USCIS Reading and Writing Test: Vocabulary, Examples, and Tips to Pass

Alongside the civics questions, the naturalization interview tests your ability to read and write basic English. The good news: the vocabulary is limited and published by USCIS, and you only need to get one sentence right in each section. Here's how the reading and writing tests work and how to prepare efficiently.

How the reading test works

The officer shows you up to three sentences, and you must read one of the three aloud correctly to demonstrate your reading ability. You don't need perfect pronunciation — you need to convey that you understand the sentence. Long pauses on every word or omitting a key word can count against you, but a small accent or a single mispronunciation generally will not.

How the writing test works

The officer reads a sentence aloud and you write it down. You must write one of up to three sentences correctly. Minor spelling and grammar errors are acceptable as long as the sentence still conveys the same meaning. Skipping an important word or writing something with a different meaning is what causes a failure.

The vocabulary is limited — learn the themes

USCIS publishes the reading and writing vocabulary. It centers on civics and history words you already see in the civics questions, plus everyday function words. Group your study around these themes:

• People: Lincoln, Washington, citizens, senators
• Civics: American flag, Bill of Rights, Congress, President, right, vote, government
• Places: United States, country, state, capital, New York City
• Holidays and dates: Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, days of the week, months
• Verbs and function words: can, come, elect, have, live, meet, name, pay, vote, want, is, was

Example sentences to practice

Practice sentences are short and built from the vocabulary list. Examples in the same style as the test include:

• Citizens can vote.
• The President lives in Washington, D.C.
• We pay taxes.
• People want to vote.
• The flag is red, white, and blue.

Tips to pass on the first try

1. Read aloud daily — even five minutes of reading short civics sentences builds fluency and confidence.
2. Have someone dictate sentences to you so you practice the listen-then-write flow of the real test.
3. Focus on meaning over perfection — minor spelling and accent issues are usually fine.
4. Master the high-frequency words above; most test sentences are built from them.
5. Slow down and listen to the whole sentence before you start writing.

In our workshops we coach reading aloud and dictate real-style sentences with live feedback, so the reading and writing sections become the easiest part of your interview.