CAEC Test Format: How Long, How Many Questions, What to Expect

The five CAEC subject tests at a glance

The CAEC is made up of five separate subject tests. You write each one, and you must pass each one to earn the full credential. Here is how they compare side by side.

You can prepare for each of these areas in the CAEC Ready lessons, which are organized by the same five subjects.

Reading: 50 questions in 75 minutes

The Reading test gives you 50 multiple-choice questions and 75 minutes to answer them. You will read short passages and then answer questions about them. The focus is on comprehension: can you find the main idea, understand details, follow an argument, and draw reasonable conclusions from what you read?

You do not need to memorize any facts for this test. Everything you need is in the passages. Practising with realistic passages is the best way to get comfortable. Start with the Reading lessons.

Writing: one essay in 75 minutes

The Writing test is different from the others. Instead of multiple-choice questions, you write one persuasive essay in 75 minutes. There is no separate multiple-choice grammar section. The essay is scored out of 9 based on how clearly you state and support a position, how well you organize your ideas, and how correctly you use language.

The good news is that a strong essay follows a predictable structure that you can practise. The Writing lessons walk you through planning, drafting, and polishing a persuasive essay under time pressure.

Mathematics: 42 questions in 120 minutes, split into two parts

The Mathematics test is the longest at 120 minutes total, and it is divided into two parts that you take one after the other.

• Part I: 12 questions in 30 minutes, with no calculator allowed. This part is worth 25 percent of your math score and tests skills you should be able to do by hand.
• Part II: 30 questions in 90 minutes, with a calculator and a provided formula sheet. This part is worth 75 percent of your math score.

Because the no-calculator part comes first and the calculator part counts for more, it helps to practise both ways. Build your by-hand skills in the Math Part I lessons and your calculator and formula skills in the Math Part II lessons.

Science: 35 questions in 90 minutes

The Science test has 35 questions and a 90-minute limit, and a calculator is permitted. The most important thing to understand is that this is an inquiry and skills test, not a fact-recall test. You are not expected to memorize biology, chemistry, and physics facts. Those subjects appear only as context for questions that ask you to read data, interpret graphs and experiments, and reason like a scientist.

If science feels intimidating, this format actually works in your favour, because you can build the thinking skills it rewards. The Science lessons focus on exactly those skills.

Social Studies: 40 questions in 90 minutes

The Social Studies test gives you 40 questions and 90 minutes. Its content is distinctly Canadian, covering topics such as the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Parliament and how government works, geography, history, and the roles of the provinces and territories. If you studied for the old GED, note that this is Canadian material, not American.

You can get familiar with the Canadian topics that come up most often in the Social Studies lessons.

The passing standard: 55 percent on each test

For every subject test, the passing standard is 55 percent, which the CAEC describes as meeting the minimum standard. You need to meet this standard on each of the five tests to earn the full credential. There is no combined average across subjects, so a high score in one subject does not make up for a low score in another.

The practical takeaway is to make sure no single subject gets left behind. A balanced study plan that gives attention to all five tests is the most reliable way to clear the bar everywhere.

How the test is delivered

The CAEC is delivered on an online platform, and it is available in both English and French. You do not have to write all five tests on the same day. In most cases you schedule subject tests individually, which lets you focus your preparation on one test at a time.

Eligibility, fees, and registration steps are set by each province and territory rather than nationally, so they vary depending on where you live. For the details that apply to you, see our guides on registration by province and exam costs and fees by province. If you started the GED before the switch, the GED to CAEC transition deadline guide explains how your earlier results may still count.