English Reading and Writing Test for Naturalization

USCIS includes English reading and writing requirements within the naturalization interview and test. The agency’s interview-and-test page is the official reference for the English components, including the way USCIS describes the reading and writing tests. This guide keeps the English material separate from the civics question list because the two parts rely on different USCIS resources. USCIS naturalization interview and test information.

The same USCIS page also places the English test in the broader naturalization interview context. For any individual instructions, an applicant should use USCIS notices and case-specific information in addition to the public page. This avoids treating a general study summary as a substitute for an official notice.

Reading and writing are distinct components

USCIS presents reading and writing as separate English-test components. A study routine can mirror that distinction: reading practice can focus on understanding the material USCIS describes for reading, while writing practice can focus on the writing component USCIS identifies. The official USCIS page should be checked for the current testing description instead of relying on a copied rule from an older resource.

The civics portion is separate from reading and writing. For applicants who filed Form N-400 on or after October 20, 2025, USCIS says the civics test is oral and uses a 128-question list. The officer may ask up to 20 questions, and 12 correct answers are required to pass on the regular format. USCIS 2025 civics test guidance.

Use official materials for rules and re-examination information

USCIS’s naturalization interview and test page is also the source to consult for the agency’s re-examination information. The exact next steps in an individual case come from USCIS, so a public guide should point to that page and to the person’s official notices rather than predict a case outcome.

English practice and civics practice can be logged separately because they are separate parts of the naturalization test. That separation also makes a return to the correct official source straightforward when a question is about reading, writing, civics, or a follow-up test instruction.

For related information, read the naturalization interview guide, N-400 interview questions, and failed citizenship test for an official-source approach to a retest question.

FAQ

Is reading part of the naturalization English test?

Yes. USCIS describes reading as an English-test component on its naturalization interview and test page.

Is writing part of the naturalization English test?

Yes. USCIS also describes writing as an English-test component on the same official page.

Is the civics test the same as the reading and writing test?

No. USCIS describes civics separately. For the 2025 format, the agency says the civics test is oral. USCIS 2025 civics test guidance.