Deep Dive · 8 min read
10 Praxis 5331 Sample Questions With Full Rationales
Ten original, exam-style Praxis 5331 questions with the reasoning behind every answer. Use them as a diagnostic before your next study block.
Cross-checked against the current ETS Praxis 5331 Speech-Language Pathology Test at a Glance and ASHA CCC-SLP standards.
Quick answer
Praxis 5331 sample questions are single-select or multi-select clinical scenarios that give you a case, ask for the best next assessment or intervention step, and offer four to five plausible options. The best practice items include rationales explaining why each distractor is wrong.
- Most items are clinical-scenario based, not pure recall
- Some questions require selecting all correct answers
- Rationales matter more than raw score when reviewing
The single fastest way to know if you're ready for the Praxis 5331 is answering exam-style questions and reading the rationales. Below are ten original sample questions modeled on the current ETS blueprint — split across all three content areas. Try them cold, then read the explanations.
Foundations & Professional Practice (Area I)
1. A 4-year-old still substitutes /w/ for /r/ in conversation. This process is:
- A. Age-inappropriate — refer immediately
- B. Within normal limits until roughly age 6–7
- C. A phonological process (fronting)
- D. A childhood apraxia marker
Answer: B. Gliding of liquids typically suppresses between 5 and 7. Watch for consistency and stimulability before referring.
2. Which framework defines the least restrictive environment (LRE) for school-based SLP services?
- A. HIPAA
- B. IDEA
- C. ADA
- D. Section 504
Answer: B. IDEA governs special education, including LRE and IEP requirements. Section 504 covers accommodations; ADA is broader civil rights; HIPAA governs health-record privacy.
3. A meta-analysis synthesizing multiple randomized controlled trials represents which level of evidence?
- A. Level Ia (highest)
- B. Level II
- C. Level III
- D. Expert opinion
Answer: A. Meta-analyses of RCTs sit at the top of the evidence hierarchy.
Screening, Assessment & Diagnosis (Area II)
4. A client presents with fluent, well-articulated speech that is empty of content, poor auditory comprehension, and impaired repetition. Most likely diagnosis:
- A. Broca's aphasia
- B. Wernicke's aphasia
- C. Conduction aphasia
- D. Transcortical sensory aphasia
Answer: B. Wernicke's = fluent + impaired comprehension + impaired repetition. See our aphasia subtypes cheat sheet.
5. Standard score of 78, mean 100, SD 15. What percentile rank is this closest to?
- A. 3rd
- B. 7th
- C. 16th
- D. 25th
Answer: B. −1.5 SD ≈ 7th percentile. −1 SD = 16th, −2 SD = 2nd. Anchor these in memory.
6. A modified barium swallow shows aspirationbefore the swallow initiates. Most likely phase problem:
- A. Oral preparatory
- B. Oral transit
- C. Pharyngeal
- D. Esophageal
Answer: A/B. Pre-swallow aspiration = oral phase — poor bolus control lets material spill before the swallow reflex fires. More in our dysphagia guide.
Planning, Implementation & Evaluation (Area III)
7. Best-evidence intervention for adult apraxia of speech:
- A. Melodic intonation therapy
- B. Sound production treatment (SPT)
- C. Semantic feature analysis
- D. VNeST
Answer: B. SPT and articulatory-kinematic approaches have the strongest evidence base for AOS.
8. A client with moderate dementia is drinking thin liquids safely but coughing on regular solids. IDDSI-appropriate recommendation:
- A. Level 0 (thin) liquids, Level 4 (pureed) solids
- B. Level 2 (mildly thick), Level 7 regular
- C. Level 0 liquids, Level 5 (minced & moist) solids
- D. NPO
Answer: C. Keep the safest tolerated texture and downgrade only what's failing. NPO is rarely first-line.
9. Which AAC feature best supports a child with severe CAS and intact language comprehension?
- A. Single-message device
- B. Robust vocabulary + core word grid
- C. PECS Phase I only
- D. Wait until speech emerges
Answer: B. Comprehension is intact — pair AAC with speech practice, never delay it.
10. Which is the most measurable IEP goal?
- A. Student will improve articulation.
- B. Student will produce /s/ correctly 80% of trials across 3 sessions.
- C. Student will try harder on speech sounds.
- D. Student will pass articulation testing.
Answer: B. Behavior + criterion + condition = a defensible IEP goal.
How to use these
- Grade honestly. Anything under 70% signals a content-area gap.
- Read every rationale — including the ones you got right.
- Move to a full-length timed practice test next. Sample sets teach content; full mocks teach pacing.
Ready for more? Our free Praxis practice test gives you a longer timed set, and the flashcard preview covers the high-yield anatomy and neurology facts.
Frequently asked questions
- What do Praxis 5331 questions look like?
- Most are short clinical vignettes followed by a best-next-step question with four or five options; some are select-all-that-apply items.
- Where can I find free Praxis 5331 sample questions?
- ETS publishes a small set of official practice items, and Praxis Path offers free practice questions with full rationales for every option.
- Are Praxis practice questions harder than the real exam?
- Well-written practice items are usually slightly harder, which is intentional - it builds pacing tolerance and reasoning depth.
- How many practice questions should I complete?
- 800-1,200 questions with reviewed rationales is the range most passing candidates report.
Keep reading
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Free download
Grab the free Praxis 5331 cheat sheet
The 2-page high-yield PDF top-scorers actually use — cranial nerves, aphasia matrix, dysphagia stages, dysarthrias, and Brown's morphemes. Instant download.
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