9.1 Written and Oral Test Format

Know the knowledge-test route before you practice

The Texas CNA competency evaluation has two required parts: a knowledge test and a Clinical Skills test. For the knowledge side, the candidate takes either the Written test or the Oral test. The Written test has 60 multiple-choice questions and a 90-minute time limit. The Oral test also has 60 multiple-choice questions, but it includes a reading comprehension section. A candidate using the Oral route must pass the English reading comprehension section on the same day to pass the Oral test.

Do not treat the Oral test as an easier version of the exam. It is a different delivery format for the knowledge questions, and it adds a reading requirement. Candidates who process spoken questions better may prefer it, but they still need to understand resident rights, safety, infection control, communication, basic nursing skills, personal care, mobility, dementia care, and reporting. The test still expects safe CNA judgment.

The time limit matters. Ninety minutes for 60 questions gives an average of 1.5 minutes per question. Some questions will take less than 30 seconds because the correct answer is clearly in scope. Others will take longer because the stem includes several details, a resident's behavior, a safety hazard, or a distractor that sounds helpful but is unsafe. A good pacing plan leaves room for careful reading without letting one hard item consume five minutes.

Format checklist

Candidates should plan the Written or Oral route early. Switching late can create confusion about fees, scheduling, preparation materials, accommodations, and test-day instructions. If reading printed questions is difficult, the candidate should review the Oral option and any accommodation process well before the desired test date. If listening to spoken questions is distracting, the Written route may be a better fit. The best route is the one that lets the candidate show knowledge accurately under official conditions.

The knowledge test is not a trivia race. It is built to measure entry-level judgment in common resident care situations. Most items ask what the nurse aide should do, what the nurse aide should report, which action protects the resident, or which response respects rights and scope of practice. The correct answer is usually consistent with the care plan, licensed nurse supervision, infection control, fall prevention, privacy, dignity, and immediate safety.

Remote proctoring, when available for the Written or Oral test, does not change the content. It changes the testing location and proctoring process. The candidate still needs valid identification, a compliant testing environment, reliable technology, and attention to Prometric instructions. A remote knowledge test also does not make the full certification path remote. The Clinical Skills test is site-based because it requires observed performance of assigned skills.

Avoid unsupported score claims while studying. The current source brief does not authorize saying that Texas uses a 70 percent written passing score. A stronger study target is functional readiness: answer 60-question practice sets within 90 minutes, explain why each correct answer is safest, identify why each wrong option is wrong, and keep improving weak domains. That approach prepares the candidate for either knowledge-test route without relying on a number that is not confirmed in the current official facts.

On test day, read or listen for the actual task in the stem. Many candidates miss items because they answer the question they expected, not the question asked. Pause long enough to identify the resident's immediate need, the CNA's role, and whether the item asks for the first action, best response, reportable finding, or correct prevention step.