. Which support would best build academic language?
A.Providing content instruction with visuals, sentence frames, and explicit academic vocabulary
B.Limiting the student to only social conversation in class
C.Delaying all content instruction until English is mastered
D.Translating every assignment into the home language only
Explanation: Academic language (the formal vocabulary and structures of school) takes longer to develop than conversational language. Effective support pairs grade-level content with scaffolds such as visuals, sentence frames, and explicit academic vocabulary instruction. This builds language and content knowledge simultaneously.
10Which sentence correctly uses subject-verb agreement?
A.The group of students were excited about the trip.
B.Neither the teacher nor the students were ready.
C.Each of the boys have a pencil.
D.The list of items are on the desk.
Explanation: In 'neither...nor' constructions, the verb agrees with the nearer subject; here 'students' (plural) is closest, so 'were' is correct. This demonstrates the proximity rule for correlative conjunctions. Knowing standard usage conventions is part of writing conventions instruction.

About the TExES Core Subjects EC-6 (391) Exam

TExES Core Subjects EC-6 (391) is the combined content exam for Texas early childhood through grade 6 teacher certification. It bundles five subject exams: English Language Arts and Reading (901), Mathematics (902), Social Studies (903), Science (904), and Fine Arts, Health and Physical Education (905). All questions are selected-response, and candidates must pass each subject exam to pass the 391.

Exam sponsor: Texas Educator Certification Examination Program / Pearson VUE. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Questions

210 questions

Time Limit

5h (timed by subject exam)

Passing Score

240 (scaled) on each subject

Exam / Certification Fees

$116

Exam sponsor website

Reported exam pass rate: 65-75%. commonly reported all-subjects first-attempt pass range for Core Subjects EC-6 (391); confirm current TEA/Pearson reporting This describes exam candidates, not OpenExamPrep users or results from using our resources. Exam sponsor website

Fees, 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.

21.5%

English Language Arts and Reading (901)

Oral language, phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics and word analysis, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, the writing process and conventions, viewing/representing, and assessment of developing literacy.

21.5%

Science (904)

Lab safety and processes, nature and history of science, force and motion, properties of matter, energy and heat transfer, living things, heredity and adaptations, Earth and space systems, and science instruction.

19%

Mathematics (902)

Number concepts and operations, patterns and algebraic reasoning, geometry and measurement, probability and statistics, mathematical processes, and effective mathematics instruction.

19%

Social Studies (903)

Texas and U.S. history, geography and culture, economics, government and citizenship, primary/secondary source analysis, and social science instruction.

19%

Fine Arts, Health, and Physical Education (905)

Visual arts elements and principles, music concepts, theatre and creative drama, health and wellness, nutrition and safety, and developmentally appropriate physical education.

Preparing for the TExES Core Subjects EC-6 (391) Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 240 (scaled) on each subject
  • Exam length: 210 questions
  • Time limit: 5h (timed by subject exam)
  • Exam / certification fees: $116 Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

  • Work through all 101 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

TExES Core Subjects EC-6 (391): Suggested Study Strategy

1Treat the 391 as five separate exams; budget the most study time for ELAR (901) and Science (904), which carry the largest weight
2For reading items, master the progression from phonological awareness to phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, and match strategies to the skill being assessed
3On math items, work concept-first: model with manipulatives and place value before procedures, and watch for fraction misconceptions
4For social studies, anchor Texas history milestones (1836 independence, 1845 statehood, Spanish missions) and practice primary vs. secondary source analysis
5In science, focus on inquiry, variables, lab safety, and high-frequency concepts like the water cycle, states of matter, food chains, and seasons
6For Fine Arts/Health/PE, memorize core vocabulary (elements of art, tempo/dynamics, locomotor skills, fitness components) and favor developmentally appropriate, inclusive instruction

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on the TExES Core Subjects EC-6 (391)?

The 391 contains 210 selected-response questions spread across five subject exams: ELAR (901), Mathematics (902), Social Studies (903), Science (904), and Fine Arts/Health/PE (905). The session is 5 hours, with time allocated by subject exam rather than as one combined block.

What passing score do I need on the TExES 391?

You must earn a scaled score of 240 on each of the five subject exams. TExES scores are reported on a 100-300 scale by subject, so a strong overall score does not offset failing a single subject; you must pass each one.

How much does the TExES Core Subjects EC-6 (391) cost?

The combined 391 fee is $116. If you fail one subject, you can retake just that subject exam separately, which is billed on its own. Always verify the current fee at registration because Texas educator test fees can change.

Which subjects are weighted most heavily on the 391?

English Language Arts and Reading (901) and Science (904) are the largest at about 21.5% each. Mathematics (902), Social Studies (903), and Fine Arts/Health/PE (905) each account for about 19% of the exam.

Do I need any other exams for EC-6 certification in Texas?

Yes. In addition to the 391, Texas requires the Science of Teaching Reading (STR) exam for EC-6 certificates and a pedagogy requirement such as the PPR EC-12 (160). Confirm the current Required Texas Certification Tests chart for your route before registering.

Can I retake just one subject if I fail it?

Yes. If you do not pass one of the five subject exams, you may register for and retake only that subject exam rather than the entire combined 391. Each subject still requires a 240 scaled score to pass.