English Regents (ELA) Practice & Study Guide
The English Regents is a three-part endurance test of close reading and evidence-based writing: multiple choice on paired texts, a source-based argument essay, and a text-analysis response. The reliable way to prepare is working real past-exam passages under the same constraints. RegentsLab's ELA bank includes hundreds of real questions with explanations of why each answer wins and the near-misses lose.
What's on the English Language Arts Regents
RegentsLab organizes its English Language Arts question bank into the units below — the same structure the exam draws from:
- Reading
- Literary & Textual Analysis
- Rhetoric & Argument
- Writing & Conventions
The multiple-choice section leans on inference and author's-craft questions — vocabulary-in-context and central-idea questions are the most bankable credits.
Exam format
| Section | What it is | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | Reading comprehension: 24 multiple-choice questions on three texts | |
| Part 2 | Argument essay drawing on four provided sources | |
| Part 3 | Text-analysis response on a literary passage |
How to practice
Drill real past-exam questions topic by topic — every question includes a full worked solution. Complete exam simulations for English Language Arts are being added; the question bank is live now. Start in the practice lab, and keep the official reference materials open beside you — building fluency with them is part of the preparation.
Frequently asked questions
What score do you need to pass the English Regents?
A scaled score of 65. The English Regents is a graduation requirement for nearly all students.
What is on Part 2 of the English Regents?
The source-based argument essay: four texts on one debatable issue, and you write an argument that takes a clear position and marshals evidence from at least three of the sources.
What is the Part 3 text-analysis response?
A two-to-three-paragraph response identifying a central idea in an unfamiliar literary passage and analyzing one writing strategy — like characterization, irony, or structure — the author uses to develop it.
How long is the English Regents?
3 hours in a single sitting for all three parts. Budgeting roughly an hour per part is the standard pacing advice.
When is the English Regents given?
January, June, and August, typically taken in 11th grade.
Practice English Language Arts by topic
- Reading for comprehension
- Text analysis
- Language & conventions
- Argument & rhetoric
- Claim, evidence & reasoning
English Language Arts study tools
Real past English Language Arts Regents with full worked solutions.
Reference & formulasThe formulas, terms, and official table to know.
Review sheetOne-page cheat sheet of must-know concepts.