100+ Free DC CAPE 2.0 ELA Grade 5 Practice Questions
Prepare for the District of Columbia Comprehensive Assessments of Progress in Education (DC CAPE) 2.0 English Language Arts/Literacy — Grade 5 exam with instant access — no signup required.
Loading practice questions...
Explore More K-12 State Assessments
Continue into nearby exams from the same family. Each card keeps practice questions, study guides, flashcards, videos, and articles in one place.
More From This Family
Videos and articles for deeper review.
Key Facts: DC CAPE 2.0 ELA Grade 5 Exam
Grade 5
Official DC CAPE 2.0 tested grade/course (OSSE FAQ Q4)
osse.dc.gov CAPE 2.0 FAQ
Free
No student exam fee for standard school administration
OSSE Assessments policy
SY 2026–27
First DC CAPE 2.0 administration (spring 2027)
OSSE CAPE 2.0 page / FAQ
OSSE
State education agency administering DC CAPE 2.0
osse.dc.gov
Pearson
Administration platforms ADAM / TestNav; science content vendor
OSSE CAPE 2.0 FAQ Q3
CCSS ELA
Content standards alignment
OSSE CAPE 2.0 FAQ Q5
4 levels
Performance levels; Level 3 = met expectations
OSSE CAPE 2.0 page
Untimed
Official tests designed as untimed with estimated session lengths
OSSE System Overview Feb 2026
DC CAPE 2.0 ELA Grade 5 is DC's free OSSE CAPE 2.0 statewide ela summative for Grade 5 (first admin spring 2027); practice here is English MCQ study only.
Sample DC CAPE 2.0 ELA Grade 5 Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to test your DC CAPE 2.0 ELA Grade 5 exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1Read this passage: Lena stared at the empty stage. Her lines were memorized, but her stomach fluttered like a trapped moth. When the curtain rose, she took one slow breath, stepped into the light, and spoke the first sentence clearly. By the second scene, the moth was gone. Which sentence BEST supports the idea that Lena is nervous at first?
2Read this passage: Every Saturday, Jordan and his grandfather planted seeds in the community garden. One morning a hard rain washed the soil into the walkway. Grandfather handed Jordan a rake. "We start again," he said. "That's gardening—and that's life." What is the MOST likely theme of this passage?
3Read this passage: "You always take the last cookie!" Amira snapped. "I didn't know you wanted it," Noah muttered, sliding the plate toward her. Amira's shoulders softened. "Next time, just ask me first," she said. How do Amira's feelings change in this scene?
4Read this poem excerpt: The maple holds its breath— then lets the gold leaves go like letters mailed to winter. What does the poet MOST likely mean by comparing leaves to "letters mailed to winter"?
5Read this passage: In the first chapter, Maya refuses to join the robotics club because she is afraid of failing. In the final chapter, she stays late after school to fix a broken sensor and teaches a younger student how to test circuits. How has Maya changed from the beginning to the end?
6Read this passage: The old lighthouse blinked through the fog as if it were winking at the harbor. Fishermen tied their boats tighter, remembering last year's storm. Young Theo only saw a pretty light and laughed, "It's just a tower with a bulb!" How does the author use point of view to create contrast?
7Read this passage: When the power failed, the classroom fell silent. Ms. Ortiz lit a small lantern and opened a book of riddles. "Tonight we solve with our minds, not our screens," she said. Students who usually whispered began leaning forward. Which detail BEST shows that the students become more engaged?
8Read this passage from a drama: [Stage directions: Rain drums on the roof. SAMUEL stands at the window, fists clenched.] SAMUEL: I said I would wait one more day. One! [He turns; his voice drops.] SAMUEL: But if the letter doesn't come by sunrise... I leave. What do the stage directions and dialogue together reveal?
9Read these two brief story openings: Story A: "The dragon's scales glittered, but Maribel noticed the creature's wounded wing before she reached for her sword." Story B: "The dragon's scales glittered, and Maribel charged with her sword raised high." How do the openings MOST differ in presenting Maribel?
10Read this passage: Chapter 3 ends with Priya finding a locked box under the floorboards. Chapter 4 begins three days later at a city museum, where Priya compares the box's symbol to an ancient map. How does the chapter structure help the reader?
About the DC CAPE 2.0 ELA Grade 5 Exam
District of Columbia Comprehensive Assessments of Progress in Education (DC CAPE) 2.0 English Language Arts/Literacy — Grade 5 is the District of Columbia's grade/course-level DC CAPE 2.0 statewide summative assessment administered by OSSE beginning SY 2026–27 (first operational window spring 2027). ELA and mathematics content is provided through the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium against the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), with grades 3–8 using Smarter Balanced summative adjusted blueprints and high school courses using DC end-of-course blueprints. Students test on Pearson TestNav (ADAM management). Official forms mix selected-response, technology-enabled, and constructed-response/performance tasks. OpenExamPrep free practice is an English-language four-option MCQ study adaptation aligned to public OSSE/Smarter Balanced/NGSS frameworks—not official secure items, not a full TE/CR/PT simulation, and not a substitute for classroom instruction or the official assessment.
Assessment
Question count not published by the exam provider
Time Limit
About 2 hours 45 minutes estimated total for most students (CAT ~45 minutes + performance task ~2 hours); tests are untimed (OSSE DC CAPE 2.0 System Overview, Feb 2026).
Passing Score
DC CAPE 2.0 reports four performance levels for ELA, math, and science; Level 3 indicates the student met grade-level (or course-level) expectations (OSSE CAPE 2.0 page). After the first 2026–27 administration, OSSE will conduct a summer 2027 standard-setting event for high school ELA and math end-of-course assessments and redesigned science assessments before cut scores are finalized for those forms (OSSE CAPE 2.0 FAQ, Dec 2025).
Exam Fee
Free for District of Columbia public and public charter school students; DC CAPE 2.0 is the required statewide summative assessment administered through LEAs at no student exam fee (OSSE Assessments Participation & Performance Policy; OSSE CAPE 2.0 materials). (District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE); ELA and math content from the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium; science content and ADAM/TestNav administration platforms via Pearson)
DC CAPE 2.0 ELA Grade 5 Exam Content Outline
Reading — Literary Text
Literary passages: central ideas, key details, word meanings, reasoning and evidence, text structures, and language use (Smarter Balanced ELA adjusted blueprint Claim 1 Literary).
Reading — Informational Text
Informational passages: central ideas, key details, word meanings, reasoning and evidence, text structures/features, and language use (Smarter Balanced ELA adjusted blueprint Claim 1 Informational).
Writing
Organization/purpose, evidence/elaboration, and conventions via revise/edit CAT items and a full-write performance task scored on three traits (Smarter Balanced ELA adjusted blueprint Claim 2).
Listening
Listen/interpret targets: understand and analyze spoken information (Smarter Balanced ELA adjusted blueprint Claim 3). Local practice adapts listening skills with short read-aloud transcripts.
Research
Interpret/integrate information, analyze sources, and use evidence (Smarter Balanced ELA adjusted blueprint Claim 4).
How to Pass the DC CAPE 2.0 ELA Grade 5 Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: DC CAPE 2.0 reports four performance levels for ELA, math, and science; Level 3 indicates the student met grade-level (or course-level) expectations (OSSE CAPE 2.0 page). After the first 2026–27 administration, OSSE will conduct a summer 2027 standard-setting event for high school ELA and math end-of-course assessments and redesigned science assessments before cut scores are finalized for those forms (OSSE CAPE 2.0 FAQ, Dec 2025).
- Assessment: Question count not published by the exam provider
- Time limit: About 2 hours 45 minutes estimated total for most students (CAT ~45 minutes + performance task ~2 hours); tests are untimed (OSSE DC CAPE 2.0 System Overview, Feb 2026).
- Exam fee: Free for District of Columbia public and public charter school students; DC CAPE 2.0 is the required statewide summative assessment administered through LEAs at no student exam fee (OSSE Assessments Participation & Performance Policy; OSSE CAPE 2.0 materials).
Keys to Passing
- Complete 500+ practice questions
- Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
- Focus on highest-weighted sections
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
DC CAPE 2.0 ELA Grade 5 Study Tips from Top Performers
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DC CAPE 2.0 ELA Grade 5 assessment?
DC CAPE 2.0 ELA Grade 5 is part of the District of Columbia Comprehensive Assessments of Progress in Education (DC CAPE) 2.0 general statewide assessment system administered by OSSE beginning in school year 2026–27 (first spring 2027 administration). It measures student progress relative to DC educational standards (Common Core State Standards).
Is DC CAPE 2.0 free for students?
Yes. DC CAPE 2.0 is the District’s required statewide summative assessment for eligible public and public charter school students and is administered through LEAs without a student exam fee.
How long is the official test?
About 2 hours 45 minutes estimated total for most students (CAT ~45 minutes + performance task ~2 hours); tests are untimed (OSSE DC CAPE 2.0 System Overview, Feb 2026).
What item types appear on the official assessment?
Official ELA/math forms include computer-adaptive selected-response and technology-enabled items plus performance tasks (including full-write tasks in ELA). OpenExamPrep provides English four-option MCQ study adaptations only—not an official-format simulation.
How are results reported?
DC CAPE 2.0 reports four performance levels for ELA, math, and science; Level 3 indicates the student met grade-level (or course-level) expectations (OSSE CAPE 2.0 page). After the first 2026–27 administration, OSSE will conduct a summer 2027 standard-setting event for high school ELA and math end-of-course assessments and redesigned science assessments before cut scores are finalized for those forms (OSSE CAPE 2.0 FAQ, Dec 2025).
Are these practice questions official OSSE or Smarter Balanced items?
No. These free practice questions are original study aids aligned to DC standards and publicly described CAPE 2.0 / Smarter Balanced / NGSS frameworks. They are not secure official items and do not replace OSSE/Pearson practice resources, classroom instruction, or the official spring assessment.
Does this bank replace constructed-response or performance tasks?
No. Official DC CAPE 2.0 includes performance tasks and (for science) constructed-response items. This bank adapts the underlying knowledge and judgment into multiple-choice study items only.