100+ Free PSSA Grade 4 ELA Practice Questions
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Key Facts: PSSA Grade 4 ELA Exam
Grade 4
Target Student Grade Level
Pennsylvania Department of Education
100
Practice Questions in Bank
OpenExamPrep Bank Standard
30% / 30% / 20% / 20%
Reporting Category Weights
PSSA Assessment Blueprint
1255
Proficient Scaled Score Cut
PDE PSSA Score Standard Setting
Untimed
Test Administration Format
PDE Assessment Directions
PSSA Grade 4 ELA is Pennsylvania's statewide standardized English assessment for 4th graders, testing reading comprehension, literature analysis, grammar conventions, and writing revision aligned to PA Core Standards.
Sample PSSA Grade 4 ELA Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to test your PSSA Grade 4 ELA 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 and answer the question. The Lost Compass of Hawk Hill Nora and her cousin Mateo were exploring the wooded trail behind Nora's grandmother's house on Hawk Hill. Thick oak trees shaded the path, and yellow leaves carpeted the ground. As Mateo stooped to pick up an unusually smooth gray stone, his fingers brushed against something hard tucked under a rotting log. "Look Nora!" Mateo called, brushing off damp moss. He held up a small brass compass with an engraved lid. The needle spun slowly before settling toward north. "Grandpa used to tell stories about an old surveyor who mapped these hills sixty years ago," Nora said, her eyes wide. "He said the surveyor left a hidden marker near Pine Creek." Mateo inspected the lid. "There are initials carved here: E.V. 1964." Nora pulled out her sketchbook and drew the compass. "If we follow north down toward the creek, maybe we can find the surveyor's stone marker." Working as a team, Mateo watched the compass needle while Nora marked their path with ribbon tied around tree branches. After twenty minutes of careful walking, they reached a flat granite rock near the water. Carved into its center were the matching letters: E.V. 1964. They grinned at each other, knowing they had uncovered a piece of Hawk Hill's forgotten history. Where do Nora and Mateo find the brass compass?
2Read the passage "The Lost Compass of Hawk Hill" and answer the question. Which detail from the story best shows that Nora is thoughtful and organized?
3Read the passage "The Lost Compass of Hawk Hill" and answer the question. What is the main theme of the story?
4Read the passage "The Lost Compass of Hawk Hill" and answer the question. Why do Nora and Mateo tie ribbons around tree branches as they walk toward Pine Creek?
5Read the passage "The Lost Compass of Hawk Hill" and answer the question. In paragraph 1, what does the word "carpeted" mean in the phrase "yellow leaves carpeted the ground"?
6Read the passage "The Lost Compass of Hawk Hill" and answer the question. How does finding the initials "E.V. 1964" on the compass affect the plot of the story?
7Read the poem and answer the question. The Autumn Tree The tall oak stands against the sky, As crisp October breezes blow. Its golden leaves begin to fly, And dance like butterflies below. A grey squirrel scrambles up the bark, With acorns tucked inside his cheek. He works from dawn until the dark, Before the winter winds grow bleak. The branches stretch their leafy arms, To shield the nest of twigs and thread. Safe from the chill of frost's alarms, Until the spring returns ahead. What figure of speech is used in the line "And dance like butterflies below"?
8Read the poem "The Autumn Tree" and answer the question. What is the squirrel doing in the second stanza of the poem?
9Read the poem "The Autumn Tree" and answer the question. What image is created by the line "The branches stretch their leafy arms" in stanza 3?
10Read the poem "The Autumn Tree" and answer the question. What is the rhyme scheme of the first stanza of the poem?
About the PSSA Grade 4 ELA Exam
The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) Grade 4 English Language Arts (ELA) assessment measures student proficiency on the Pennsylvania Core Standards for ELA. The assessment evaluates students in four primary reporting categories: Reading Literature, Reading Informational Text, Language Conventions, and Writing Revision. Students demonstrate their skills in comprehending fiction and non-fiction texts, analyzing literary elements, applying rules of standard English grammar and mechanics, and revising text for clarity and coherence.
Assessment
Variable-length assessment
Time Limit
Untimed; PDE's test design plans three sections with estimated testing times of 70-80, 70, and 70-80 minutes. Delivered online only beginning with the Spring 2026 administration.
Passing Score
Proficient level (typically 1255 scaled score or higher)
Exam Fee
Free for Pennsylvania public school students (Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) / Data Recognition Corporation (DRC))
PSSA Grade 4 ELA Exam Content Outline
Reading Literature
30 questions covering central themes, character development, plot sequence, figurative language, point of view, and poetic devices in Grade 4 literary texts.
Reading Informational
30 questions covering main idea, supporting evidence, text organization, author's purpose, graphic features, and academic vocabulary in Grade 4 informational texts.
Language Conventions
20 questions evaluating standard English grammar, relative pronouns, verb tenses, prepositional phrases, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
Writing Revision
20 questions focusing on revising student drafts, topic sentences, transitional devices, sentence combining, precise word choice, and concluding statements.
How to Pass the PSSA Grade 4 ELA Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: Proficient level (typically 1255 scaled score or higher)
- Assessment: Variable-length assessment
- Time limit: Untimed; PDE's test design plans three sections with estimated testing times of 70-80, 70, and 70-80 minutes. Delivered online only beginning with the Spring 2026 administration.
- Exam fee: Free for Pennsylvania public school students
Keys to Passing
- Work through all 100 available questions
- Review every answer and explanation
- Track weak areas and revisit them
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
PSSA Grade 4 ELA Study Tips from Top Performers
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the PSSA Grade 4 ELA assessment?
The PSSA Grade 4 ELA is Pennsylvania's annual statewide assessment administered to 4th grade students to measure mastery of the Pennsylvania Core Standards in English Language Arts.
How many questions are in this practice bank?
This practice bank contains exactly 100 questions distributed across the four official reporting categories: Reading Literature (30%), Reading Informational (30%), Language Conventions (20%), and Writing Revision (20%).
What score is required to achieve Proficient on the PSSA Grade 4 ELA?
PSSA results are reported in four performance levels: Below Basic, Basic, Proficient, and Advanced. Scaled scores of 1255 or higher generally indicate Proficient performance on Grade 4 ELA.
Is the PSSA ELA test timed?
No. The PSSA is an untimed assessment. Students are given sufficient time to complete each section during scheduled testing windows.
What types of reading passages appear on PSSA Grade 4 ELA?
Passages include Grade 4 literary texts (stories, fables, poems, plays) and informational texts (history, science, biographies, procedural guides).