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100+ Free AK STAR ELA Grade 9 Practice Questions

Prepare for the Alaska System of Academic Readiness (AK STAR) English Language Arts, Grade 9 exam with instant access — no signup required.

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Key Facts: AK STAR ELA Grade 9 Exam

AK STAR Grade 9 ELA is Alaska's spring adaptive statewide reading, language, and writing assessment for grade 9 (~70 items, ~180 minutes estimated), with results reported as Needs Support through Advanced.

Sample AK STAR ELA Grade 9 Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your AK STAR ELA Grade 9 exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Read the passage. "Lena stacked the last crate of salmon on the dock, then paused to watch the seaplane lift off the channel. The roar faded, and for a moment the only sound was water slapping pilings. She wiped her hands on her rain jacket and thought of the scholarship letter folded in her pocket." What is the main focus of this passage?
A.Lena finishes work, notices the quiet, and thinks about a scholarship letter
B.A seaplane crash investigation on the dock
C.How to stack salmon crates for export
D.Why Lena wants to leave fishing forever
Explanation: The passage tracks Lena’s completed task, the plane’s departure, the quiet that follows, and her thought about the scholarship letter—those details form one personal moment, not an accident report, a how-to, or a firm decision to quit.
2In a short story, a character says one thing but clearly means the opposite for a sarcastic effect. What literary device is this?
A.Verbal irony
B.Metaphor
C.Alliteration
D.Flashback
Explanation: Verbal irony (including sarcasm) occurs when spoken words convey a meaning opposite to their literal sense. Metaphor compares unlike things; alliteration repeats initial sounds; flashback revisits earlier events.
3Read the lines. "The mountain wore a white crown of fresh snow." What figure of speech gives the mountain human-like clothing?
A.Personification
B.Onomatopoeia
C.Hyperbole
D.Allusion
Explanation: Personification attributes human qualities (wearing a crown) to a nonhuman subject (the mountain). Onomatopoeia imitates sound; hyperbole exaggerates; allusion references another work or figure.
4A story’s theme is best described as
A.the central message or insight about life the story explores
B.the name of the main character
C.the exact year the story was published
D.the number of chapters in the book
Explanation: Theme is an underlying message or insight, not a character name, publication date, or chapter count.
5Read the passage. "Jamal kept volunteering answers even after two wrong ones. By the third try he corrected his mistake and the class moved on." Which trait does Jamal’s behavior best support?
A.Persistence
B.Dishonesty
C.Indifference
D.Fearfulness
Explanation: Continuing to try after errors and eventually correcting himself shows persistence. Nothing supports lying, not caring, or being afraid.
6When a narrator uses "I" and "my" to tell events, the point of view is
A.first person
B.second person
C.third-person omniscient
D.third-person limited
Explanation: First person uses I/me/my from a character-narrator’s viewpoint. Second person uses you; third-person forms use he/she/they.
7Read the passage. "Before the assembly, Priya’s notes were color-coded and stacked. Afterward, she stuffed them into her bag without looking." What do these details most strongly suggest?
A.Her attitude toward the notes changed after the assembly
B.She never prepared for the assembly
C.Someone stole her notes during the speech
D.The assembly was canceled
Explanation: The contrast between careful preparation and careless packing afterward signals a shift in attitude or energy after the event. The earlier care shows she did prepare; theft and cancellation are not stated.
8A poem’s speaker is
A.the voice that addresses the reader in the poem, which may differ from the author
B.always the poet’s legal name printed on the cover
C.the person who designed the book jacket
D.the editor who chose the font
Explanation: The speaker is the poem’s narrative or lyrical voice and is not automatically identical to the biographical author. Jacket design and font choice are production details.
9Read the passage. "Alaska’s long summer daylight can disrupt sleep for newcomers. Specialists recommend blackout curtains, a consistent bedtime routine, and limiting late-night screens." What is the central idea?
A.Long summer light can hurt sleep, and simple steps can help
B.Everyone in Alaska refuses to sleep in summer
C.Screens are banned statewide after sunset
D.Blackout curtains are required by law
Explanation: The passage names a problem (daylight disrupting sleep) and practical solutions. It does not claim universal refusal to sleep, legal bans, or required curtains.
10Which sentence best states a claim that needs evidence?
A.School start times should be later because teens need more morning sleep
B.The cafeteria served pizza on Friday
C.Two plus two equals four
D.The dictionary lists the word "aurora"
Explanation: A claim is an arguable position; later start times for teen sleep is debatable and needs support. The other options are simple facts or definitions, not positions needing argument.

About the AK STAR ELA Grade 9 Exam

AK STAR Grade 9 English Language Arts is Alaska's spring statewide summative ELA assessment for students in grade 9, administered by the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development with NWEA. It measures Alaska English Language Arts Standards through an item-adaptive design that yields both an on-grade summative achievement level and MAP Growth RIT scores. Official item types include selected-response, technology-enhanced, and a constructed-response writing task. Practice questions on OpenExamPrep are free English-language multiple-choice study aids aligned to reading, language, and writing standards; they do not replace authentic passage analysis, official platform practice tests, or the constructed-response writing experience.

Questions

70 scored questions

Time Limit

About 180 minutes estimated; not strictly timed; may be administered in multiple school-day sessions.

Passing Score

Reported in four achievement levels: Needs Support, Approaching Proficient, Proficient, and Advanced (Alaska DEED AK STAR / Science score reports).

Exam Fee

Free for eligible Alaska public school students; AK STAR and the Alaska Science Assessment are state-required summative assessments administered by districts at no cost to families. (Alaska DEED in partnership with NWEA (MAP Growth connected spring summative))

AK STAR ELA Grade 9 Exam Content Outline

~40-50% of study emphasis

Reading Literature & Informational

Key details, central ideas, inferences, text structure, craft, and evidence across literary and informational passages.

~20-25%

Language

Grammar, usage, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and vocabulary in context.

~20-30%

Writing Judgment

Thesis and evidence selection, organization, revision choices, purpose and audience, and style—adapted from the official constructed-response writing focus.

How to Pass the AK STAR ELA Grade 9 Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Reported in four achievement levels: Needs Support, Approaching Proficient, Proficient, and Advanced (Alaska DEED AK STAR / Science score reports).
  • Exam length: 70 questions
  • Time limit: About 180 minutes estimated; not strictly timed; may be administered in multiple school-day sessions.
  • Exam fee: Free for eligible Alaska public school students; AK STAR and the Alaska Science Assessment are state-required summative assessments administered by districts at no cost to families.

Keys to Passing

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

AK STAR ELA Grade 9 Study Tips from Top Performers

1Read grade-level literary and informational passages and practice citing text evidence for each claim.
2Review Alaska ELA language standards for grammar, usage, and vocabulary in context.
3Practice planning a short written response with a clear claim, evidence, and concluding sentence even though this bank uses MCQ format.
4Use DEED/NWEA official practice tests to learn platform tools (drag-and-drop, multi-select, drop-downs).
5Build stamina with timed 20–30 minute reading sets before the spring window.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the AK STAR Grade 9 ELA assessment?

It is Alaska's required spring English language arts summative for grade 9 students, part of the Alaska System of Academic Readiness (AK STAR) run by DEED with NWEA.

Is the official test all multiple choice?

No. Official AK STAR ELA uses multiple item types plus a constructed-response writing task. This site offers English MCQ study adaptations only.

How long is the Grade 9 ELA test?

DEED estimates about 180 minutes total for the online adaptive form; schools may split testing across sessions and assessments are not strictly timed.

How many questions are on the official test?

About 70 total ELA items for Grade 9 on the online adaptive form per DEED Test Administration Directions (summative and growth components combined).

What do scores mean?

Students receive achievement levels (Needs Support, Approaching Proficient, Proficient, Advanced) plus MAP Growth RIT information connected to fall/winter interims.

Is there a testing fee?

No family fee for eligible public school students; districts administer the required state assessment.