CAT-E Test Content  
 
Test Content for Kindergarten - Level 10

Test 1: Visual Recognition. Test 1 contains 24 items that measure a student’s ability to distinguish uppercase and lowercase letters. Tasks include recognition of orally presented single letters, recognition of uppercase and lowercase of the same letter, and matching of letter groups.

Test 2: Sound Recognition. Test 2 contains 20 items that measure a student’s ability to recognize sounds in spoken words. Tasks include identification of a pictured object that rhymes with a given word.

Test 3: Vocabulary. Test 3 contains 20 items that measure a student’s ability to recognize the meaning of words. These items require the student to identify the picture that is associated with a definition or a category, or that represents a word that completes the meaning of a sentence.

Test 4: Comprehension. Test 4 contains 22 items that measure a student’s understanding of spoken sentences and short passages. In some of the items, the student identifies the picture that shows the meaning of a noun, verb, or preposition in a sentence. Other items require the student to identify the picture that illustrates details or ideas given in a passage.

Test 5: Language Expression. Test 5 contains 20 items that measure a student’s understanding of singular and plural nouns, and past, present, and future verb tenses. The student identifies the picture that is associated with correct usage.

Test 6: Mathematics Concepts and Applications. Test 6 contains 20 items that measure a student’s understanding of mathematics concepts. Specific skills include concepts dealing with numeration, geometry, and measurement units.

 

Test Content for First Grade - Level 11

Test 1: Vocabulary. Test 1 contains 20 items that measure the ability to identify the word that is associated with an orally presented category or definition. The test also includes items that measure same-meaning words and words in context.

Test 2: Comprehension. Test 2 contains 20 items that measure comprehension of sentences and stories. In some items, the student identifies the picture that shows the meaning of a written sentence. In other items, the student identifies details and ideas in written passages.

Test 3: Language Expression. Test 3 contains 20 items that measure skills in language usage and sentence structure. Some items require identification of the correct singular or plural noun, or the correct verb or adjective that completes a sentence. Other tasks require identification of correct sentence structure, including the formation of a question from a statement. All items in the test are based on rules of written Standard English.

Test 4: Mathematics Computation. Test 4 contains 20 items that measure computation skills in addition and subtraction of whole numbers.

Test 5: Mathematics Concepts and Applications. Test 5 contains 20 items that measure understanding of mathematics concepts. Specific skills include concepts dealing with numeration, problem solving, measurement, geometry and measurement units.

 

Test Content for Second Grade - Level 12

Test 1: Vocabulary. Test 1 contains 20 items measuring same-meaning words, opposite-meaning words, and words in context.

Test 2: Comprehension. Test 2 contains 20 items that measure comprehension of reading passages. Items test the student’s ability to extract details, analyze characters, identify main ideas, and interpret events described in passages.

Test 3: Language Mechanics. Test 3 contains 20 items that measure skills in the mechanics of capitalization and punctuation.

Test 4: Language Expression. Test 4 contains 20 items that measure skills in language usage and sentence structure. Items require identification of the correct noun, pronoun, verb, or adjective that completes a sentence. Other items require identification of correct sentence structure, including substituting the correct pronoun for nouns in a sentence and changing a statement to a question. All items in the test are based on rules of written standard English.

Test 5: Mathematics Computation. Test 5 contains 20 items that measure computation skills in addition and subtraction of whole numbers.

Test 6: Mathematics Concepts and Applications. Test 6 contains 20 items that measure understanding of mathematics concepts. Specific skills include concepts dealing with numeration, problem solving, measurement, and simple geometry.

 

Test Content for Third Grade - Level 13

Test 1: Vocabulary. Test 1 contains 20 items measuring same-meaning words, opposite-meaning words, multi-meaning words, and words in context.

Test 2: Comprehension. Test 2 contains 21 items that measure comprehension of reading passages. Items test the student’s ability to extract details, analyze character, identify main ideas, and interpret events described in passages. Items also test the student’s ability to differentiate between fantasy and reality.

Test 3: Language Mechanics. Test 3 contains 20 items that measure skills in the mechanics of capitalization and punctuation.

Test 4: Language Expression. Test 4 contains 20 items that measure skills in language usage and sentence structure. Items require identification of the correct noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, or adverb that completes a sentence. Other items require identification of the subject or predicate of the sentence and the correct sequence of sentences in a paragraph. All items in the test are based on rules of written Standard English.

Test 5: Mathematics Computation. Test 5 contains 20 items that measure computation skills in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of whole numbers.

Test 6: Mathematics Concepts and Applications. Test 6 contains 20 items that measure understanding of mathematics concepts. Specific skills include dealing with numeration, problem solving, measurement and geometry.

 

Test Content for Fourth through Twelfth Grades - Levels 14 - 20

Test 1: Vocabulary. Test 1 contains 20 items measuring same-meaning, opposite-meaning words, multi-meaning words, words in context, and the meaning of affixes.

Test 2: Comprehension. Test 2 contains 20 items that measure comprehension of reading passages. Items test the student’s ability to extract details, analyze character, identify main ideas, and interpret events described in passages. Items also test the ability to differentiate between writing techniques and between forms of writing.

Test 3: Language Mechanics. Test 3 contains 20 items that measure skills in the mechanics of capitalization and punctuation. Editing skills are measured in the context of passages presented in various formats.

Test 4: Language Expression. Test 4 contains 20 items that measure skills in language usage and sentence structure. The items measure skills in the use of various parts of speech, formation and organization of sentences and paragraphs, and writing for clarity. All items in the test are based on rules of written Standard English.

Test 5: Mathematics Computation. Test 5 contains 20 items that measure the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Depending on the level of the test, content includes whole numbers, decimals, fractions, integers, algebraic expressions, exponents, and percents.

Test 6: Mathematics Concepts and Applications. Test 6 contains 20 items that measure understanding of mathematics concepts. Specific skills include numeration, number sentences, number theory, problem solving, measurement, and geometry.