The CLT has three sections: Verbal Reasoning, Grammar & Writing, and Quantitative Reasoning. Each section has 40 multiple choice questions.

Students have 40 minutes to complete Verbal Reasoning, which is the Reading Comprehension test, 35 minutes to complete Grammar & Writing, and 45 minutes to complete Quantitative Reasoning (Math).

There are 4 Reading Passages on the Verbal Reasoning section. The layout is similar to the ACT Reading Section.

Verbal Reasoning has one Literature passage, one Science Passage, one History passage, and one Philosophy passage.

But there is a big difference between ACT and CLT reading passages.

The ACT is mostly made of reading passages from modern journals, biographies, and novels published after the year 2000.

The CLT takes most of its reading passages from authors who have been studied for hundreds – and sometimes thousands – of years. Plato. Aristotle. Shakespeare. Ben Franklin.

But is it a legitimate test? Yes! The CLT meets the standards of test regulators – the Florida state legislature and over 250 colleges and universities agree!

Students answer questions about details from the passage, analyze the main purpose of the passage, and consider relationships between characters in the passage.

What does the Verbal Reasoning test actually look like? Read the examples below!

There are 4 more passages on the Grammar & Writing Section. Each passage has 10 questions, for a total of 40.

This time, students are responsible for recognizing proper sentence structure and writing style.

That means knowing how to use punctuation, connect clauses, and write clear, concise sentences.

Grammar questions test subject-verb agreement, proper use of adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, and pronouns, punctuation, complex sentences, and parallel structures.

Writing questions test word choice, clarity of writing, whether certain phrases should be omitted or included, matching the tone of the passage, and transitions between clauses.

The CLT’s Grammar & Writing section will be somewhat familiar to students who have taken standardized tests like the ACT before.

Math. Why does one word scare so many students?

Most students are tested on a laundry list of topics they didn’t learn in school – and it has a real effect on their lives.

And the CLT decided students should be evaluated on subjects they’ve actually heard of: Algebra and Geometry.

It’s impossible to have a college entrance test without including a math test. But the CLT made it accessible to as many students as possible.

That means testing students on Algebra and Geometry, because almost all high school students learn those topics by the time they’re taking the CLT.

Is the Math too easy? No. Fewer topics doesn’t mean easier questions. There are plenty of ways to make difficult questions using just Algebra and Geometry!

Why is it called Quantitative Reasoning – not just “Math”? Because the CLT also tests Mathematical Reasoning in this section.

Mathematical Reasoning tests your ability to draw conclusions when someone gives you information.

Ok – here’s a quick and easy example (there are more challenging examples later):

Jimmy played Joe in Rock, Paper, Scissors. Jimmy won 2 out of their 3 games. Who won the last game?

1. Jimmy
2. Joe
3. They Tied
4. Not Enough Information

It’s not just math – it’s Quantitative Reasoning – and thinking like this is something every student can do – whether they’re taking Algebra or they’ve made it through Calculus!

The following Sample Questions were written by The CLT Prep. For the sake of time, the passage of the short story “Young Goodman Brown” that corresponds to these questions is not included.

These questions give a thorough sample of the different question types students answer on the CLT Verbal Reasoning section.

Vocab in Context Questions:

These questions test a student’s ability to understand the meaning of a word or phrase in the given context of the passage.

Example:

1. As it is used in paragraph 7, sentence 1, the word “smote” most nearly means
   A. Whaled
   B. Claimed
   C. Reproached
   D. Punched

Finding Details Questions:

These questions tests a student’s ability to understand key facts in the passage.

Example:

1. According to the passage, the second traveler is
   A. Young Goodman Brown’s father
   B. Unremarkable apart from the staff he carries
   C. Fifty Years old
   D. Fascinated by the meeting point
2. Young Goodman Brown first sees the second traveler
   A. As soon as he walks into the street of Salem village
   B. Sitting beside an old tree
   C. Deep in the forest
   D. Holding pink ribbons by the meeting-house

Analogies (also called Passage Relationships):

These questions measure a student’s understand of the connections between different characters, events, and ideas in the passage.

The following questions have important connections between characters and ideas in the passage. The answer choices may or may not be ideas directly from the passage, but the connection between the ideas must remain the same.

In number 1, the connection between Second Traveler and Grave Attire is that the Second Traveler wears Grave Attire. The correct answer is A. Answer choices B and C are incorrect because they are the opposite of the correct answer. For example, B would need to say “Referee : Uniform” in order to be a correct answer.

1. Second Traveler : Grave Attire
   A. Faith: Pink Ribbons
   B. Uniform : Referee
   C. Suit : Professor
   D. Journey : Faith
2. Faith : Heaven
   A. Evil Purpose : Young Goodman Brown
   B. Wife : Husband
   C. Second Traveler : Present Evil Purpose
   D. Excellent Resolve : Present Evil Purpose

Main Idea Questions:

These questions test a student’s ability to accurately interpret the main ideas of the passage.

1. Which of the following best describes the relationship between Young Goodman Brown and the second traveler?
   A. Young Goodman Brown is anxious to prove himself to the second traveler
   B. Young Goodman Brown is determined to accompany the second traveler on a journey
   C. Young Goodman Brown is thankful for years of mentorship from the second traveler
   D. Young Goodman Brown is accustomed to going on walks with the second traveler
2. The primary purpose of this passage is
   A. To detail how Young Goodman Brown lost Faith
   B. To expose the sinfulness of Salem villagers
   C. To explain Young Goodman Brown’s journey into the forest
   D. To share Young Goodman Brown’s vision for his future

Structure Questions:

These test a student’s ability to understand literary devices – like similes, metaphor, and hyperbole – the purpose of a paragraph, order of events in the story, or the narrative style of a story.

1. In paragraph 9, the author uses all of the following literary techniques EXCEPT:
   A. Third person narrative
   B. Simile
   C. Quotations
   D. Foreshadowing
2. Throughout the story, the forest serves as a
   A. Simile
   B. Metaphor
   C. Counterexample
   D. Protagonist
3. The final paragraph is
   A. an explanation of the journey
   B. a cliffhanger
   C. an argument in favor of taking the journey
   D. the foundation of Young Goodman Brown’s perspective

Inference Questions:

Test a student’s ability to correctly infer the meaning of a portion of the passage.

1. It can be inferred from the passage that
   A. Faith is excited about her husband’s journey
   B. Young Goodman Brown has no reservations about his journey
   C. Faith is uncertain that her husband’s journey is a good idea
   D. The second traveler is Young Goodman Brown’s lifelong friend

Themes and Point of View:

Test a student’s ability to understand the point of view of a character, the tone of the passage, or the motive of certain characters.

1. Young Goodman Brown’s meeting with the second traveler is characterized by
   A. Joy
   B. Uneasiness
   C. Timeliness
   D. Worldliness

Supporting Arguments (Evidence): 

Test a student’s ability to find textual support for the answer to a previous question. 

The following question corresponds to the Themes and Point of View Question above. 

1. Which lines in the passage provide the best evidence in support of the answer to the previous question?
   A. Paragraph 10, Sentence 2 (“You are… said he”)
   B. Paragraph 3, Sentence 2 (“My journey… night!”)
   C. Paragraph 11, Sentence 1 (“Faith… unexpected”)
   D. Paragraph 12, Sentence 3 (“And yet… world”)

The following Sample Questions were written by The CLT Prep. For the sake of time, the majority of the passage, an adapted version of Summa Theologica, has been omitted.

Important Note: The reading level of these questions has not been adapted to the reading level of the CLT, and the questions are meant to serve only as examples of the types of questions students might see.

The word or phrase that is the subject of the question is underlined. The first five questions are sample Grammar Questions, the next five are sample Writing Questions.

Subject / Verb Agreement

“The effects of God does not imitate Him perfectly, but only as far as they are able; the imitation is imperfect, precisely because what is simple and one can only be represented by diverse things.”

1. does not
   A. NO CHANGE
   B. do not
   C. doesn’t
   D. did not

Parts of Speech in Context (Pronouns, Prepositions, Adjectives, or Adverbs)

“…humanity connotes all that is included in the definition of man, for it is by this that man is man, and it is this that humanity signifies, that, namely, whereby man is man.”

1. “by this”
   A. NO CHANGE
   B. at this point
   C. across from this
   D. against this

Punctuation Questions

“In created things, the material being is not identical to its nature; a man is not the same as his humanity.”

1. things,
   A. NO CHANGE
   B. things;
   C. ,things, 
   D. things)

Complex Sentences

Therefore, God must differ from man, for in God there is Essence and Substance, while no man in any of the many nations encapsulates the entire essence of humanity

1. man, for
   A. NO CHANGE
   B. man; for
   C. man – for
   D. man for

Parallel Structures

“God hath in Him every substance, His very essence, and His entire nature.“

1. every substance, His very essence, and His entire nature
   A. NO CHANCE
   B. every substance, His very essence, and nature.
   C. every subtance, essence, and His entire nature
   D. substance, His very essence, and nature

Word Choice (Writing)

“For the nature of man can be said to consist of flesh and bones, among other qualities.”

1. consist
   A. NO CHANGE
   B. contain
   C. consistent
   D. insistent

Conciseness / Clarity

“Further, the effect is assimilated to its cause; every agent produces its like.”

1. Which of the following choices represents the clearest and most concise way to convey all of the information in the sentence?
    
   Further, the effect is assimilated to its cause; every agent produces its like.
    
   A. NO CHANGE
   B. Further, the cause usually assimilates itself to the effect; every agent produces a form equivalent to it and of the same character.
   C. Further, the effect is assimilated to its cause.
   D. Further, the effects of this are assimilated to the cause; every agent produces a form equal to itself and of the same genus.

Insertions / Evidence

Thus, by saying that His Essence, life, or truth, are in God, we state the living being of God in terms we can understand; we do not claim that He exists in the same way as a composite being.

For humans cannot fully understand or explain the nature of God in our own terms.

1. The author is considering inserting this sentence. Should the sentence be kept or deleted?

   For humans cannot fully understand or explain the nature of God in our own terms.

   A. Yes, because the sentence breaks up a dense paragraph
   B. Yes, because the sentence supports the main idea of the passage.
   C. No, because the sentence is irrelevant to the topic.
   D. No, because the sentence repeats information that is tangential to the topic.

Matching the Tone of the Passage

1. Which of the following best matches the tone of the passage? 
    
   We can discuss his simplicity with abstract nouns, for eternal subjects are, to us, not concrete.
    
   A. NO CHANGE
   B. We can talk candidly about his simplicity with abstract nouns, for simple subjects are, in my opinion, not concrete right now. 
   C. I could talk at length about his simplicity with abstract nouns, because my understanding of simple subjects isn’t very concrete.
   D. We can discuss his simplicity with abstract nouns, for simple subject are, to us, neither a big deal nor very well understood.

Transitions Between Clauses

1. Therefore, God is not the same as His Essence or Nature. On the contrary, it is said of God that He is His very Nature.
   On the contrary.

   A. NO CHANGE
   B. By the same token,
   C. In the same vein,
   D. In other words,

The following Sample Questions were written by The CLT Prep.

There are many topics covered in Quantitative Reasoning’s Algebra, Geometry, and Mathematical Reasoning questions.

We have only shared three sample questions that will show you the question types that are unique to the CLT. Many questions are similar to other standardized tests, so those questions are not included in this article.

There are more sample questions available for free, published by Classic Learning Test.

Algebra:

This Special Symbols Algebra Example Question.

Geometry: 

This is a Properties of Shapes Example Question.

Students have access to information about the side length ratios of the special triangles mentioned in this question when they take the CLT.

Mathematical Reasoning:

This is a Conditions Logic example question. There are other Mathematical Reasoning question types that are similar.

1. Understand the Test Structure
2. Learn More Material
3. Practice, Practice, Practice

Understand the Test

It’s hard to think critically when you don’t know what to think about. That’s why the first step is understanding the test! The CLT will have the same question types every single time you take it.

Which means you can plan exactly how to answer each question you will see on the test.

Learn what questions to expect and how to answer them! You’ll be on your way to improving on the CLT.

Learn the Material

Once you understand the questions on the test, you need to learn more!

What is the proper way to use, commas? Surely that was wrong? Yes, it was. Can you tell me exactly why?

Some students know when the answer looks wrong. Our students know why it’s wrong! We know because they have to explain why every answer choice is correct or incorrect!

Uncertainty causes confusion, which leads to wasted time and wrong answers.

Don’t guess! Understand the question, learn the rules, and choose the right answer!

Practice, Practice, Practice

After you understand the questions and learn what separates the right answer from the wrong ones, you need to practice!

The CLT Prep has study guides to help you practice what you’ve learned – a few questions at a time!