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Choose the correctly spelled name: This President led the country during the Civil War.
- Abraham Lincon
- Abraham Lincoln ✓
- Abrham Lincoln
- Abraham Linkin
ABRAHAM LINCOLN is on the USCIS WRITING VOCABULARY list under PEOPLE. Correct spelling is 'A-B-R-A-H-A-M L-I-N-C-O-L-N.' Common dictation sentences using Lincoln: 'Abraham Lincoln was the President during the Civil War.' 'Lincoln was the President in February.' 'Lincoln was an American President.' …
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Which is the correct spelling of the name of the first U.S. President?
- George Washinton
- George Washington ✓
- Goerge Washington
- George Wasington
GEORGE WASHINGTON is on the USCIS WRITING VOCABULARY list under PEOPLE. Correct spelling: 'G-E-O-R-G-E W-A-S-H-I-N-G-T-O-N.' Note the order of letters in 'Washington' — the trickier letter combinations include 'sh' (s-h) and the ending '-ing-ton.' Common dictation sentences using Washington: 'Georg…
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Which spelling is correct? '[President / Presdent / Predisent] is the leader of the country.'
- Presdent
- President ✓
- Predisent
- Pesident
PRESIDENT is on the USCIS WRITING VOCABULARY list under CIVICS. Correct spelling: 'P-R-E-S-I-D-E-N-T.' Common dictation sentences using 'President': 'The President lives in the White House.' 'The President is in Washington, D.C.' 'The people vote for President.' 'Lincoln was a President.' 'Washingto…
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Choose the correct spelling: 'The capital of the United States is [Wahsington / Washington / Washinton], D.C.'
- Wahsington
- Washington ✓
- Washinton
- Washingten
WASHINGTON is on the USCIS WRITING VOCABULARY list. Correct spelling: 'W-A-S-H-I-N-G-T-O-N.' Pay attention to all the letters — the order is W-A-S-H-I-N-G-T-O-N (the 'sh' in the middle is followed by 'ington'). The word 'Washington' can mean the person George Washington OR the place (Washington, D.C…
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Which is the correct spelling of the month when we celebrate Independence Day?
JULY is on the USCIS WRITING VOCABULARY list under MONTHS. Correct spelling: 'J-U-L-Y' (only four letters). All 12 months are on the USCIS writing vocabulary list because dictated sentences often include dates and holidays: JANUARY (J-a-n-u-a-r-y); FEBRUARY (F-e-b-r-u-a-r-y); MARCH (M-a-r-c-h); APRI…
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Which is the correct spelling: 'We celebrate [Tanksgiving / Thanksgiving / Thanksgiveing] in November.'
- Tanksgiving
- Thanksgiving ✓
- Thanksgiveing
- Thanks Giving
THANKSGIVING is on the USCIS WRITING VOCABULARY list. Correct spelling: 'T-H-A-N-K-S-G-I-V-I-N-G' — written as ONE word (no space between 'Thanks' and 'giving'). Pay attention to: starts with 'TH' (not just 'T'); 'GIVING' is spelled with 'I-V-I-N-G' (no 'e' before the 'ing'). Common dictation senten…
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Which is the correct spelling: 'The [flag / flage / flaag] of the United States has 50 stars.'
FLAG is on the USCIS WRITING VOCABULARY list under CIVICS. Correct spelling: 'F-L-A-G' (four letters). Note: NO E at the end. Common dictation sentences using 'flag': 'The flag has 50 stars.' 'The American flag has 50 stars.' 'The flag is red, white, and blue.' 'We have a flag.' 'Flag Day is in June…
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Choose the correctly spelled sentence: ____ ____ was the first President.
- Goerge Washington
- George Washington ✓
- George Wahsington
- Jorge Washington
Correct: 'GEORGE WASHINGTON was the first President.' This is one of the most likely dictation sentences on the USCIS writing test. Practice this exact sentence and similar ones. GEORGE WASHINGTON is spelled: 'G-E-O-R-G-E W-A-S-H-I-N-G-T-O-N.' Tips for spelling: GEORGE starts with G (a soft G sound…
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Which sentence is correctly capitalized and punctuated for the USCIS writing test?
- we live in the united states
- We live in the United States. ✓
- We Live in The United States
- we Live in the United States!
Correct: 'We live in the United States.' This sentence demonstrates several writing rules tested by USCIS: (1) FIRST WORD CAPITALIZED: 'We' starts with a capital W; (2) PROPER NOUN CAPITALIZED: 'United States' is capitalized as a country name (the country); (3) COMMON WORDS LOWERCASE: 'live in the' …
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Which is the correct spelling: 'The U.S. has 100 [Senaters / Senators / Senotors] in Congress.'
- Senaters
- Senators ✓
- Senotors
- Senatoors
SENATORS is on the USCIS WRITING VOCABULARY list under CIVICS. Correct spelling: 'S-E-N-A-T-O-R-S.' The ending is '-ators' (a-t-o-r-s), NOT '-aters' (no 'e'). Note: many English nouns ending in 'or' (senator, actor, doctor) are commonly misspelled with 'er' (sometimes correct for some words but not …
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If the officer dictates: 'Adams was the second President.' Which spelling is correct?
- Adams was the secund President.
- Adams was the second President. ✓
- Adams was the secondPresident.
- Adam was the second president.
Correct: 'Adams was the second President.' This sentence uses key vocabulary that may appear on the writing test. KEY SPELLING POINTS: (1) ADAMS — last name capitalized: 'A-d-a-m-s' (note 's' at the end; this is JOHN ADAMS, the second President's last name, spelled with the plural-style 's'); (2) SE…
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Choose the correctly spelled sentence with two place names: 'Alaska is north of [Caldifornia / California / Calefornia].'
- Caldifornia
- California ✓
- Calefornia
- California's
CALIFORNIA is on the USCIS WRITING VOCABULARY list under PLACES. Correct spelling: 'C-A-L-I-F-O-R-N-I-A.' This is one of the more difficult place names to spell. Note: (1) starts with CALI- (not CALE- or CALID-); (2) F-O-R-N-I-A in the middle; (3) ends with -IA. Common dictation sentences using stat…
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Choose the correct spelling: 'The [Congres / Congress / Congrass] meets in Washington, D.C.'
- Congres
- Congress ✓
- Congrass
- Congras
CONGRESS is on the USCIS WRITING VOCABULARY list under CIVICS. Correct spelling: 'C-O-N-G-R-E-S-S' (note TWO 'S's at the end). Common dictation sentences: 'Congress meets in Washington.' 'Congress meets in Washington, D.C.' 'Senators are in Congress.' 'We elect Congress.' Capitalize 'Congress' as a …
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Choose the correctly spelled sentence: 'The [White House / Whitehouse / White house] is in Washington, D.C.'
- Whitehouse
- White House ✓
- White house
- white house
WHITE HOUSE is correctly written as TWO SEPARATE WORDS, BOTH CAPITALIZED: 'White House.' This is on the USCIS WRITING VOCABULARY list under CIVICS. Correct: 'White House' (with space, capital W, capital H). INCORRECT versions: 'Whitehouse' (no, should be two words); 'White house' (no, both words sho…
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If the officer dictates 'Memorial Day is in May,' which is correct?
- Memorial day is in may.
- Memorial Day is in May. ✓
- Memorial Day Is In May.
- memorial day is in may
Correct: 'Memorial Day is in May.' Capitalization rules: (1) CAPITALIZE the first letter of the sentence: 'M' in Memorial; (2) CAPITALIZE proper nouns and proper adjectives — 'Memorial Day' (a holiday name, both words capitalized) and 'May' (a month, capitalized); (3) DO NOT capitalize: common words…
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Choose the correct spelling: '[Independance / Independence / Independance] Day is in July.'
- Independance
- Independence ✓
- Independants
- Indipendense
INDEPENDENCE is on the USCIS WRITING VOCABULARY list. Correct spelling: 'I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-E-N-C-E.' This is a commonly misspelled word. Pay attention: ends in '-ENCE' (not '-ANCE'). Pattern: in-de-pen-DENCE. Many English words end in -ence vs -ance — there's no perfect rule, but INDEPENDENCE is -ence…
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If dictated: 'The flag is red, white, and blue.' Which spelling is correct?
- The flage is red, white, and blue.
- The flag is red, white, and blue. ✓
- The flag is read, white, and blue.
- The flag is red white and blue.
Correct: 'The flag is red, white, and blue.' Key spelling and grammar points: (1) FLAG — F-L-A-G (no 'e' at end); (2) RED — R-E-D (the color; not 'read' which is pronounced the same but means a different thing; READ is the past tense of the verb 'to read'); (3) WHITE — W-H-I-T-E; (4) BLUE — B-L-U-E;…
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Choose the correctly spelled sentence: 'Lincoln was the [Persident / President / Presidant] during the Civil War.'
- Persident
- President ✓
- Presidant
- Pressident
Correct: 'Lincoln was the President during the Civil War.' Spelling: PRESIDENT = P-R-E-S-I-D-E-N-T (9 letters). Common mistake: writing 'Presidant' with 'a' instead of 'e' at the end. The correct spelling ends in '-IDENT' (i-d-e-n-t), not '-IDANT.' Memory aid: think of 'resident' which has the same …
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If dictated: 'People in America have the right to vote.' Choose the correctly spelled and capitalized version:
- people in america have the right to vote.
- People in America have the right to vote. ✓
- People In America Have The Right To Vote.
- People in America have the rite to vote.
Correct: 'People in America have the right to vote.' Key elements: (1) FIRST WORD CAPITALIZED: 'People' starts with capital P; (2) AMERICA capitalized (proper noun, name of country); (3) Lowercase common words ('in,' 'have,' 'the,' 'to'); (4) RIGHT spelled 'r-i-g-h-t' (not 'rite' which has a differe…
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Which sentence is correctly written using USCIS writing vocabulary?
- the white house is in washington dc
- The White House is in Washington, D.C. ✓
- The white house is in washington, d.c.
- THE WHITE HOUSE IS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
Correct: 'The White House is in Washington, D.C.' This combines several writing rules and vocabulary items: (1) FIRST WORD CAPITALIZED: 'The' starts with capital T; (2) WHITE HOUSE — two words, both capitalized (proper name of the building); (3) IS — lowercase common verb; (4) IN — lowercase preposi…
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Which is the correct spelling of the month when we celebrate Thanksgiving?
- Novmeber
- November ✓
- Noveber
- Noviembre
NOVEMBER is the 11th month of the year. Correct spelling: N-O-V-E-M-B-E-R (8 letters). Common dictation sentences: 'Thanksgiving is in November.' 'Labor Day is in September.' Remember the months that pair with holidays for the USCIS writing test: February — Presidents Day; May — Memorial Day; June —…
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A sentence uses the word 'citizens.' Which spelling is correct?
- citizins
- citizens ✓
- citisens
- citazens
CITIZENS is on the USCIS WRITING VOCABULARY list under CIVICS. Correct spelling: C-I-T-I-Z-E-N-S. Singular: citizen (C-I-T-I-Z-E-N). Plural: citizens (add S). Common dictation sentences: 'Citizens have the right to vote.' 'Citizens can vote.' 'There are many citizens in America.' Spelling tip: the r…
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Which sentence is correctly written for a USCIS dictation test?
- freedom of speech is important
- Freedom of speech is important. ✓
- Freedom Of Speech Is Important.
- FREEDOM OF SPEECH IS IMPORTANT.
Correct: 'Freedom of speech is important.' CAPITALIZATION RULES demonstrated: FIRST WORD capitalized: 'Freedom' (capital F); PROPER NOUN: Freedom of speech is a proper concept but uses regular capitalization rules — only the first word of the sentence is capitalized here, not every word; 'speech' an…
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Which is the correct spelling: 'Columbus [Day / Dai / Daye] is in October.'
Correct sentence: 'Columbus Day is in October.' COLUMBUS DAY is on the USCIS HOLIDAYS WRITING VOCABULARY list. Correct spelling: C-O-L-U-M-B-U-S D-A-Y. 'Day' spelling: D-A-Y (3 letters, ends in Y not I). Common dictation sentences: 'Columbus Day is in October.' 'We celebrate Columbus Day in October…
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A writing test sentence says: 'The [Father of Our Country / Father of are Country] was George Washington.' Which phrase is correct?
- Father of are Country
- Father of Our Country ✓
- Father of Hour Country
- Father of Ower Country
Correct: 'Father of Our Country' is the proper title for George Washington. WRITING VOCABULARY: FATHER OF OUR COUNTRY is on the USCIS CIVICS WRITING VOCABULARY list. It is a PROPER NOUN PHRASE and should be capitalized: Father (capital F), of (lowercase), Our (capital O), Country (capital C) — all w…
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Write the sentence: 'The President signs bills into law.' Which word is spelled correctly?
- Prezident
- Presedent
- President ✓
- Presodent
PRESIDENT — the correct spelling. P-R-E-S-I-D-E-N-T. The USCIS writing test requires writing a sentence that is spoken aloud by the interviewing officer. You must write clearly and legibly. The most commonly misspelled civic words: President (not Prezident); Congress (not Congres); Constitution (not…
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The USCIS writing test asks you to write a sentence spoken by the officer. Which sentence below represents an acceptable writing test response if the officer says: 'Congress makes the laws.'?
- 'congress make the law' — lowercase, verb error, missing plural
- 'Congress makes the laws.' — correct capitalisation, correct verb, correct plural ✓
- 'The congress make laws' — article error, verb error
- 'Congress made the laws' — wrong tense
USCIS WRITING TEST REQUIREMENTS: You must write the dictated sentence. Acceptable: Correct words written legibly, even with minor spelling variations of non-key words. Common ERRORS to avoid: Capitalise proper nouns (Congress, President, America, United States); Use correct verb form (makes, not mak…
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A USCIS officer dictates: 'The flag has many stars.' The applicant writes: 'The flag has many stars.' Is this acceptable?
- No — must use exact USCIS-approved wording
- Yes — the applicant correctly wrote the dictated sentence with correct spelling and meaning ✓
- No — must include the number of stars
- No — must write in cursive
YES — this is acceptable. The applicant correctly wrote exactly what was dictated. USCIS writing test scoring criteria: PASSING: A written sentence that conveys the meaning of the dictated sentence with recognisable English; major words spelled correctly; sentence is legible. ACCEPTABLE VARIATIONS: …
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Practice sentence for the USCIS writing test: 'Washington is the capital of the United States.' Which word below is most commonly misspelled?
- The
- States
- Capital / Capitol — applicants frequently confuse 'capital' (the city that is the seat of government) with 'Capitol' (the building where Congress meets); Washington, D.C. is the capital city ✓
- United
CAPITAL vs CAPITOL: CAPITAL (with an A) = the city that is the seat of government: 'Washington, D.C. is the capital of the United States'; CAPITOL (with an O) = the specific building where the US Congress meets: 'Congress meets at the Capitol building.' Memory trick: The CAPITOL building has a DOME …
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The USCIS writing test accepts which of the following as the best evidence of passing ability?
- Writing in your native language with perfect grammar
- Writing the dictated English sentence with correct key words, legibly, in English — demonstrating basic English literacy ✓
- Writing the sentence from memory without being prompted
- Having someone else write for you
USCIS WRITING TEST STANDARD: The naturalization interview requires applicants to demonstrate basic English writing ability. PASSING requires: Writing in ENGLISH (not a native language); Writing the CORRECT WORDS (key vocabulary from the dictated sentence); Writing LEGIBLY (officer must be able to re…
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Practice USCIS writing: 'Citizens have the right to vote.' Which part of this sentence requires the most careful spelling?
- have
- the
- Citizens and vote — both are key civics vocabulary that must be spelled correctly; 'Citizens' — C-I-T-I-Z-E-N-S; 'vote' — V-O-T-E ✓
- right
KEY VOCABULARY SPELLING for USCIS writing: CITIZENS — C-I-T-I-Z-E-N-S (note: -ZENS not -SENS or -SONS). VOTE — V-O-T-E (simple but occasionally written 'voat' or 'voot'). RIGHTS — R-I-G-H-T-S. The USCIS writing vocabulary list includes these foundational civics words: citizen(s), vote/voting, freedo…
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The USCIS writing test sentences come from which source?
- Any topic the officer chooses freely
- A standardised list of civics-related sentences based on the 100 USCIS civics questions — the sentences use vocabulary from the civics curriculum so studying the civics questions also prepares you for writing test vocabulary ✓
- Current news events
- The officer's personal choice of any sentence
USCIS WRITING CONTENT: The writing test sentences are drawn from USCIS's standardised vocabulary list covering civics themes — government, history, and American values. This means that studying for the CIVICS oral interview also prepares the vocabulary for the writing test. Common writing test theme…
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Practice: Dictated sentence: 'America is a free nation.' The applicant writes: 'America is a free nashun.' Is this acceptable?
- Yes — the meaning is clear even with the misspelling
- Borderline — 'nashun' is a phonetic spelling of 'nation' that might be accepted at the officer's discretion; however, 'nation' is a key civics word and should be spelled correctly — NATION: N-A-T-I-O-N ✓
- No — only perfectly spelled sentences pass
- Yes — any spelling that sounds similar passes
USCIS SPELLING STANDARDS: 'Nashun' is a phonetic approximation of 'nation' — it shows the applicant heard the word correctly but has a spelling gap. Whether this passes depends on the officer's judgment about whether it demonstrates basic English writing ability. RECOMMENDATION: Learn the correct sp…
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For the USCIS writing test, how many sentences must an applicant write correctly?
- All 3 dictated sentences must be perfect
- At least one sentence out of up to three dictated sentences must be written acceptably to pass ✓
- Five sentences must be written
- There is no minimum
USCIS WRITING PASSING REQUIREMENT: The officer dictates up to 3 sentences. The applicant must write AT LEAST 1 SENTENCE ACCEPTABLY to pass the writing component. This is the same threshold as the reading component (must read 1 out of 3 sentences aloud acceptably). STRATEGY: If you are unsure about a…
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Practice sentence: 'The economy is free in America.' Which word below is from the USCIS writing vocabulary list?
- Economy is on the official USCIS writing vocabulary list
- Free — freedom-related vocabulary (free, freedom) is on the USCIS writing vocabulary list; economy is not on the standard list ✓
- Both words are equally difficult
- Neither word appears in citizenship tests
USCIS OFFICIAL WRITING VOCABULARY includes these words (partial list): People: Adams, Lincoln, Washington; Places: Alaska, California, Canada, Delaware, Mexico, New York City, Washington, D.C.; Civics: American, capital, citizens, Civil War, Congress, Father of Our Country, flag, free/freedom, gover…
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The officer dictates: 'Citizens can vote.' Which is the correct written sentence?
- citizens can vote
- Citizens can vote. ✓
- Citizen can voted
- Citizens kan vote
CORRECT: 'Citizens can vote.' — proper capitalization of the first word, correct spelling, and end punctuation. The USCIS writing test requires writing a dictated sentence in correct, legible English. Common errors to avoid: lowercase first letter ('citizens'), misspellings ('kan,' 'voted' for 'vote…
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The officer dictates: 'The President lives in the White House.' Which word is most important to spell correctly?
- the
- President and White House — key civics nouns; President (P-R-E-S-I-D-E-N-T) and White House are important vocabulary that should be spelled and capitalized correctly ✓
- in
- lives
PRESIDENT and WHITE HOUSE are the key civics nouns in this sentence. PRESIDENT: P-R-E-S-I-D-E-N-T (commonly misspelled as 'Prezident' or 'Presedent'); WHITE HOUSE: two words, both capitalized. The USCIS writing test evaluates whether the applicant can write the dictated sentence with the key words s…
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The officer dictates: 'Washington is the capital.' Which spelling of the key word is correct?
- capitol
- capital — meaning the city that is the seat of government (Washington, D.C. is the capital); note 'capitol' with an 'o' refers to the building where Congress meets ✓
- capitel
- capatal
CAPITAL (with an 'A') is correct here — it means the city that is the seat of government (Washington, D.C. is the capital of the United States). Note the distinction: CAPITAL (city/seat of government) vs CAPITOL (with an 'O' — the building where Congress meets). Memory aid: the CapitOl building has …
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The officer dictates: 'People vote for the President.' Which is the correctly written sentence?
- people vote for the president
- People vote for the President. ✓
- People voted for President
- Peple vote for the Presidant
CORRECT: 'People vote for the President.' — capital 'P' at the start, 'President' capitalized (proper noun/title), correct spelling, and end punctuation. Errors to avoid: lowercase first word and 'president' (should be capitalized as a title here), wrong tense ('voted'), missing word ('the'), and mi…
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The officer dictates a sentence containing the word 'freedom.' What is the correct spelling?
- freedem
- freedom ✓
- fredom
- freadom
FREEDOM is spelled F-R-E-E-D-O-M (double 'e,' then 'd-o-m'). It is a key civics vocabulary word on the USCIS writing test, appearing in sentences about American values and the First Amendment. Common misspellings to avoid: 'fredom' (missing an 'e'), 'freedem,' 'freadom.' The official USCIS reading a…
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The officer dictates: 'The flag is red, white, and blue.' Which color word is spelled correctly?
- wite
- white — W-H-I-T-E; the colors red, white, and blue are common writing-test vocabulary describing the American flag ✓
- blu
- whyte
WHITE is spelled W-H-I-T-E. The colors of the American flag — RED (R-E-D), WHITE (W-H-I-T-E), and BLUE (B-L-U-E) — are common USCIS writing-test vocabulary. Sentences about the flag (its colors, stars, and stripes) appear on the citizenship test. Spelling these basic color words correctly demonstrat…
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The officer dictates: 'Congress meets in Washington.' Which is correctly written?
- congress meets in washington
- Congress meets in Washington. ✓
- Congres meet in Washington
- Congress meats in Washington
CORRECT: 'Congress meets in Washington.' — 'Congress' and 'Washington' capitalized (proper nouns), correct spelling, correct verb 'meets,' and end punctuation. Errors to avoid: lowercase proper nouns ('congress,' 'washington'), misspelling 'Congres' (needs double 's': CONGRESS), wrong verb form ('me…
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The officer dictates a sentence containing 'United States.' How should it be written?
- united states
- United States — both words capitalized, as it is the proper name of the country (United States or United States of America) ✓
- United states
- united States
UNITED STATES — BOTH words are capitalized because it is the proper name of the country. UNITED (U-N-I-T-E-D), STATES (S-T-A-T-E-S). It may also appear as 'United States of America.' The USCIS writing test requires correct capitalization of proper nouns, including country names. Errors to avoid: low…
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The officer dictates: 'We have freedom of speech.' Which word pair is spelled correctly?
- freedom of speach
- freedom of speech — FREEDOM (F-R-E-E-D-O-M) and SPEECH (S-P-E-E-C-H); these First Amendment vocabulary words must be spelled correctly ✓
- fredom of speech
- freedom of speeche
FREEDOM OF SPEECH — FREEDOM (F-R-E-E-D-O-M) and SPEECH (S-P-E-E-C-H, double 'e'). These are First Amendment vocabulary words on the USCIS writing test. Common errors: 'speach' (correct is 'speech' with double 'e'), 'fredom' (missing 'e'), 'speeche' (extra letter). Freedom of speech is one of the fiv…
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The officer dictates: 'Lincoln was the President.' Which is correctly written?
- lincoln was the president
- Lincoln was the President. ✓
- Lincon was the President
- Lincoln was the Presadent
CORRECT: 'Lincoln was the President.' — 'Lincoln' capitalized (proper noun/name), 'President' capitalized (title), correct spelling, and end punctuation. Errors to avoid: lowercase 'lincoln' and 'president,' misspelling the name ('Lincon' — correct is L-I-N-C-O-L-N), and misspelling 'Presadent' (cor…
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The officer dictates: 'We vote in November.' Which is correctly written?
- we vote in november
- We vote in November. ✓
- We vote in Novembar
- We voted in November
CORRECT: 'We vote in November.' — capital 'W' at the start, 'November' capitalized (months are capitalized in English), correct spelling, and end punctuation. Errors to avoid: lowercase first word and 'november' (months must be capitalized), misspelling 'Novembar' (correct is N-O-V-E-M-B-E-R), and w…
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The officer dictates a sentence with the word 'government.' What is the correct spelling?
- goverment
- government ✓
- govermant
- guvernment
GOVERNMENT is spelled G-O-V-E-R-N-M-E-N-T. A very common misspelling omits the first 'n' ('goverment') — remember it has 'N' before 'MENT' (goverN-ment). It is a key civics vocabulary word on the USCIS writing test, appearing in sentences about how the country is run. Practicing this word is importa…
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The officer dictates: 'Citizens have the right to vote.' Which key word must be spelled correctly?
- the
- right — R-I-G-H-T (the freedom/entitlement); note the homophone 'write' means to put words on paper, so the correct word here is 'right' ✓
- have
- to
RIGHT (R-I-G-H-T) is the key word — meaning a freedom or entitlement (the right to vote). Beware the HOMOPHONE: 'WRITE' (W-R-I-T-E) means to put words on paper — a different word. In this sentence about voting, the correct word is 'right.' The USCIS writing test requires recognizing and spelling the…
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The officer dictates: 'The United States has fifty states.' How is 'fifty' correctly spelled?
- fifteen
- fifty ✓
- fivety
- fiftey
FIFTY is spelled F-I-F-T-Y. The United States has fifty (50) states. Note the difference from FIFTEEN (15). Common misspellings to avoid: 'fivety,' 'fiftey.' Number words appear on the USCIS writing test in sentences about the country (50 states, 13 colonies/stripes). 'United States' should be capit…
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The officer dictates: 'Independence Day is in July.' Which is correctly written?
- independence day is in july
- Independence Day is in July. ✓
- Independance Day is in July
- Independence day is in july
CORRECT: 'Independence Day is in July.' — 'Independence Day' capitalized (it's a holiday/proper noun, both words), 'July' capitalized (months are capitalized), correct spelling, and end punctuation. Errors to avoid: lowercase holiday/month, misspelling 'Independance' (correct is I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-E-N-…
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Choose the correctly spelled name: This President was the first President of the United States.
- George Washingten
- George Washington ✓
- George Washingten
- Gorge Washington
GEORGE WASHINGTON is on the USCIS WRITING VOCABULARY list under PEOPLE. The correct spelling is 'G-E-O-R-G-E W-A-S-H-I-N-G-T-O-N.' Common dictation sentences include 'George Washington was the first President' and 'Washington is the Father of Our Country.' On the writing test, the USCIS officer dic…
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Choose the correctly spelled word for the building where the President lives: The President lives in the ____.
- White Hous
- White House ✓
- Whyte House
- White Howse
WHITE HOUSE is on the USCIS WRITING VOCABULARY list under CIVICS terms. The correct spelling is 'W-H-I-T-E H-O-U-S-E.' A common dictation sentence is 'The President lives in the White House.' On the writing test, the officer reads a sentence aloud and the applicant writes it down, needing to write …
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Choose the correctly spelled word: The Senate and the House are parts of ____.
- Congres
- Congress ✓
- Congrass
- Kongress
CONGRESS is on the USCIS WRITING VOCABULARY list under CIVICS terms. The correct spelling is 'C-O-N-G-R-E-S-S' (note the double 's'). A common dictation sentence is 'Congress meets in Washington' or 'Citizens can vote for Congress.' On the writing test, the applicant writes a sentence dictated by th…
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Choose the correctly spelled place: The capital of the United States is ____.
- Washingten
- Washington ✓
- Washinton
- Wachington
WASHINGTON (as a place, Washington, D.C.) is on the USCIS WRITING VOCABULARY list under PLACES. The correct spelling is 'W-A-S-H-I-N-G-T-O-N.' A common dictation sentence is 'Washington, D.C., is the capital' or 'The capital is Washington, D.C.' The writing test requires the applicant to write one d…
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Choose the correctly spelled place name: We live in the ____.
- United Stats
- United States ✓
- United Staits
- Unitid States
UNITED STATES is on the USCIS WRITING VOCABULARY list under PLACES. The correct spelling is 'U-N-I-T-E-D S-T-A-T-E-S.' A common dictation sentence is 'I want to be a citizen of the United States' or 'The United States has fifty states.' On the writing test, the applicant must write one of up to thr…
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Choose the correctly spelled month: Independence Day is in ____.
JULY is on the USCIS WRITING VOCABULARY list under MONTHS. The correct spelling is 'J-U-L-Y.' A common dictation sentence is 'Independence Day is in July.' The writing vocabulary includes the months that appear in holiday-related dictation sentences, such as February (Presidents' Day), May (Memorial…
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Choose the correctly spelled month: Presidents' Day is in ____.
- Febuary
- February ✓
- Februery
- Febuery
FEBRUARY is on the USCIS WRITING VOCABULARY list under MONTHS. The correct spelling is 'F-E-B-R-U-A-R-Y' — note the often-forgotten first 'r' after 'Feb.' A common dictation sentence is 'Presidents' Day is in February.' Because February is one of the most commonly misspelled months in English, it is…
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Choose the correctly spelled holiday: We celebrate ____ in November.
- Thanksgivng
- Thanksgiving ✓
- Thanksgivig
- Thanksgiveing
THANKSGIVING is on the USCIS WRITING VOCABULARY list under HOLIDAYS. The correct spelling is 'T-H-A-N-K-S-G-I-V-I-N-G.' A common dictation sentence is 'Thanksgiving is in November.' The writing vocabulary's holidays include Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columb…
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Choose the correctly spelled holiday: ____ is in July.
- Independance Day
- Independence Day ✓
- Independense Day
- Indepedence Day
INDEPENDENCE DAY is on the USCIS WRITING VOCABULARY list under HOLIDAYS. The correct spelling is 'I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-E-N-C-E D-A-Y' — note the 'ence' ending, not 'ance.' A common dictation sentence is 'Independence Day is in July.' The writing test asks the applicant to write one dictated sentence cor…
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On the USCIS writing test, how many sentences must the applicant write correctly to pass this portion?
- All three sentences
- One out of up to three sentences ✓
- Five sentences
- Ten sentences
To pass the writing portion of the naturalization test, the applicant must write one sentence correctly out of up to three that the USCIS officer dictates. The officer reads a sentence aloud, and the applicant writes it down. The sentence is built from the published writing vocabulary list. Errors i…
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Choose the correctly spelled word: Citizens can ____ for the President.
VOTE is on the USCIS WRITING VOCABULARY list under CIVICS terms. The correct spelling is 'V-O-T-E.' A common dictation sentence is 'Citizens can vote' or 'People vote for the President.' Voting in federal elections is a right reserved for U.S. citizens, which is why it appears in citizenship dictati…
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Choose the correctly spelled name: ____ was the President during the Civil War.
- Abraham Linkoln
- Abraham Lincoln ✓
- Abraham Lincon
- Abrahem Lincoln
ABRAHAM LINCOLN is on the USCIS WRITING VOCABULARY list under PEOPLE. The correct spelling is 'A-B-R-A-H-A-M L-I-N-C-O-L-N' — note the silent 'l' before the 'n' in Lincoln. A common dictation sentence is 'Abraham Lincoln was the President during the Civil War' or 'Lincoln was an American President.…
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If an applicant makes a small spelling mistake while writing a dictated sentence, what generally happens on the USCIS writing test?
- They automatically fail
- The sentence is usually still acceptable if the officer can understand its meaning despite minor spelling, capitalization, or punctuation errors ✓
- They must rewrite it five times
- Only perfect spelling is accepted
On the USCIS writing test, the goal is to show the applicant can write English well enough to communicate, not to demonstrate flawless spelling. A sentence with minor errors in spelling, capitalization, or punctuation is generally still acceptable as long as the officer can understand its meaning. T…
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What is the best way to prepare for the USCIS writing (dictation) test?
- Memorize one fixed sentence
- Practice writing sentences built from the published writing vocabulary — people, civics terms, places, months, holidays, and common verbs ✓
- Only practice numbers
- Study reading instead
The best preparation for the writing test is to practice writing sentences made from the published USCIS writing vocabulary: people (Washington, Lincoln), civics terms (President, Congress, White House, vote), places (United States, Washington D.C.), months, holidays, and common verbs and connecting…
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Choose the correctly spelled word: The people elect the ____.
- Presidant
- President ✓
- Presedent
- Presidnt
PRESIDENT is on the USCIS WRITING VOCABULARY list under CIVICS terms. The correct spelling is 'P-R-E-S-I-D-E-N-T' — note the 'i' in the middle and the 'ent' ending. A common dictation sentence is 'The people elect the President' or 'The President lives in the White House.' On the writing test, the a…