Each type of MCAS test consists of several dozen questions divided among a variety of formats:

Multiple Choice — selecting an answer from four options;

Short Answer — composing a brief response such as a short statement or numeric solution to a computational problem;

Open Response — creating a response which, depending on the nature of the question, may take the form of a narrative, chart, table, diagram, illustration, or graph; and

Writing Prompt — generating a composition typically relating to a brief reading passage.

The question formats used depend on the knowledge domain of the MCAS test. The table below shows the question types appearing on the tests corresponding to the four knowledge domains:

The learning standards curriculum framework for each knowledge domain and their corresponding strands remain consistent across grade levels. Only the complexity of the required knowledge and skills varies, with increasing demands in terms of detail and conceptual abstractions associated with increasing grade levels. Strands for learning standards represented within each knowledge domain may be viewed by clicking the Test Overview buttons to the left.