Home › ASVAB Paragraph Comprehension
ASVAB Paragraph Comprehension Practice Questions and Study Tips
Paragraph Comprehension gives you short passages and asks questions about them. It is one of the four AFQT subtests and, with Word Knowledge, makes up your Verbal Expression score, which counts double in the AFQT. Every answer is in the passage. You never need outside knowledge.
| Questions (paper ASVAB) | 15 |
|---|---|
| Time limit | 13 minutes |
| Abbreviation | PC |
| Counts toward AFQT? | Yes, it is one of the four AFQT subtests. |
The computer version of the ASVAB (CAT-ASVAB) has fewer questions and adjusts the difficulty to your answers, but it covers the same material.
What the Paragraph Comprehension subtest covers
- Finding the main idea
- Finding a stated detail
- Making an inference from what the passage says
- Understanding a word from its context
- Identifying the author's purpose or tone
Paragraph Comprehension practice questions
Try these 17 questions on 6 short passages written in the ASVAB style. They cover main ideas, details, inferences, word meaning and the author's purpose.
Passage 1: Before a long march, soldiers are told to break in new boots over several weeks. Stiff leather rubs against the skin and causes blisters, which can keep a soldier out of training. Wearing the boots for short periods first lets the leather soften and shape to the foot.
1. What is the main idea of the passage?
- Leather boots last longer than other boots
- Breaking in boots gradually helps prevent blisters
- Long marches are the hardest part of training
- Soldiers should buy boots a size larger
Show answer
B. Breaking in boots gradually helps prevent blisters Every sentence supports the idea that wearing new boots gradually prevents blisters.
2. According to the passage, why do new boots cause blisters?
- They are too large
- The stiff leather rubs the skin
- They are worn on long marches only
- They are made of cheap material
Show answer
B. The stiff leather rubs the skin The passage says stiff leather rubs against the skin.
Passage 2: In hot weather, the body loses water through sweat faster than most people realize. By the time a person feels thirsty, they may already be mildly dehydrated. For this reason, training instructors schedule water breaks every 30 to 45 minutes in summer, even when no one asks for one. Drinking small amounts often works better than drinking a large amount all at once.
3. According to the passage, how often are water breaks scheduled in summer?
- Every hour
- Every 30 to 45 minutes
- Only when someone is thirsty
- Twice a day
Show answer
B. Every 30 to 45 minutes This detail is stated directly in the third sentence.
4. The passage suggests that feeling thirsty is
- a reliable early warning
- a late sign of dehydration
- caused by drinking too quickly
- rare in hot weather
Show answer
B. a late sign of dehydration By the time you feel thirsty you may already be dehydrated, so thirst comes late.
5. Which is the best title for the passage?
- Staying Hydrated in the Heat
- Why Soldiers Sweat
- How to Plan a Training Schedule
- The Dangers of Cold Weather
Show answer
A. Staying Hydrated in the Heat The whole passage is about drinking enough water in hot weather.
Want to know where you stand? The free 25-question diagnostic covers all nine subtests and shows your weakest one. No account needed to start.
Passage 3: Before satellite navigation, soldiers found their way with a map and a compass. Many units still teach these skills today. Batteries die, signals can be jammed and electronic devices can break. A soldier who can read a map and take a compass bearing is never completely lost.
6. The author’s main purpose is to
- explain why map and compass skills are still taught
- describe how satellites work
- argue that electronic devices should be banned
- tell the history of the compass
Show answer
A. explain why map and compass skills are still taught The passage gives reasons the old skills still matter.
7. Which is NOT given as a reason electronic navigation can fail?
- Batteries die
- Signals can be jammed
- Devices can break
- Maps are out of date
Show answer
D. Maps are out of date The passage never says maps are out of date. The other three are listed.
8. The author would most likely agree that
- satellite navigation is useless
- backup skills are worth learning
- a compass is more accurate than a satellite
- only officers need map skills
Show answer
B. backup skills are worth learning The author values map and compass skills as a backup, without saying satellites are useless.
Passage 4: The new barracks were spacious compared with the old ones. Where twelve recruits had once shared a cramped room, each room now held a squad of eight, with space for lockers, desks and a small study area.
9. As used in the passage, cramped most nearly means
- crowded
- cold
- dark
- quiet
Show answer
A. crowded Twelve recruits sharing one room suggests too little space.
10. As used in the passage, spacious most nearly means
- modern
- expensive
- roomy
- clean
Show answer
C. roomy The new rooms have space for lockers, desks and a study area, so spacious means roomy.
11. How many recruits shared a room in the old barracks?
- Eight
- Ten
- Twelve
- Sixteen
Show answer
C. Twelve Twelve shared a room before; eight share a room now.
Want to know where you stand? The free 25-question diagnostic covers all nine subtests and shows your weakest one. No account needed to start.
Passage 5: Some people think physical training is only about strength. In fact, endurance, flexibility and recovery matter just as much. A soldier who can lift heavy weights but cannot run two miles, or who skips stretching and gets injured, is not truly fit. Good programs train all of these together.
12. What is the main idea of the passage?
- Strength is the most important part of fitness
- Fitness includes more than strength
- Running is better than lifting
- Stretching prevents all injuries
Show answer
B. Fitness includes more than strength The passage argues that endurance, flexibility and recovery matter as much as strength.
13. The phrase "not truly fit" shows that the author believes
- weightlifters are lazy
- running two miles is too hard
- injuries cannot be avoided
- fitness has several parts
Show answer
D. fitness has several parts Someone strong but lacking endurance or flexibility is "not truly fit", so fitness has several parts.
14. Which statement does the passage support?
- Stretching is a waste of time
- A good program trains endurance and flexibility as well as strength
- Most soldiers cannot run two miles
- Recovery matters less than strength
Show answer
B. A good program trains endurance and flexibility as well as strength The last sentence says good programs train all of these together.
Passage 6: To report an injury in the field, first make sure the area is safe. Next, check the injured person’s breathing and bleeding. Then call for help and give your location. While you wait, keep the person warm and do not move them unless they are in danger.
15. According to the passage, what should you do first?
- Check breathing
- Call for help
- Make sure the area is safe
- Keep the person warm
Show answer
C. Make sure the area is safe The passage starts with "first make sure the area is safe."
16. When does the passage say you may move the injured person?
- Never
- After calling for help
- If they are in danger
- Once they are warm
Show answer
C. If they are in danger Do not move them "unless they are in danger."
17. This passage is mainly
- a set of instructions
- a personal story
- an argument against first aid
- a description of a hospital
Show answer
A. a set of instructions Words like first, next and then mark a sequence of steps to follow.
The five question types
- Main idea: what the whole passage is about. The right answer covers every sentence, not just one.
- Detail: a fact stated in the passage. Find the sentence and match it.
- Inference: something the passage suggests without saying it outright. It must still follow from the text.
- Word in context: what a word means in that sentence. Swap each choice in and reread.
- Purpose and tone: why the author wrote it (to explain, argue, instruct or describe) and how they feel about it.
How to read an ASVAB passage
- Read the question first. Know whether you are hunting for a detail, the main idea or a word meaning.
- Read the whole passage once. Most are only a few sentences. Notice the first and last sentences, which often carry the main idea.
- Go back to the text. For detail and word questions, find the exact sentence before you choose.
- Eliminate. Cross out choices that go beyond the passage, contradict it or answer a different question.
Common mistakes
- Choosing an answer that is true in real life but not stated in the passage.
- Picking a detail when the question asks for the main idea.
- Falling for extreme words like always, never, only and all.
- Missing small words like NOT or EXCEPT in the question.
Time strategy
The paper test gives you 13 minutes for 15 questions, a little under a minute each. Read the question first so you know what to look for, then read the passage once carefully. Several questions can share one passage, so time spent reading it well pays off. On the computer test (CAT-ASVAB) you can't go back, so answer every question.
A 7-day plan for Paragraph Comprehension
- Day 1: Take the free diagnostic to see where you stand.
- Day 2: Main idea: read a short news article and sum it up in one sentence.
- Day 3: Details and NOT/EXCEPT questions: practice finding the exact sentence.
- Day 4: Inferences: practice saying what an article suggests without stating it.
- Day 5: Words in context. This also helps your Word Knowledge score.
- Day 6: Purpose and tone.
- Day 7: 15 questions in 13 minutes, then review every miss.
Tips for the Paragraph Comprehension subtest
- Read the question first, then the passage, so you know what to look for.
- Choose the answer the passage supports, not the one you happen to agree with.
- Be careful with answers that use words like always or never. They are often too strong.
Questions people ask
How many questions are on ASVAB Paragraph Comprehension?
The paper ASVAB has 15 Paragraph Comprehension questions with a 13-minute time limit. The computer version has fewer questions.
Does Paragraph Comprehension count toward the AFQT?
Yes, it is one of the four AFQT subtests.
How long are the passages on ASVAB Paragraph Comprehension?
Most are a single short paragraph of a few sentences, and some passages have more than one question about them.
How do I find the main idea quickly?
Ask what every sentence in the passage has in common. The main idea covers the whole passage, while wrong answers usually describe just one sentence or go beyond the text.
Find your weakest subtest in about 20 minutes. The free 25-question diagnostic covers all nine ASVAB subtests. No card needed.
Take the free ASVAB diagnostic