English as part of the citizenship interview
Applicants for United States citizenship by naturalization take an English test as part of their interview, alongside a civics test. This article summarises the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) page “The Naturalization Interview and Test” and Chapter 2, “English and Civics Testing”, of Part E of Volume 12 of the USCIS Policy Manual. It concerns US federal naturalization requirements, which apply throughout the United States. It is general information, not immigration advice, and an applicant’s own circumstances determine which rules apply.
The three parts (United States)
USCIS says the English test has speaking, reading and writing components. The speaking component is not a separate exam. It is assessed by the officer during the eligibility interview on Form N-400, the application for naturalization. The Policy Manual says the applicant must generally understand and respond meaningfully to questions relevant to their naturalization eligibility. An applicant can ask for clarification, and minor errors do not prevent a pass.
Reading is a separate task. The applicant must read aloud one out of three sentences correctly, according to USCIS, and the Policy Manual says the reading must be without extended pauses and must convey the meaning of the sentence. Content words cannot be omitted or substituted.
Writing follows the same pattern. The applicant must write one of three sentences correctly, and the Policy Manual says that the officer must be able to understand what has been written. Spelling, capitalization and punctuation errors are acceptable if they do not obscure the meaning. Abbreviations are not permitted.
Vocabulary and study materials (United States)
USCIS says the study materials for the reading and writing tests focus on civics and history vocabulary. The sentences are therefore likely to draw on those themes, and learners of English preparing for the test can prepare for both the language and the subject matter together.
Two attempts (United States)
The Policy Manual says applicants receive two opportunities: an initial examination and a re-examination. USCIS says that a failed portion is retested between 60 and 90 days after the initial interview. Failing any portion after the two attempts results in denial of the application.
Exceptions for age and residence (United States)
The Policy Manual lists exceptions from the English requirement:
- an applicant aged 50 or over with 20 years as a lawful permanent resident is exempt from the English test, though the civics test is still required and an interpreter may be used; and
- an applicant aged 55 or over with 15 years as a lawful permanent resident receives the same exemption.
An applicant aged 65 or over with 20 years of lawful permanent residence receives specially designated civics test forms. A medical disability exception can be requested with Form N-648, which allows exemption from the English requirement, the civics requirement, or both.
The civics test that accompanies it (United States)
Both pages describe two versions of the civics test, and the version depends on when Form N-400 was filed. For applications filed before 20 October 2025, the 2008 test applies: an oral test of up to 10 questions drawn from 100, with 6 correct answers needed to pass. For applications filed on or after 20 October 2025, the 2025 test applies: 20 questions drawn from a bank of 128, with 12 correct answers needed. USCIS says the 2025 test can end in failure when 9 questions have been answered incorrectly, against 5 for the 2008 test. The English components are described in the same way for both versions.
Learning English for the test
Learners can practise the reading and writing sentences in the same context as the civics vocabulary, and speaking preparation matters because the interview itself is the speaking test. The site’s guides on choosing a language course, one-to-one and group learning and online live tutoring compare formats, and the piece on CEFR levels explains how levels are described in other systems.
Common questions
Is there a separate speaking exam? No. USCIS says speaking is assessed by the officer during the N-400 interview.
How many sentences must be right? One out of three for reading and one out of three for writing, according to USCIS.
Can the English test be waived? The Policy Manual lists age-and-residence exceptions and a medical disability exception using Form N-648.
Are abbreviations allowed in the writing test? The Policy Manual says abbreviations are not permitted.
What happens after a failed portion? USCIS says the failed portion is retested between 60 and 90 days after the initial interview, and the Policy Manual says failure after two attempts results in denial.
Can a reader pause while reading aloud? The Policy Manual says the sentence must be read without extended pauses and must convey its meaning.
The bottom line
In the United States, the naturalization English test assesses speaking during the N-400 interview, requires reading aloud one of three sentences and writing one of three dictated sentences, and allows two attempts, with retesting 60 to 90 days later. Age and residence exceptions and a medical disability route exist, and the civics test that accompanies it changed for applications filed on or after 20 October 2025.
Sources
- US Citizenship and Immigration Services, “The Naturalization Interview and Test”
- US Citizenship and Immigration Services, “USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 12, Part E, Chapter 2: English and Civics Testing”