Citizenship test tips: how to answer the questions

Knowing the facts is the biggest part of passing the citizenship test. But the way you read and answer each question matters too. Many people lose points on questions they could have answered, because they read too fast, missed one small word or let nerves take over. This guide gives you simple strategies for multiple-choice and true/false questions, with worked examples. All example questions here were written by us to show the method. They are not taken from the test.

The format in one minute

The test has 20 questions, you have 45 minutes, and you need 15 correct answers to pass. Questions are multiple choice or true/false, in English or French. Every question is based on the official guide, Discover Canada. For the technical side (webcam, ID photos, the timer), read our test day guide.

1. Read the question slowly and find the key word

Most avoidable mistakes happen before you even look at the options. Read the question (the “stem”) to the end and find the word that decides the answer:

• NOT: three options are true and you need the one that is false.
• first: “the first Prime Minister” and “the first French-Canadian Prime Minister” have different answers.
• largest / most: the largest city is not always the capital.
• capital: the capital is often not the most famous city.
• federal / provincial / municipal: the level of government changes the answer.
• only: for example, “the only officially bilingual province”.

Before reading the options, say the question again in your own words: “They want the capital, not the biggest city.”

Example 1 (practice question written for this guide)

Which city is the capital of Saskatchewan?

• A. Saskatoon
• B. Regina
• C. Winnipeg
• D. Edmonton

How to think: The key word is “capital”. Saskatoon is the largest city in Saskatchewan, so it looks right if you read fast. Winnipeg and Edmonton are the capitals of other provinces (Manitoba and Alberta). The answer is B, Regina.

Example 2 (practice question written for this guide)

Which of these is NOT one of the three parts of Parliament?

• A. The Sovereign
• B. The Senate
• C. The Prime Minister
• D. The House of Commons

How to think: NOT means three options are correct and one is not. Parliament is the Sovereign, the Senate and the House of Commons. The answer is C, the Prime Minister. If you miss the word NOT, you may pick A simply because it is the first true statement you see.

2. Use elimination

You do not need to know the right answer at once. Often you can remove options that you know are wrong. If a question has four options and you remove two, a blind guess (1 in 4) becomes a 1 in 2 choice. Wrong options usually come from the same topic, but from a different year, place or person. If you know where they belong, you can cross them out.

Example 3 (practice question written for this guide)

What did the Constitutional Act of 1791 do?

• A. It created the Dominion of Canada
• B. It divided the colony into Upper Canada and Lower Canada
• C. It united Upper Canada and Lower Canada as the Province of Canada
• D. It added the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to the Constitution

How to think: The Dominion of Canada was created in 1867, so remove A. The Charter was added in 1982, so remove D. The two Canadas were united in 1840, and you cannot unite two colonies before they exist, so remove C. The answer is B. You used three dates you already knew to remove three options.

Also watch for options that are true but do not answer the question. Vancouver is a real and important city in British Columbia; it is simply not the capital. Our list of 25 facts people mix up shows the most common “twins”.

3. True/false: one word can make it false

A true/false question is a statement. It is true only if every part of it is true. Often a statement is almost correct, with one wrong detail: a date, a place, a name, or “elected” instead of “appointed”. Split the statement into parts and check each one.

Examples 4–6 (practice statements written for this guide)

• “Senators are elected by voters in each province.” Senators are part of Parliament, but they are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister. One word is wrong, so the answer is False.
• “Lacrosse is Canada’s national winter sport.” Lacrosse is a national sport, but it is the summer sport. Hockey is the winter sport. False.
• “New Brunswick is the only officially bilingual province.” The word “only” may make you suspicious, but this statement is correct. True.

The last example matters: do not mark a statement false just because it contains a strong word like “only”, “all” or “never”. Check the fact itself.

4. Your time: about 2 minutes per question

45 minutes for 20 questions is about 2 minutes and 15 seconds each. When you know the material, most questions take less than a minute, so time is rarely the problem. Rushing is. A few rules:

• Read every question at a calm speed. Reading the stem twice costs about 10 seconds.
• If you are stuck, do not spend five minutes on one question. Eliminate what you can, choose the best answer and move on.
• A question you leave blank cannot be correct, so choose your best answer rather than leaving it empty.
• If the test lets you review your answers before you submit, use spare minutes to reread questions with key words like NOT.

5. When you meet a word you do not know

The test uses some words that are not everyday English, such as Sovereign, assent, riding or allegiance. Learn them while you study; our guide to key English terms can help. On the test itself:

• Use the words you do know. If you forget what “assent” means in “Royal Assent”, the word “Royal” still tells you it is linked to the King, and so to the Governor General.
• Look at the question word. “Who” wants a person, “when” wants a date, “which province” wants a place. Remove any option of the wrong type.
• Do not translate every word into your first language in your head. Focus on the key words.

6. Do not over-think

The questions test facts from Discover Canada. The plain reading of a question is usually the right one. Answer with what the guide says, not with a story from the news or a special case you can imagine. If you want to change an answer, do it only when you find a clear reason, such as a key word you missed the first time.

7. How to use practice tests

• Aim for 18 out of 20, not 15, on several practice tests in a row. That margin protects you on a nervous day. Our study plan shows how to build up to it.
• Review every wrong answer. Ask: why is the right answer right, why did I choose mine, and which two facts did I mix up? Your wrong-answer book collects your mistakes for you.
• Take timed mock exams. A mock exam has 20 mixed questions and a 45-minute timer, so the real format feels familiar.
• Do not memorize answer letters. The test will word questions differently. If you can explain why each of the other three options is wrong, you really know the fact.

8. The last 24 hours

• Do not start new chapters. Review your mistakes list, key dates and how government is organized.
• Do one short practice set to warm up, then stop.
• Do your technical checks a day ahead: device, browser, webcam, internet and ID. The test day guide has a checklist.
• If you can, choose a time of day when you are usually alert. Sleep well, eat something and have water nearby.

9. Managing nerves

• Remember the margin. You can get 5 questions wrong and still pass.
• Breathe before you start. Breathe in slowly for four counts and out for six counts. Repeat a few times.
• One hard question is only one question. If an early question is difficult, eliminate, choose and move on. Do not let it change how you read the next one.
• If your mind goes blank, look away from the options and read the question again slowly. Find the key word first.
• A bad day is not the end. If you do not pass, there are next steps. See after the test.

Put these strategies to work now: take practice test 1, and for every question, find the key word before you look at the options.