Free ALCPT Practice Test: Listening and Reading

How this practice test works

The two parts of the ALCPT: 20 listening questions, then 30 reading questions (the real test has 50 of each).
30 minutes is about the pace of the real test. The timer is optional.
Check my answers gives your score for each part and the explanation of every question.

0 of 50 answered

Part 1. Listening 20 questions

Press Play for each question. You hear a statement, a question or a short conversation, then you read the question and choose the answer.

Listen, then answer.
1When does the bus after the 10:40 bus leave?
What you heard
The bus to the airport leaves every twenty minutes. The next one is at ten forty.
D. At 11:00 10:40 plus 20 minutes is 11:00.
Listen, then answer.
2Choose the best answer.
What you heard
Could you tell me where the nearest ATM is?
C. There's one in front of the bank. The man is asking for a place, so the best answer gives a location. "Yes, I could" does not give the information.
Listen, then answer.
3What do we know about Sergeant Diaz?
What you heard
Sergeant Diaz used to smoke, but he quit last year.
A. He does not smoke now. "Used to" means in the past but not now, and "quit" means stopped.
Listen, then answer.
4What will the man probably do?
What you heard
Man: Should I wear my dress uniform to the ceremony?
Woman: Yes. And make sure your shoes are polished.
C. Wear his dress uniform and polish his shoes. She says yes to the dress uniform and tells him to polish his shoes.
Listen, then answer.
5How does the man probably feel?
What you heard
I've been waiting for over an hour, and the mechanic still hasn't called me.
B. Impatient Waiting more than an hour with no news makes a person impatient.
Listen, then answer.
6When must the students give their homework to the teacher?
What you heard
Hand in your homework on Monday at the latest.
A. No later than Monday "At the latest" means "not after this time".
Listen, then answer.
7Where will they eat?
What you heard
Man: Do you want to eat at the dining facility or go off base?
Woman: Let's stay here. It's raining too hard to drive.
B. On base "Let's stay here": they will not drive off base, so they will eat at the dining facility on base.
Listen, then answer.
8How long did the training last?
What you heard
The training was supposed to last three weeks, but it was extended by one more week.
B. Four weeks Three weeks, extended by one more week: four weeks.
Listen, then answer.
9Choose the best answer.
What you heard
Whose helmet is this?
A. I think it's Corporal White's. "Whose" asks who something belongs to.
Listen, then answer.
10What does the woman suggest?
What you heard
Man: The colonel wants the plan by noon.
Woman: Then we'd better get the ball rolling.
C. They should start working now. "Get the ball rolling" means start an activity.
Listen, then answer.
11When does the store close on Saturdays?
What you heard
The store is open from nine to five on weekdays, and from ten to two on Saturdays. It's closed on Sundays.
C. At 2:00 "From ten to two on Saturdays": it closes at two.
Listen, then answer.
12What does the woman mean?
What you heard
Man: Is this seat taken?
Woman: No, go ahead.
B. The man can sit there. The seat is free, and "go ahead" gives permission: he can sit there.
Listen, then answer.
13What does the man mean?
What you heard
I'd have called you if I had known you were in town.
B. He did not know the listener was in town. Third conditional: an unreal past. He did not know, so he did not call.
Listen, then answer.
14Choose the best answer.
What you heard
How far is the firing range from here?
C. About three miles. "How far" asks about distance.
Listen, then answer.
15Where does the woman usually leave the keys?
What you heard
Man: I can't find the keys to the supply room.
Woman: Did you check the drawer of my desk? I usually leave them there.
C. In her desk drawer She says "the drawer of my desk".
Listen, then answer.
16Who does NOT have to attend the briefing?
What you heard
Everyone except the new students has to attend the safety briefing.
A. The new students "Except" leaves someone out: the new students do not have to attend.
Listen, then answer.
17What does the woman imply?
What you heard
Man: How was the movie?
Woman: I fell asleep halfway through.
D. The movie was boring. She fell asleep in the middle of the movie: she suggests that it was boring.
Listen, then answer.
18How much did the temperature drop?
What you heard
The temperature dropped from seventy degrees to forty degrees overnight.
B. Thirty degrees From 70 to 40 degrees: a drop of 30 degrees.
Listen, then answer.
19Choose the best answer.
What you heard
Have you ever been to New York?
D. Yes, I went there two years ago. "Have you ever...?" asks about past experience. Only "Yes, I went there two years ago" talks about a past visit.
Listen, then answer.
20How does the man feel?
What you heard
Woman: I heard you got promoted. Congratulations!
Man: Thanks. I can hardly believe it myself.
B. Surprised and happy "I can hardly believe it" shows surprise, and he thanks her: he is happy about the promotion.

Part 2. Reading 30 questions

Choose the answer that best completes the sentence, or that has the same meaning as the words in color.

21In the middle of his speech, he went off the deep end.
B. He started acting berserk. to go off the deep end = to act crazily, insanely. To go into a violent rage.
22Where did you pick up those bad words?
C. learn Pick up = learn something informally, just by hearing or seeing it, without studying.
23I ______ Brussels next year.
B. am visiting A settled plan -> present progressive with future meaning.
24The report _______ yet.
A. hasn't been finished Passive, present perfect: hasn't been + past participle.
25I'd rather you _______ mention this to anyone.
A. didn't 'Would rather + subject' + past tense: I'd rather you didn't.
26When I got to the pier, the ship ______ already ______.
B. had / sailed The past perfect (had sailed) shows an action completed before another past action (I got to the pier).
27If they had left earlier, they _______ the convoy.
A. would have caught Third conditional: if + past perfect, would have + past participle.
28According to the drill instructor, the trainees ______ the barracks right now.
A. are cleaning Plural subject with right now.
29He ______ smoking two years ago.
B. gave up ago -> simple past.
30Before _____, he meditated for three minutes.
B. starting Before is a preposition here, so it is followed by a noun or a gerund: starting is the -ing form of start.
31She ______ in this office since she graduated.
C. has worked since -> present perfect.
32When the alarm went off, the soldiers ______.
B. were sleeping An action in progress (were sleeping) interrupted by a short action in the simple past (went off).
33Last week, he promised me that he _____ attend yesterday's meeting.
D. would Reported speech: the reporting verb promised is in the past, so will becomes would.
34Surprisingly, the people of that country ______ any gum disease.
B. don't have People is plural, so don't have.
35Deborah ______ a car before she went to New Zealand.
B. had had Earlier action, so the past perfect of have.
36Q: ______ he ever passed the ECL? A: Yes, one time.
C. Has ever + experience -> present perfect.
37There was a fire _____ the library yesterday.
B. in Use in for something inside a building: in the library, in the dorms, in the hotel.
38She chose _____ by train rather than by plane.
B. to travel Choose is followed by the full infinitive.
39Q: Does your brother have dimples? A: No, he ______ dimples.
C. doesn't have Negative of have as a full verb in the present.
40He's plying a new trade these days.
A. He has a different job. A trade = a job. To ply a trade = to work at a job.
41While I was driving to work this morning, I ______ about my briefing.
D. was thinking Two actions in progress at the same time: past progressive.
42I ______ him for twenty years and I still trust him.
C. have known know is a state verb, so duration takes the present perfect.
43Craig and his family ______ in Buenos Aires last year at this time.
A. were Plural subject in the past, so were.
44Which of the following can hover?
D. a helicopter Hover = to stay in the air in one stationary place (for a while)
45I _____ finishing the report right now.
C. am right now = present progressive I AM finishing.
46I ______ a good movie last night.
B. saw "Last night" requires past tense.
47I go to _______ work by car every day.
A. (no article) No article in fixed expressions: go to work / go to bed.
48Is he ______ to understand the technical manual?
B. likely Asking about probability: be likely to.
49I have too much work already. I can't accept the responsibility for any more.
A. take on Take on = to accept the responsibility for more work or for more duties
50Just as I was walking into the classroom, the bell ______.
C. rang A short action that interrupts another one: simple past (rang).

ALCPT or ECL?

The two tests come from the same school and measure the same two skills, but they do different jobs: the ALCPT places and screens students inside English training programs, and the ECL is the official measure for training decisions. Read ECL vs ALCPT for the details, or try the ECL practice test.

Questions people ask

What is the ALCPT?

The American Language Course Placement Test. According to its 2025 handbook, it places students in the right level of the American Language Course, checks progress at the end of a level, screens candidates before the ECL and evaluates the English of local personnel.

How many questions are on the ALCPT?

100 questions: 50 listening and 50 reading, in about 70 minutes (about 20 for listening and 35 for reading, plus the instructions).

How is the ALCPT scored?

Scores are linked to the levels of the American Language Course books. The handbook notes that scores of 29 or below are not valid indicators of a level. Scores explained.

Can I get real ALCPT tests?

No. DLIELC is the only source of ALCPT materials and only authorized officials may handle them, so real forms do not circulate. Practice the skills instead: that is what this test does, with original questions.