Citizenship reading and writing test: official vocabulary and 60 sentences

To pass you must read 1 of 3 sentences correctly and write 1 of 3 dictated sentences. Every sentence uses only words from USCIS's official vocabulary lists. This part did not change with the 2025 test.

If you qualify for 50/20, 55/15 or 65/20, you don't take this test. See exemptions

How it's scored

Reading

The officer shows you up to three sentences (they're all questions). You must read one out loud correctly; once you do, the reading test stops. You don't have to answer the question you read, and nobody fails for an accent.

You can fail if you leave out or change a content word, pause for a long time, or mispronounce words so the meaning is lost.

Writing

The officer reads up to three sentences out loud; you must write one so it can be understood. Spelling, capital-letter or punctuation mistakes don't fail you unless they change the meaning. Don't use abbreviations, and write numbers as words or digits clearly.

You can fail if you write a different sentence, write something illegible, or leave out words that change the meaning.

Reading vocabulary list

People

Abraham Lincoln George Washington

Civics

American flag Bill of Rights capital citizen city Congress country Father of Our Country government President right Senators state/states White House

Places

America United States U.S.

Holidays

Presidents’ Day Memorial Day Flag Day Independence Day Labor Day Columbus Day Thanksgiving

Question words

How What When Where Who Why

Verbs

can come do/does elects have/has is/are/was/be lives/lived meet name pay vote want

Other (function)

a for here in of on the to we

Other (content)

colors dollar bill first largest many most north one people second south

Writing vocabulary list

People

Adams Lincoln Washington

Civics

American Indians capital citizens Civil War Congress Father of Our Country flag free freedom of speech President right Senators state/states White House

Places

Alaska California Canada Delaware Mexico New York City United States Washington Washington, D.C.

Months

February May June July September October November

Holidays

Presidents’ Day Memorial Day Flag Day Independence Day Labor Day Columbus Day Thanksgiving

Verbs

can come elect have/has is/was/be lives/lived meets pay vote want

Other (function)

and during for here in of on the to we

Other (content)

blue dollar bill fifty/50 first largest most north one one hundred/100 people red second south taxes white

60 sentences to practice reading

Written by us using only words from the official list, like the real ones. Read them out loud.

1. Who was the first President?
2. Who is the Father of Our Country?
3. What is the capital of the United States?
4. Who lives in the White House?
5. Where is the White House?
6. What is the largest state?
7. What is the largest city in the United States?
8. What city has the most people?
9. What state has the most people?
10. What country is north of the United States?
11. What country is south of the United States?
12. When is Presidents’ Day?
13. When is Memorial Day?
14. When is Flag Day?
15. When is Independence Day?
16. When is Labor Day?
17. When is Columbus Day?
18. When is Thanksgiving?
19. Who elects Congress?
20. Can a citizen vote?
21. What right does a citizen have?
22. What do we pay to the government?
23. What colors are on the American flag?
24. Who is on the dollar bill?
25. Who was the second President?
26. When was Abraham Lincoln President?
27. Why do people come to America?
28. Where does Congress meet?
29. How many Senators do we have?
30. How many states are in the United States?
31. When do we vote for President?
32. Who lived in the White House first?
33. What is one right in the Bill of Rights?
34. What was the first state?
35. Who elects the President?
36. Who elects the Senators?
37. When do we vote for Congress?
38. What right do people have in America?
39. Who lived in America first?
40. What is the largest state in the United States?
41. What country is south of here?
42. What does a citizen pay to the government?
43. What does a citizen want to do?
44. Why do people want to be a citizen?
45. When do people vote for President?
46. Where is the capital of the United States?
47. Where do the Senators meet?
48. What do people want?
49. What city was the first capital of the United States?
50. What is one right of a citizen?
51. When do we have Flag Day?
52. When do we have Thanksgiving?
53. Who was the second President of the United States?
54. Who was the first President of the United States?
55. Who do people vote for?
56. Who can a citizen vote for?
57. What is the largest state in America?
58. Why is George Washington on the dollar bill?
59. Who elects the people in Congress?
60. What is the U.S. capital?

60 sentences to practice dictation

Have someone read them to you (or use the voiced dictation in the app) and write them without looking.

1. Washington was the first President.
2. Washington is the Father of Our Country.
3. Washington, D.C. is the capital of the United States.
4. The President lives in the White House.
5. The White House is in Washington, D.C.
6. Alaska is the largest state.
7. New York City is north of Delaware.
8. New York City has the most people.
9. California has the most people.
10. Canada is north of the United States.
11. Mexico is south of the United States.
12. Presidents’ Day is in February.
13. Memorial Day is in May.
14. Flag Day is in June.
15. Independence Day is in July.
16. Labor Day is in September.
17. Columbus Day is in October.
18. Thanksgiving is in November.
19. Citizens elect Congress.
20. Citizens can vote.
21. Citizens have the right to vote.
22. We pay taxes.
23. The flag is red, white, and blue.
24. Washington is on the dollar bill.
25. Adams was the second President.
26. Lincoln was President during the Civil War.
27. People come here to be free.
28. Congress meets in Washington, D.C.
29. The United States has one hundred Senators.
30. The United States has fifty states.
31. We vote for President in November.
32. Adams was the first President in the White House.
33. Freedom of speech is one right.
34. Delaware was the first state.
35. The people elect the President.
36. Citizens elect the Senators.
37. We vote for Congress in November.
38. People in the United States have freedom of speech.
39. American Indians lived here first.
40. Washington is north of California.
41. Mexico is south of California.
42. Citizens pay taxes.
43. We want to vote.
44. We want to be citizens.
45. We elect the President in November.
46. The President lives in Washington, D.C.
47. Congress meets in the capital.
48. Lincoln lived in the White House.
49. New York City was the first capital of the United States.
50. Citizens have freedom of speech.
51. We have Flag Day in June.
52. We have Thanksgiving in November.
53. Adams was the second President of the United States.
54. Washington was the first President of the United States.
55. People vote for the President.
56. Citizens can vote for the President.
57. Alaska is north of Washington.
58. People want to be free.
59. Citizens elect the President and Congress.
60. Labor Day is in September and Columbus Day is in October.