Free EQAO practice tests are available on the Education Quality and Accountability Office’s website for Grades 3, 6 and 9. Start with the official sample test for your child’s grade to explore the platform, then use the questions below to work through selected reading, writing and math skills.
This guide includes official resource links, printable practice options and 20 supplementary questions and activities with explained answers. You can choose one grade, attempt its questions and review the answers together. There is no need to complete every section in one sitting.
What to remember from this guide
- Use the official EQAO sample test to become familiar with the assessment platform.
- Choose reading, writing and math for Grades 3 and 6, or mathematics for Grade 9.
- Attempt the questions before reading the answer key for your grade.
- Use the explanations to identify a skill to practise, rather than predict an official EQAO level.
Where Can You Find Free EQAO Practice Tests?
The official EQAO website provides sample tests and released assessment questions. The resources serve different purposes: the online sample test helps students explore question formats and tools, while released questions provide examples to examine more closely.
Choose the resource for your child’s grade below. Each official grade page has a “Sample Test” section and links to other assessment materials.
Start practising here: Grade 3 questions · Grade 6 questions · Grade 9 math questions · Printable resources
If you are new to the assessments, our guide to what EQAO measures explains their purpose. This page focuses on finding practice materials, trying questions and understanding the answers.
About the exercises: the 20 activities below were created for this guide. They are not released EQAO questions, a full-length mock exam or a complete assessment of the Ontario curriculum. The reading passages are fictional. Written explanations are requested to make the student’s reasoning visible during home practice, not to reproduce the scoring of every official question.
Grade 3 EQAO Practice Questions with Answers
This Grade 3 practice set includes three reading questions, three math problems and one writing activity. Work through the questions before looking at the Grade 3 answer key. For information about the assessment itself, see our EQAO Grade 3 test guide.
Reading: Find Information and Explain Your Answer
Read the passage: A Place for the Seedlings
On Monday, Ms. Chen’s class planted bean seeds in small paper cups. Each student wrote a name on a cup and placed it on the classroom windowsill. Noah checked his cup every morning, hoping to see a green shoot.
On Thursday, the class found a puddle under the cups. Rain had blown through an open window during the night. Noah reached for his own cup, but then noticed that the labels on two other cups had fallen off. He put a tray on the table and carefully moved all the cups onto it.
“We can match the loose labels after the paper dries,” he said. Ms. Chen closed the window. Later, Noah spotted a tiny green shoot in his cup. He smiled, then went to tell the other students to check their plants too.
Where were the cups placed after the seeds were planted?
- On a tray beside the door
- On the classroom windowsill
- Under the classroom table
- Outside in the school garden
What does “carefully” tell you about how Noah moved the cups?
- He tried not to spill or damage them.
- He moved them without looking.
- He carried them as quickly as possible.
- He left them where they were.
How does Noah show that he cares about the other students’ plants? Give one detail from the passage.
Math: Practise Equal Groups, Patterns and Measurement
Equal groups: A class puts 24 bean seeds into 4 bags. Each bag has the same number of seeds. How many seeds are in each bag? Use a drawing, an equation or words to explain.
Growing pattern: The numbers in a pattern are 6, 10, 14, 18. What are the next two numbers? Describe the rule.
Measuring a length: One ribbon is 18 centimetres long. Another ribbon is 7 centimetres shorter. How long is the shorter ribbon?
Writing: Add Details That Help the Reader
Writing activity: Write about a time you helped someone solve a problem. Explain what the problem was, what you did and what happened afterwards. You may use a real experience or invent a story.
Before checking the example, read your writing aloud. Would someone who was not there understand what happened? Add a detail wherever the reader would need more information.
Grade 3 Answer Key and Explanations
1. Answer: B, on the classroom windowsill. The first paragraph gives the location. The tray appears later, after the rain. This question asks where the cups were placed originally, so the order of events matters.
2. Answer: A, he tried not to spill or damage them. “Carefully” describes an action performed with attention. The wet cups and loose labels give Noah a reason to handle the plants gently.
3. Possible answer: “Noah moves all the cups onto the tray, not just his own, so the other plants can be away from the wet windowsill.” Another supported answer could mention his suggestion about saving the labels. The response should connect Noah’s action to helping others.
4. Answer: 6 seeds in each bag. Divide the total number of seeds by the number of equal groups: 24 ÷ 4 = 6. Check by multiplying: 4 × 6 = 24. A drawing should show four bags containing six seeds each.
5. Answer: 22 and 26. Add 4 each time. The difference between 6 and 10, between 10 and 14, and between 14 and 18 is always 4. Checking more than one step helps confirm the rule.
6. Answer: 11 centimetres. The second ribbon is shorter, so subtract: 18 − 7 = 11. Adding would produce a longer ribbon and would not match the question.
7. Example response: “My little brother could not find his library book before school. I asked where he had been reading and helped him look beside the sofa. We found the book under a cushion. He put it in his backpack, and we left for school together.”
Why this example works: it names the problem, describes the help and explains the outcome. “Beside the sofa” and “under a cushion” make the action clear. This is an illustrative response, not an official EQAO scoring example.
Try next: if the reading answers were unclear, ask your child to point to the sentence that supports each one. If equal groups were difficult, share a small collection of counters between four containers before trying a new division question.
A little guidance can make a difficult question clearer
Help your child work through a confusing concept with one-on-one explanations and guided practice.
Grade 6 EQAO Practice Questions with Answers
This Grade 6 set asks students to combine information from a passage, calculate with quantities and develop an opinion. It contains seven questions and activities. Keep the Grade 6 answer key for the end of the set. Our EQAO Grade 6 guide covers the wider assessment context.
Reading: Support Your Answer with Evidence
Read the passage: A Different Kind of Garden
The student council wanted to turn an unused corner of the schoolyard into a garden. Its first plan was to grow vegetables for a harvest celebration in September. Students drew rows of carrots, tomatoes and lettuce, but their teacher asked a question they had not considered: who would water the plants during the summer?
Leila suggested asking families to take turns. When the council sent out a sign-up sheet, only two families could commit to a regular visit. Several students wanted to abandon the project. Leila proposed a smaller garden with plants that, once established, would need less watering. The group asked a local gardener to help choose suitable plants.
The new plan included flowers for pollinators and one small bed of vegetables. It also included a watering schedule, with the gardener explaining when the young plants would need extra attention. The students would record which insects visited the flowers during the school year.
At the next meeting, Leila crossed out “Harvest Garden” at the top of the drawing and wrote “Learning Garden.” “We can still grow something,” she said. “We just need a plan we can look after.”
What caused the student council to change its original plan?
- The schoolyard was too small for any plants.
- Too few families could provide regular summer watering.
- The teacher refused to allow vegetables.
- The students wanted to stop working together.
Which statement best expresses the main idea?
- Vegetables cannot grow in school gardens.
- Every school project needs a harvest celebration.
- A useful plan can be adapted when practical problems arise.
- Students should leave all decisions to adults.
Why is “Learning Garden” a suitable name for the revised project? Use two details from the passage to explain.
Math: Work with Fractions, Data and Perimeter
Fractions of a quantity: A class has 28 students. Three quarters of the students bring reusable water bottles. How many students bring reusable bottles?
Reading data: The table shows the number of books borrowed from a classroom collection during four weeks. What is the mean number of books borrowed per week?
Perimeter: A rectangular garden is 8 metres long and 5 metres wide. Fencing will go around the outside, leaving a 2-metre opening for a gate. How many metres of fencing are needed?
Writing: Support an Opinion with Reasons and Examples
Writing activity: Should students help choose the books added to their classroom collection? Write a paragraph that states your opinion and develops two reasons. Include an example to explain at least one reason.
Either position can work. Focus on making the connection between your opinion and each reason clear, rather than choosing the answer you think an adult wants.
Grade 6 Answer Key and Explanations
1. Answer: B. Only two families could commit to regular summer visits. That limited support prompted the council to rethink the garden. The passage does not say vegetables were forbidden or that there was no space.
2. Answer: C. The students change the scale and purpose of their project after identifying a maintenance problem. They still create a garden, but one they have a better plan to care for.
3. Possible answer: “The new garden offers learning opportunities beyond harvesting vegetables. Students will record insects visiting the flowers, and they have learned to choose plants and organise watering with advice from a gardener.” Both details support the new name. A response that only says “because students learn things” needs evidence.
4. Answer: 21 students. Find one quarter first: 28 ÷ 4 = 7. Then find three quarters: 7 × 3 = 21. The remaining 7 students represent the other quarter. Giving 7 as the final answer would identify only one of the three required parts.
5. Answer: 16 books per week. The mean is the total divided by the number of values: (12 + 18 + 15 + 19) ÷ 4 = 64 ÷ 4 = 16. The answer describes the average across the four weeks, not the largest weekly value.
6. Answer: 24 metres. First calculate the full perimeter: 8 + 5 + 8 + 5 = 26 metres. Subtract the gate opening: 26 − 2 = 24 metres. Multiplying 8 × 5 would calculate area in square metres, not the length of the fence.
7. Example response: “Students should help choose new classroom books because they know which topics interest their classmates. A short survey could identify a request for more mysteries or books about animals, giving the teacher useful suggestions. Choosing books also gives students a reason to discuss their reading. For example, they could recommend a favourite author and explain which readers might enjoy that author’s work. The teacher could make the final selection while considering those ideas.”
Why this example works: the opinion is stated first. One reason concerns students’ interests; the other concerns discussion about reading. Each reason is developed with a practical example. The paragraph also explains how student input could fit into the teacher’s decision.
Try next: ask your child to compare their explanation with the worked answer. Was the difficulty understanding the task, finding evidence, choosing a calculation or completing it accurately? Practise that step with a different question.
Grade 9 EQAO Math Practice Questions with Answers
The Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics relates to Ontario’s de-streamed MTH1W course. EQAO identifies five assessed content strands: Number, Algebra, Data, Geometry and Measurement, and Financial Literacy. The six original questions below give a small selection of practice across those areas; they do not reproduce the assessment blueprint.
Attempt the full set, then consult the worked solutions. For the assessment format and reference tools, read our EQAO Grade 9 math test guide and the official EQAO Grade 9 resources.
Number and Proportional Reasoning
Comparing unit prices: Store A sells a 1.5 kg bag of rice for $6.30. Store B sells a 2 kg bag of the same rice for $8.20. Which store has the lower price per kilogram, and by how much?
Algebra and Linear Relations
Solving an equation: Solve 4(x − 2) = 2x + 10. Check your solution in the original equation.
Interpreting a linear relationship: A bicycle rental has a fixed starting fee plus a constant hourly charge. Use the table to write an equation for the total cost C, in dollars, for h hours. Then calculate the cost of a five-hour rental.
Data, Geometry and Measurement
Comparing the mean and median: Six students report these travel times to school, in minutes: 10, 12, 12, 14, 15 and 45. Calculate the mean and median. Which measure better represents the cluster of five shorter travel times? Explain.
Volume of a cylinder: A cylindrical container has an internal radius of 3 cm and an internal height of 10 cm. Use V = πr²h to calculate its volume. Use π ≈ 3.14 and give the answer in cubic centimetres.
Financial Literacy
Comparing purchase options: A bicycle can be bought for a single payment of $480 or through 12 monthly payments of $43. Assume there are no additional fees and ignore tax. How much more does the monthly-payment option cost in total?
Grade 9 Answer Key and Worked Solutions
1. Store B is cheaper by $0.10 per kilogram. Divide price by mass for each bag:
- Store A: $6.30 ÷ 1.5 = $4.20 per kg.
- Store B: $8.20 ÷ 2 = $4.10 per kg.
- Difference: $4.20 − $4.10 = $0.10 per kg.
The lower package price is not necessarily the lower unit price. Comparing equal quantities makes the decision possible.
2. The solution is x = 9. Expand the left side: 4x − 8 = 2x + 10. Subtract 2x from both sides: 2x − 8 = 10. Add 8: 2x = 18. Divide by 2: x = 9.
Check: 4(9 − 2) = 28, and 2(9) + 10 = 28. Both sides are equal. When expanding 4(x − 2), multiply both terms inside the brackets by 4.
3. The equation is C = 5h + 8; five hours cost $33. Each extra hour adds $5. Subtract that hourly amount from the one-hour total to find the starting fee: $13 − $5 = $8. Substitute h = 5: C = 5(5) + 8 = 33.
The $8 is charged once. The hourly charge is multiplied by the number of hours. A rule such as C = 13h would match the first row but not the others.
4. The mean is 18 minutes and the median is 13 minutes. Add the travel times: 10 + 12 + 12 + 14 + 15 + 45 = 108. Divide by six: 108 ÷ 6 = 18. For the median, average the two middle values in the ordered list: (12 + 14) ÷ 2 = 13.
The median better represents the cluster of five shorter times because the 45-minute value pulls the mean upward. The longer journey is still a valid observation; choosing the median does not mean the value should be deleted.
5. The volume is approximately 282.6 cm³. Substitute the dimensions: V ≈ 3.14 × 3² × 10 = 3.14 × 9 × 10 = 282.6. Square the radius before multiplying. A radius of 3 cm gives a diameter of 6 cm, but the formula requires the radius.
6. The monthly-payment option costs $36 more. Calculate its total first: 12 × $43 = $516. Compare that total with the single payment: $516 − $480 = $36. A smaller individual payment does not necessarily mean a lower total cost.
Try next: return to the step that caused the error. For a linear relation, practise identifying the rate and starting value. For the cylinder, label radius, diameter and height before calculating. For a cost comparison, write the total for each option before comparing them.
EQAO Practice Test PDFs and Printable Resources
For printable EQAO practice, start with released mathematics questions or a clearly identified supplementary practice package. Check the grade, the source and whether the answers are included. A document described as a “past paper” may be an older assessment, a selection of released items or an unofficial worksheet.
Official Released Mathematics Questions
EQAO links its released questions from each assessment page. The resources below are official mathematics materials; they are not complete reading, writing and mathematics practice exams.
- Grade 3 released mathematics questions, November 2025
- Grade 6 released mathematics questions, November 2025
- Grade 9 released mathematics questions, 2025
Use the accompanying question information to review the correct response and the skill being assessed. For reading and writing, consult the sample test and framework linked from the official page for the relevant grade.
Additional Printable Practice with Answers
The TDSB resource page groups mathematics materials for Grades 3, 6 and 9, including question archives, answer keys and parent/caregiver practice packages. Open the package and answer key for the same grade, then check that they refer to the same questions.
For Grade 9, BHNmath offers three practice tests in interactive and document formats. Its printable Practice Test 1 is an additional question set. It is a BHNmath resource, not an official EQAO sample test. Consult the provider’s accompanying resources when reviewing it.
What a PDF Cannot Reproduce
A worksheet lets students write calculations, annotate a passage and review an answer on paper. It cannot reproduce the full interaction of an online assessment, including dragging items, opening menus or using built-in accessibility tools. Use printable questions for skill practice and the official sample platform for interface familiarization.
Older materials can still contain useful exercises. Before using an old practice test as a rehearsal, check its curriculum context and instructions against the current EQAO resources. This matters particularly for documents labelled Grade 9 “academic” or “applied,” rather than the current de-streamed course.
How to Check Answers and Identify What to Practise Next
A useful correction explains where the reasoning changed direction. Before showing an answer, ask, “What did you think the question was asking?” Then ask the student to walk through the evidence or calculation. Their explanation can reveal a difficulty that the final answer alone does not show.
Reading: Check the Evidence in the Passage
For a question about an explicit detail, find the sentence that contains the information. For an inference, connect a detail to a reasonable interpretation. A response can sound plausible without being supported by the text.
In the Grade 6 garden passage, saying that Leila “likes flowers” does not explain the change of plan. The limited summer watering and the decision to choose suitable plants provide the relevant evidence. Ask the student to make that connection in their own words.
Writing: Review Ideas, Organisation and Language
Read the response first for meaning. Does it answer the prompt? Can the reader follow the ideas? Are reasons or events developed with relevant details? Then review sentence construction, spelling and punctuation.
Choose one revision at a time. For example, adding a specific reason can make an opinion paragraph clearer. Correcting every spelling error before discussing the ideas may leave the student unsure about the main purpose of the task. When using official sample responses, follow the rubric supplied with that resource.
Math: Find the Step That Caused the Error
Separate understanding the situation from carrying out a calculation. A student might know they need perimeter but make an addition error. Another might calculate area accurately while answering the wrong question. Those students need different next steps.
A short practice score does not establish an official achievement level. EQAO’s scoring considers the assessment as a whole and, for applicable questions, their difficulty. Use our guide to understanding EQAO results for the distinction between practice observations and official reporting.
How to Use an EQAO Practice Test at Home
Choose one purpose for a session: exploring the platform, practising a skill or reviewing mistakes. Keeping that purpose clear makes it easier to select the right activity and stop at a sensible point.
- Choose the grade and resource. Use the official sample test for platform familiarization or a short exercise set for a specific skill.
- Let the student attempt the task. Keep the answer key out of view. If you help, note the support given so you can distinguish independent work from guided practice.
- Discuss the reasoning. Ask which detail, operation or rule led to the answer. Review one misunderstanding at a time.
- Try a different question using the same skill. A new example shows more than repeating a memorised answer.
Start without a timer when the purpose is learning a concept. For assessment familiarization, follow the current instructions for the resource and ask the school about arrangements that apply to your child. Do not treat the pace of another child as a target.
EQAO explains that its assessments are based on classroom learning and do not require additional preparation. Extra practice is an option for familiarization or reviewing skills, not a requirement to buy tutoring. If a difficulty keeps appearing, discuss it with the teacher alongside your child’s classroom work.
For a suggested way to organise review across several weeks, use our EQAO study plan. Adjust the amount of practice to the child’s needs rather than completing worksheets simply to reach a daily total.
Is your child getting stuck on the same questions?
Let’s work on the skills behind the answers.
Bring a few examples of your child’s practice work. A tutor can use them to identify what to review, explain the method and guide the next practice session.
One-on-one support • Clear explanations • Practice with feedback
Frequently Asked Questions About EQAO Practice Tests
Are the questions in this article official EQAO questions?
No. The passages, problems and writing activities are original supplementary exercises. Official sample tests and released questions are linked separately. The examples here should not be treated as a complete simulation or assigned an official EQAO level.
Can older EQAO questions still be useful?
Yes, an older question may still help practise a relevant skill. Check the grade, curriculum context and format before using the whole document as an assessment rehearsal. Use the current official sample test to become familiar with the platform and instructions.
Does a practice score predict an EQAO level?
No. A percentage on a short home practice set is not a direct conversion to Level 1, 2, 3 or 4. The questions, conditions and scoring differ. Record which skills the student can apply independently and discuss persistent difficulties with the teacher.
Can students use a calculator during practice?
Follow the instructions supplied with the practice resource. EQAO’s Grade 9 materials describe a built-in calculator and permission to use a scientific or graphing calculator. For other grades and particular tasks, check the current official instructions. At home, deciding whether to practise a calculation manually or use a calculator depends on the skill you are working on.
Where can families find information about accessibility tools?
Start with the official sample test and administration guide for your child’s grade. EQAO describes tools such as text-to-speech, zoom and high contrast on its resource pages. Ask the school which accommodations or alternative formats apply to your child; a home practice setup does not establish those arrangements.
What if my child does not want to do a practice test?
Ask what feels difficult: the amount of work, the reading, the computer interface or not knowing how to start. You can explore one tool or discuss one question together instead of completing a whole set. Speak with the teacher if the difficulty continues.
Where should Grade 10 students find literacy practice?
Students looking for Grade 10 literacy practice should use the official Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test practice test. The OSSLT is administered by EQAO but has a different purpose and format from the Grades 3, 6 and 9 assessments. Our guide to EQAO and OSSLT differences explains the distinction.
Sources and How This Guide Was Prepared
Official assessment information and resource links were checked on 2 October 2026. The fictional passages, supplementary questions and worked answers were created for this article; none are presented as released EQAO items. Home-practice suggestions are educational guidance, not official scoring rules. Consult EQAO and your child’s school for current assessment arrangements.
- EQAO: Grade 3 assessment, framework and resources
- EQAO: Grade 6 assessment, framework and resources
- EQAO: Grade 9 assessment, framework and resources
- EQAO: Primary and junior assessment FAQ
- EQAO: Grade 9 assessment FAQ
- TDSB: EQAO mathematics resources for students and families
- BHNmath: Grade 9 practice tests
Tutorax Team
Tutorax helps families find tutoring support for their children. Our blog shares learning resources and practical guidance for parents. This guide brings together official EQAO resources and supplementary exercises to support conversations about reading, writing and mathematics.