Free ISEE Middle Level Practice Test
Practice the ISEE Middle Level exactly as it is given: four timed sections, original exam-style questions, instant scoring and a worked explanation for every answer. Built for students applying to grades 7 and 8.
Free ISEE Middle Level practice questions with answers
Seven original Middle Level questions across Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Reading Comprehension and Mathematics Achievement. Tap an answer to check it and read the full explanation. No account needed.
- Question 1Verbal Reasoning · Synonyms
CANDID most nearly means:
- Question 2Verbal Reasoning · Sentence completion
Although the hiking trail looked ______ on the map, the steep final mile exhausted everyone in the group.
- Question 3Quantitative Reasoning · Percent reasoning
A jacket priced at $80 is discounted 25%, and then $6 is taken off at the register. What is the final price?
- Question 4Quantitative Reasoning · Averages
The average of four numbers is 12. Three of the numbers are 8, 11 and 15. What is the fourth number?
- Question 5Reading Comprehension · Inference
"For six weeks the seedlings in the north bed grew barely an inch, while those in the south bed doubled in height. The gardener had watered and fed both beds identically, but the tall oak beside the north bed had come into full leaf in May." The passage most strongly suggests that the north-bed seedlings grew slowly because of:
- Question 6Mathematics Achievement · Fractions
What is 2/3 of 5/8?
- Question 7Mathematics Achievement · Geometry
A rectangle has a perimeter of 34 cm and a width of 6 cm. What is its area, in square centimetres?
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Who takes the ISEE Middle Level?
The ISEE Middle Level is taken by students currently in grades 6 and 7 who are applying for admission to grades 7 and 8 at independent and private schools. It is written by ERB, the Educational Records Bureau.
The Middle Level has the same five parts as the Upper Level — Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, Mathematics Achievement and an essay — but the vocabulary and math sit at a grade 6-7 level. Expect fractions, percents, ratios, basic geometry and pre-algebra rather than quadratics and trigonometry.
Because the test is scored against other applicants in your own grade, the fastest way to improve is to find your weakest section first and drill it, rather than practising everything evenly.
ISEE Middle Level format, timing and question counts
Sections always appear in this order, with short breaks after Quantitative Reasoning and Mathematics Achievement.
| Section | Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal Reasoning | 40 questions | 20 min |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 37 questions | 35 min |
| Reading Comprehension | 36 questions | 35 min |
| Mathematics Achievement | 47 questions | 40 min |
| Essay | 1 prompt | 30 min |
Verbal Reasoning
- Synonyms — choose the word closest in meaning
- Sentence completion — pick the word the context demands
- Vocabulary is tested in context, not as isolated definitions
Study tip: Twenty minutes for 40 questions means 30 seconds each. Learn Latin and Greek roots so unfamiliar words are still decodable.
Quantitative Reasoning
- Reasoning with numbers, ratios, proportions and estimation
- Quantitative comparison questions
- Rewards logic more than heavy computation
Study tip: Before calculating, ask what the question is really testing. Many items can be solved by estimating or by working with equal parts.
Reading Comprehension
- Six short passages, fiction and nonfiction
- Main idea, supporting detail and inference questions
- Vocabulary-in-context and organisation questions
Study tip: Give yourself about six minutes per passage. Read the passage first, marking topic sentences and transitions, then answer.
Mathematics Achievement
- Grade-level computation and applied math
- Fractions, decimals, percents, integers and equations
- Geometry, measurement, data and probability
Study tip: No calculator is allowed. Practise clean arithmetic by hand and memorise area, perimeter and volume formulas.
Essay
- A timed writing prompt on a familiar topic
- Unscored — sent to schools as a writing sample
- Judged informally on organisation, clarity and support
Study tip: Practise a five-paragraph structure in 30 minutes: two minutes planning, 24 writing, four checking.
Benkyou's questions are original practice items modelled on the ISEE's published format and difficulty — they are not copies of released test papers.
How the Middle Level is scored
Each multiple-choice section gives a raw score, which becomes a scaled score of 760-940 and then a percentile compared with other applicants in your grade over the last three years. That percentile is converted into a stanine from 1 to 9 — the number schools actually read. Nothing is deducted for wrong answers, so never leave a question blank.
Read the full ISEE scoring guideISEE Middle Level FAQ
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