Is your child about to take the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR)? TestPrep-Online offers free STAAR test and practice questions for grades 3–7 to help you prepare, plus we provide detailed answers and explanations for each question.
STAAR Free Sample Questions
To help you prepare for the STAAR, we wrote free sample questions per grade and included the explanations for all answers. Our aim is to help you understand and get a sense of the test material.
STAAR Math Test Practice Question-3rd Grade
Daisy has a lot of rabbits. To feed her rabbits, Daisy decides to buy three packs of carrots. Each pack contains 10 carrots. She wants to give each rabbit six carrots. Which equation represents how many rabbits Daisy owns?
Answer & Explanation ▼ | ▲
The correct answer is (A). To solve this problem, you first need to determine the total number of carrots. Since Daisy bought three packs of carrots, and each pack contains 10 carrots, you need to multiply 10 by 3, or add 10 three times: 3 x 10, or 10 + 10 + 10, equals 30. The question says Daisy wanted to give each rabbit six carrots. Thus, to find the total number of rabbits, you need to divide 30 by 6. In other words, 3 x 10 / 6 is the correct answer.
STAAR Reading Test Practice Question-3rd Grade
Read the passage.
We believe that if girls are encouraged to follow their dreams, without focusing on what they should look like, they will grow up to be confident, strong, powerful women. That’s why we created Lammily, a family of dolls that look like real people. Lammily is the first fashion doll of this kind. All Lammily dolls are made according to the proportions of the average nineteen-year-old American person. Everything from the body proportions, to the detailed feet and toes, to the hips, to the hands that can hold objects, is as real as possible. Each Lammily doll has detailed clothes, realistic soft hair, and legs and arms that can move. The quality of the dolls is higher than you would expect for the $25 price. Each Lammily doll is named after their favorite hobby. The actual name is up to you!
What is the purpose of this passage?
Answer & Explanation ▼ | ▲
The correct answer is (A). Since the passage is phrased in the first person—"We believe", "we created"—you know it was written by the company that makes the dolls. The passage gives facts that highlight the doll's good features. The last paragraph hints that the doll's price is low for its quality. This paragraph also speaks to "you" as a person who will have the doll: "The actual name is up to you!" All of these are characteristics of a text meant to sell a product. Answer (B) is incorrect because the passage does not only provide facts about the doll. It is also trying to persuade you to buy it by hinting at its low price and speaking to "you" as someone who will have the doll. Answers (C) and (D) are incorrect because the passage does not explain how to play with the doll or how it is produced. * The passage is based on texts found on www.lammily.com
The Mathematics and Reading sections of the 3rd Grade STAAR Released Tests were designed to assess students' skills and knowledge in these subject areas. The Math test contains 34 multiple-choice questions and 3 open-ended questions. while the Reading test has approximately five paragraphs, 550–700 words in length, with each one being followed by eight questions related to the content. Both tests have a time limit of four hours.
The Math test covers a range of topics, including Numbers and Operations, Algebraic Reasoning, Geometry and Units of Measurement, and Data Analysis. Students may also encounter questions that assess their foundational skills, such as their ability to identify and work with mathematical symbols and concepts.
Similarly, the Reading test assesses students' comprehension and analysis skills across a range of genres, including Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Drama. It may also include questions related to Vocabulary, Author's Purpose, and Literary Elements.
Our 3rd Grade STAAR PrepPack includes 2 full-length simulations (Reading and Math) ,4 Math quizzes, and 3 Reading quizzes. the quizzes focus on different sub-topics so you can have a detailed understanding of each question type that is found in the test.
Sam wants to grow his own vegetable garden. The plot of land Sam plowed for his garden has two obtuse angles. Which figure could be the one Sam plowed?
Answer & Explanation ▼ | ▲
The correct answer is (C). The easiest way to solve this problem is to try and draw it. An obtuse angle is an angle that is greater than 90° and less than 180°. Since all the angles in both a rectangle and a square are equal to 900, you know these figures cannot be the right ones. An obtuse triangle contains one obtuse angle, but its other two angles are always acute—less than 90o. This is because the sum of a triangle's angles must always equal 1800. Thus, if one angle is greater than 90o, the sum of the other two angles must be less than 90°. Therefore, there can only be one obtuse angle in an obtuse triangle. Once you’ve ruled these three options out, you can know for certain that the answer is a trapezoid. A trapezoid can have two obtuse angles, so it fits the question's description.
STAAR Reading Test Practice Question-4th Grade
Read the paragraph.
Technology surrounds today's kids most of their waking hours. Children spend on average close to eight hours a day watching TV, playing video games, and using their cell phones. This reliance on technology limits kids' imaginations and their capacity for creativity, as they are rarely challenged to imagine things on their own. It also affects bodies as they perform less physical activity.
How is this paragraph organized?
Answer & Explanation ▼ | ▲
The correct answer is (B). The passage discusses the effect of technology on kids in that it limits the effort they need to put forth. The cause is amount of time children spend using technology and media, and the effect is the diminishing of their creativity, imaginations, and bodies. Therefore, the correct answer is (B). Answer (A) is incorrect because the paragraph does not compare two things or ideas. It focuses specifically on the effects of technology, and nothing else is being compared to this. Answer (C) is incorrect because even though the paragraph presents the effects of technology on children as a problem, it does not offer a solution. Answer (D) is incorrect because the passage does not present certain ideas as more important than others.
STAAR Writing Test Practice Question-4th Grade
Read the sentence. The museum near Ron's house on Baker street was first opened to the public on the 5th of june, 2005, in a big ceremony. Which words in the sentence should begin with a capital letter?
Answer & Explanation ▼ | ▲
The correct answer is (D). Names of specific places and names of months should always be capitalized. Therefore, the word "street" should begin with a capital letter as it is part of the name of a specific place, Baker Street, and the word "june" should begin with a capital letter as it is a month. Thus, the correct answer is (D).
The 4th Grade STAAR Released Tests have been developed to evaluate the proficiency of students in Mathematics, Reading, and Writing. The Mathematics section consists of 45 multiple-choice questions and 3 open-ended ones, covering a broad range of topics, such as Numbers and Operations, Algebraic Reasoning, Geometry and Units of Measurement, and Data Analysis.
The Reading section is comprised of six passages of 600-800 words, followed by 44 questions, testing the students' comprehension and analysis abilities across various genres, including Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Drama.
The Writing section involves three passages of 300-550 words and 18 multiple-choice questions, evaluating the students' Grammar, Capitalization, Spelling, Syntax, and Punctuation Skills.
The total time limit for every test is four hours.
To help students prepare for the exam, our 4th Grade STAAR PrepPack includes three full-length simulations of the Reading, Math, and Writing tests, as well as three quizzes for the Reading and Writing tests, plus four quizzes for Math test. The quizzes cover different sub-topics to provide a targeted practice experience of each question type that is present in the test.
Rosie has a long ribbon that is 31.76 inches in length. She wants to cut it into eight matching ribbons of equal length. What is the length of each ribbon in inches?
Answer & Explanation ▼ | ▲
The correct answer is (B). To solve this question, you must use long division. You want to divide 31.76 by 8. First, try to divide 3 by 8. Since 8 goes into 3 zero times, you must bring down the next number, 1, and try to see how many times 8 goes into 31. The number 8 goes into 31 three times. 8 times 3 is 24. 31 minus 24 is 7, which is the difference. Bring down the next number, 7, and you get the number 77. The number 8 goes into 77 nine times. 8 times 9 is 72. 77 minus 72 is 5. Bring down the last number, 6, and you get the number 56. The number 8 goes into 56 exactly 7 times. Since there is no remainder, your division is done. Remember to keep track of the decimal! Since the last two digits of the divided number (31.75) were located after the decimal, the two last digits of the quotient must be located after the decimal as well. So 397 should be written as 3.97, which is the correct answer.
STAAR Reading Test Practice Question-5th Grade
Read the passage.
The boy was wandering around the forest, looking curiously at the wild animals and plants around him. There were huge elm trees, beautiful red and yellow flowers, squirrels, chipmunks, and occasionally he even saw a few deer. Suddenly he let out a cry of excitement—he saw a female deer and her young fawn. The fawn was the most adorable thing the boy had ever seen.
What is the setting of the story?
Answer & Explanation ▼ | ▲
The correct answer is (D). The setting of a story is the place, time, and duration the story takes place in. The only relevant detail that is mentioned in the story is the forest. Therefore, answer (D) is correct. Answers (A) and (B) are incorrect because even though they contain details from the story, those details are not the setting of the story. Answer (C) is incorrect because the passage does not mention that the story happens in late evening.
STAAR Math Test Practice Question-6th Grade
As part of a local survey, Merry asked 700 people from his village to name their favorite food. The results showed that 28 of the villagers like mushrooms best. What percentage of the villagers surveyed prefer mushrooms to all other food?
Answer & Explanation ▼ | ▲
The correct answer is (D). To solve this question, you must set up a fraction of 28 over 700. To get the percentage, you must make sure the denominator is equal to 100. The denominator is 700, so you need to divide both the denominator and the numerator by 7. The result of 28/700 divided by 7 is 4/100, which is equal to 4%.
STAAR Reading Test Practice Question-6th Grade
Read the paragraph.
The city of Genoa (Italian: Genova) is located in the north of Italy and is the sixth-largest city in Italy. Its uniqueness becomes evident when you start wandering around its streets. As you walk along the port, the smell of fresh fish surrounds you, nearly engulfing the strong smell of the ocean. The ocean is particularly beautiful in this city, with the water waltzing in the light wind and glowing in the evening sun with a unique hue. As you keep walking, you can hear the whisper of the waves on one side and the musical, loud Italian on the other; yes, the Genovese are warm, kind, and loud! Genoa is nicknamed "The Vertical Town" because of its many narrow, steep stairways in the middle of the street, many of which can only be climbed by one person at a time. The stairways are often the only way to get from one place to another in the streets of Genoa, so be prepared to climb quite a lot.
Which of the following is used in the passage to create a mental image of the city of Genoa?
Answer & Explanation ▼ | ▲
The correct answer is (A). The passage describes the city of Genoa and uses many adjectives to create a mental image of the city; it appeals to the senses and describes the sights, smells, and sounds of the city. One technique that the author uses in the text is personification—assigning the qualities of a person to something that is not human. The two examples of personification that can be found in the text are: "…the water waltzing in the light wind" and "the whisper of the waves." Water cannot waltz; this verb is used to describe the movement of the water. Similarly, waves cannot whisper; this verb is used to describe the sound of the waves. Therefore, the correct answer is (A). Answer (B) is incorrect because a simile is a comparison, saying one thing is like another, often with the word "like" or "as." The passage does not contain similes. Answer (C) is incorrect because an irony is the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of their literal meaning, for example, saying "It will be just fine" when you actually mean "It will be terrible." The passage contains no irony. Answer (D) is incorrect because an alliteration is a series of words that begin with the same sound. The passage contains no alliteration.
STAAR Math Test Practice Question-7th Grade
Belladonna wants to buy a new cake pan to bake a seed cake for her guests. The pan should be cylinder in shape, 9 inches in radius, and 162π in volume. What would be its height in inches?
Answer & Explanation ▼ | ▲
The correct answer is (A). The formula used to calculate the volume of a cylinder is the area of the base times height. To find the height of a cylinder, you need to divide the volume by the area of the base. First, find the area of the circular base. Since you know the radius of the base is 9, you need to multiply 9 squared by π, which is 81π. Now that you have the area of the circular base, you need to divide the volume of the cylinder, 162π, by the area of the base, 81π. The result of 162π / 81π is 2, which is the correct answer.
STAAR Reading Test Practice Question-7th Grade
Read the paragraph. My friends and I organized a petition for a Black History class at our school. Most students signed, and when the principal saw the petition, he invited me to argue our cause in front of the school board. I was nervous about what they would ask me and asked my friend Laura, who had organized the petition with me, to help me practice. She played devil's advocate and I answered her flawlessly. Thanks to her, I was much less nervous when I stood in front of the board; I spoke confidently and did not forget a single detail.
What is the meaning of the phrase "play devil's advocate"?
Answer & Explanation ▼ | ▲
The correct answer is (D). The correct meaning of "play devil's advocate" is "present counter arguments to a cause, even while agreeing with it." Even if you do not know this phrase, you can understand its meaning from the paragraph: the narrator and her friend want a Black History class, and the narrator must argue the case in front of the school board. She is nervous about what she will be asked and asks Laura to help her practice; therefore, Laura probably presented arguments against the cause to help the narrator see what she might be asked. You know from the context that, even though she presented counter arguments, Laura agrees with the cause because she helped organize the petition. Therefore, the correct answer is (D). Note that answer (C) is incorrect because Laura helped the narrator organize the petition, so it is unlikely that she disagrees with the cause.
STAAR Math Test Practice Question-8th Grade
Look at the scores of the final English exam:
What is David's score, if the mean is 75?
Answer & Explanation ▼ | ▲
The correct answer is (B).
The mean is the average of a data set (exam scores in this case). To find it, you add up all the data set items and divide the sum by the number of items.
In this question, you are given most of the data set and its mean, so you can find the missing value by creating an equation and marking David's score with a variable (x):
To solve this equation, multiply both sides by 6:
Using the formed equation, you could discover the missing item of the data set, David's score on the exam (70), and therefore (B) is the correct answer.
Another way of solving is by using the mean's property- the sum of the distances from the mean must be zero. If you then add the differences of all scores, including David's, from 75, it should be equal to zero.
You can create an equation of the distances of all scores from 75 and mark David's score difference from 75 as x:
88 is 13 points higher than 75 (+13), 62 is 13 points lower than 75 (-13), 100 is 25 points higher than 75 (+25), 49 is 26 points lower than 75 (-26), and 81 is 6 points higher than 75 (+6). Now you can create the equation to find David's difference and discover his score:
David's score should be 5 points lower than 75 (-5): 75 - 5 =70 →David's score in the exam is 70 and (B) is the correct answer.
STAAR Reading Test Practice Question-8th Grade
Read the following passage from Mark Twain’s TOM SAWYER and answer accordingly:
After dinner all the gang turned out to hunt for turtle eggs on the bar. They went about poking sticks into the sand, and when they found a soft place they went down on their knees and dug with their hands. Sometimes they would take fifty or sixty eggs out of one hole. They were perfectly round white things a trifle smaller than an English walnut. They had a famous fried-egg feast that night, and another on Friday morning.
Answer & Explanation ▼ | ▲
The correct answer is A. Imagery. Imagery is a literary device used to help the reader better visualize what things look like, and it is accomplished through descriptive language of appearances. The passage uses imagery when it describes the eggs as “perfectly round white things” and states that they are “a trifle smaller than an English walnut.” This indeed helps the reader visualize the eggs as it describes their color and size, painting a vivid image in the mind of the reader. Option B is incorrect because there is no hyperbole in the passage. Hyperbole is a literary device in which authors exaggerate the truth in order to emphasize something or create a strong impression. Though the words used in hyperbole are not meant to be taken literally, the idea behind the impression they create is accurate. One might get confused and think that the author uses hyperbole when he writes, “Sometimes they would take fifty or sixty eggs out of one hole.” However, there is no reason to believe that this is an exaggeration. It does emphasize that a lot of eggs can be found in one hole, but not through hyperbole. The author seems to be giving an estimate of the actual number of eggs, not emphasizing a point by exaggerating. If it had said that there were a million eggs, that would clearly be an exaggeration because it would be impossible, or at least highly improbable, if understood literally. Since there is no exaggeration, this is not an example of hyperbole. Option C is incorrect because there are no metaphors in the passage. The eggs are described by comparing their size to that of English walnuts, but this is not a metaphor. A metaphor compares two things by saying figuratively that one thing is the other, such as saying, “That man is a tank,” meaning that he is a powerful force. However, saying that a certain aspect of something is similar or equivalent to that of something else, such as an egg being the same size as a walnut, is not a metaphor. Option D is incorrect because the passage is not an allegory. An allegory is a literary work or passage that, in addition to its literal meaning, has a deeper level (or levels) of understanding. Each character or event in the work (or anything else found in the story) represents either a different character or event, or some kind of broader idea. For example, an animal that leads its peers could be representing the leader of a country in real life, the jungle they live in could represent the country that he leads, and doves that fly around in the story could represent the idea of peace in that country. This is clearly not taking place in the passage. Note: If you chose allegory, it is possible that you confused it with the literary device “alliteration.” This is when there are words close together that begin with the same sound. Alliteration is, in fact, used in the passage, with the phrase “famous fried-egg feast.” However, alliteration is not one of the answer choices.
STAAR Test Tips
Practice, practice, and more practice. The STAAR assesses both skill and knowledge, which are categorized as readiness and supportive standards. These standards are not only relevant for the student's current grade, but for his or her future college and career readiness. The surest way to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge is with practice. The best method is not to cram for the test, but to practice a few months in advance. Try our practice pack now and start preparing today.
Talk with your child's teachers. It is best to communicate freely and openly with your child's teachers, preferably early in the school year. Try to find out if your child is struggling with any of the topics he or she will later be tested on. This will help focus your child's practice routine. Keep monitoring your child's progress in school to note any struggles.
Create a studying schedule. Students should study a few hours each day to ensure they master the material on which they are being tested while also reviewing material taught at the beginning of the year. Acquiring the necessary knowledge and skills won't happen overnight, so students should practice regularly. After they finish going over the Readiness Standards and the Supportive Standards, it is time to go back and tackle the questions that posed a challenge.
Read. The best way to expand vocabulary and enhance a student's reading comprehension is by introducing him or her to books that are both interesting and challenging at the same time. Gather your child's reading material from a variety of sources, such as books, plays, poetry, and news articles. Highlight and learn the definitions of new words. Ask challenging questions about the plot, the characters, and the author's intention.
Write. One of the best ways to practice one's writing skills is by actually writing. Ask your child to write a composition once or twice a month or to even keep a diary. Encourage your child to use the new words he or she has learned. Later, review your child's work for any grammar mistakes.
Find applications for math in everyday life. Show your child that math doesn’t just exist in his or her textbook. Encourage him or her to use math on a daily basis, for instance by interpreting charts and diagrams found in the newspaper or on television. Also, it is important to help your child develop the habit of solving problems step by step and in a tidy manner to avoid any mistakes.
Turn weaknesses into strengths. Find the concepts, techniques, or material that challenge your child and tackle them head on. Mastering a difficult concept will increase your child's confidence as well as improve his or her grade in the class.
Don’t memorize; understand. Memorizing isn't useful when it comes to applying concepts to different problems. Comprehension of concepts will improve your child's learning process and problem-solving skills.
Find your preferred testing method. Some students prefer to read the questions first, some prefer to answer as they read, and some prefer to read and then answer the question. Find the testing technique that best fits your thinking style and practice it again and again until it is perfected.
On the STAAR Test Day
Here are four tips to help you prepare your child for the day of the STAAR Test:
Pack the night before. Bring pencils, a pencil sharpener, an eraser, and a calculator (if the test requires it). Pack everything you need the day before so you won't have to look for it on the day of the test.
Get a good night's rest before the test. Doing so will help to ensure your child remains alert and focused throughout the exam.
Eat a healthy breakfast to start the day. Eating a healthy breakfast will ensure your child has plenty of energy to tackle the four-hour exam.
Smile. Students have prepared and studied for the test, and now they are more than ready, so it is best to maintain a positive and relaxed attitude. Students should be familiar with the test's format and material by the time they take the test, so there is no need to apply extra pressure on the day of the test.
STAAR Test Practice - Online
The STAAR is an important test that can influence and shape your child's future academic development. Make sure your child is ready for the test by preparing with TestPrep-Online’s 3rd Grade STAAR Test Practice Pack. TestPrep-Online’s practice packs offer sample questions, detailed explanations and flexibility to help your child pinpoint and strengthen his or her academic abilities. Start preparing today!
Please note: we do not provide the real STAAR tests on this website. Our tests are simulations, written to closely match the test style and content of the actual test. We also provide full written solutions for our STAAR practice questions, whereas the official STAAR practice papers do not come with explanations. For official STAAR practice papers, visit the STAAR website.