Praxis 5047
Praxis 5047 MS English Language Arts study guide
Every competency on the ETS outline for Middle School English Language Arts, in order, with a worked lesson for each one. 67 practice questions come with it and all of them are free.
Start the 5047 lessons 5047 overviewWhere this material comes from
You are about to spend real study hours on this, so the honest answer matters more than a reassuring one. Every MS English Language Arts item in this app comes from one of two places, and the app tells you which for every single question.
| Part of the app | Where it comes from |
|---|---|
| Outline and competency titles | Transcribed word for word from the published ETS Study Companion. |
| Practice questions marked ETS | 0 transcribed from the Study Companion, carrying ETS’s own answer rationales. |
| Practice questions marked Authored | 67 written for this app against the official outline and the national standards that govern the subject. |
| How to tell them apart | The label is on the question itself. You are never guessing which kind you are looking at. |
The blueprint itself is ETS’s. It is published, free, and worth reading before you start: Praxis Middle School English Language Arts (5047) Study Companion. Reading it is the fastest way to check this page against the real thing, and it costs nothing.
A score in this app is not a Praxis score and does not predict one. What it does tell you is which of the 33 competencies you are getting wrong, which a practice score on its own does not.
The full 5047 competency outline
ETS divides this exam into 4 content areas. The percentages are the share of the total score each one carries, which is not the same as the share of the questions.
| Area | Questions on the test | Share of the score |
|---|---|---|
| I. Reading | 50 | 46% |
| II. Language Use and Vocabulary | 16 | 11% |
| III. Writing, Speaking, and Listening | 26 | 18% |
| IV. English Language Arts Instruction | 18 | 25% |
IReading50 questions · 46%
- Knows the major works, authors, and contexts of United States, British, and World literature appropriate for adolescents
- Understands the defining characteristics of literary genres (e.g., poetry, literary nonfiction, drama)
- Knows the defining characteristics of major subgenres (e.g., sonnet, historical fiction, functional text)
- Understands how literal and inferential interpretations of a literary text can be supported with textual evidence
- Understands how a theme is developed within and across works from a wide variety of literary genres and other media
- Understands how literary elements (e.g., characterization, setting, plot development) contribute to the meaning of a text
- Understands how word choice (e.g., figurative, connotative, or informal language) contributes to the meaning and tone of a literary text
- Understands how poetic devices and structure contribute to the meaning of a poem
- Understands literacy skills to support active reading of a literary text (e.g., making predictions, making connections with the text, summarizing)
- Understands how literal and inferential interpretations of an informational text can be supported with textual evidence
- Knows a variety of organizational patterns that can be used to develop a central idea in an informational text
- Understands how word choice (e.g., figurative, connotative, or technical language) contributes to the meaning and tone of an informational text
- Understands methods that authors use to convey purpose and perspective in informational texts
IILanguage Use and Vocabulary16 questions · 11%
- Understands the conventions of standard English grammar, usage, syntax, and mechanics (e.g., sentence types, verb tenses, punctuation)
- Understands the use of affixes, context, and syntax to determine word meaning
- Understands the use of print and digital reference materials to support correct language usage
- Is familiar with variation in dialect and diction across regions, cultural groups, and time periods
IIIWriting, Speaking, and Listening26 questions · 18%
- Understands the distinct characteristics of various types of writing (e.g., argumentative, informative/explanatory, narrative)
- Understands that effective writing is appropriate to the task, purpose, and audience
- Understands the characteristics of clear and coherent writing (e.g., development, organization, style)
- Knows effective research practices, including evaluating the credibility of multiple print and digital sources, gathering relevant information, and citing sources accurately
- Understands the effective delivery of a speech or presentation (e.g., eye contact, visual aids, tone)
- Understands methods that authors use to appeal to a specific audience
- Understands what constitutes an effective written argument with strong supporting evidence
IVEnglish Language Arts Instruction18 questions · 25%
- Knows commonly used research-based approaches to supporting language acquisition and vocabulary development for diverse learners
- Knows techniques for instructing students to participate productively in collaborative discussions (e.g., one-on-one, in groups, teacher-led) and listen actively
- Knows techniques for instructing students to communicate effectively and appropriately using technological tools (e.g., presentation software, blogs, wikis)
- Knows commonly used research-based approaches to grouping and differentiated instruction to meet specific instructional objectives in English Language Arts
- Is familiar with approaches to choosing texts for students based on ability and interests
- Understands commonly used research-based strategies for teaching adolescent reading (e.g., activating prior knowledge, modeling metacognitive practices)
- Understands commonly used research-based approaches to teaching components of writing (e.g., explicit, systematic writing instruction, modeling)
- Knows approaches to and purposes of formative and summative assessment of reading, writing, speaking, and listening (e.g., use of rubrics, conferencing techniques, providing useful feedback)
- Knows effective approaches to incorporating student input into the design and use of English Language Arts curriculum and assessments
Aligned to the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and informed by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (Early Adolescence / English Language Arts) and by the Standards for Initial Preparation of Teachers of Secondary English Language Arts (NCTE and CAEP).
How to actually study for this
The research on how people learn is consistent on one point: the method that works best is the one that feels least like studying. It is also the one anxious test-takers skip, which is why the practice here is built to be easy to start and impossible to fail.
- Do not just reread.Reading over material feels like studying and is the weakest use of your time. Recognition is not recall, and the exam asks you to recall.
- Answer questions from memory, then check.Retrieval practice, meaning self-testing, is one of the best-evidenced study methods there is. It beats rereading, restudying, and rereading your notes.
- Read the explanation either way.Right or wrong, the explanation is where the learning happens. Wrong answers especially: those are the ones you got lucky on.
- Come back tomorrow.Spacing beats cramming. The same hour split across five days is worth more than five hours on one night.
- Sit one timed run before test day.Full length, timed, no pausing. Pacing is a skill and it is learned by doing, not by thinking about doing.
Practice questions in this app are not the real exam, and your score on them is not your Praxis score. Use them to find the competencies you do not know yet. That is the whole job.
Praxis 5047 study guide questions
What is on the Praxis 5047 study guide?
All 33 competencies from the ETS content outline, grouped under the 4 official content areas, with a worked lesson for each one. Every competency has at least one of the 67 practice questions attached to it, so nothing on the outline is left untested.
Is this Praxis 5047 outline the official ETS one?
The competency titles below are transcribed from the published ETS Study Companion for this exam, word for word. Check it against ETS's own PDF; the link is above.
How long should I spend on Praxis 5047?
That depends on how much of the outline you already know, which is why the app reports accuracy per competency rather than one overall number. Work through the competencies you are weakest on first. The ones you can already answer are not where your remaining marks are.
Does the study guide cover the written-response section?
The 5047 exam has a constructed-response section, and this app does not score it. It shows the case histories and the ETS scoring bands, and your own read against the rubric is what gets recorded. Folding an ungraded item into an accuracy percentage would tell you something false.
Other Praxis exams
Wrong code, or a second credential? Every exam here has the same shape: an outline you can read, a practice bank, and progress by competency.