Regents ELA: the course and the exam
Three parts: 24 multiple-choice questions on a literary text, a poem and a nonfiction text; an argument essay from four sources; and a text-analysis response on one text. In all, eight texts and two pieces of writing. The Next Generation exam was first given in June 2026.
26 weeks, 104 hours in all
Start with Writing an argument from sources
41.1 of your hours. It carries 24 of the test's 56 weighted credits on our split, 43%.
| Topic | Your hours | Share of the credits |
|---|---|---|
| Writing an argument from sources | 41.1 | 43% |
| Reading literary prose | 13.7 | 14% |
| Reading poetry | 13.7 | 14% |
| Reading informational texts | 13.7 | 14% |
| Writing a text-analysis response | 13.7 | 14% |
Week by week
- Week 1Writing an argument from sources
- Week 2Writing an argument from sources
- Week 3Writing an argument from sources
- Week 4Writing an argument from sources
- Week 5Writing an argument from sources
- Week 6Writing an argument from sources
- Week 7Writing an argument from sources
- Week 8Writing an argument from sources
- Week 9Writing an argument from sources
- Week 10Writing an argument from sources
- Week 11Writing an argument from sources, Reading literary prose
- Week 12Reading literary prose
- Week 13Reading literary prose
- Week 14Reading literary prose, Reading poetry
- Week 15Reading poetry
- Week 16Reading poetry
- Week 17Reading poetry
- Week 18Reading poetry, Reading informational texts
- Week 19Reading informational texts
- Week 20Reading informational texts
- Week 21Reading informational texts, Writing a text-analysis response
- Week 22Writing a text-analysis response
- Week 23Writing a text-analysis response
- Week 24Writing a text-analysis response
- Week 25A timed check, an argument essay and a text-analysis response, then review every lost credit
- Week 26A timed check, an argument essay and a text-analysis response, then review every lost credit
| Part 1 | Reading comprehension: 24 multiple-choice questions on a literary text, a poem and a nonfiction text |
|---|---|
| Part 2 | An argument essay using evidence from at least three of four sources, 6-point rubric weighted by 4 |
| Part 3 | A text-analysis response of at least two paragraphs, 4-point rubric weighted by 2 |
| In all | Eight texts, 24 questions and two pieces of writing |
The three parts
- Part 1, reading comprehension: a close reading of three texts, one literary text, one poem and one nonfiction text, and 24 four-choice questions. 24 credits.
- Part 2, writing from sources: four informational sources on a debatable question, which may include a graphic. You write an argument with a precise claim, set it apart from opposing claims, and use evidence from at least three sources. Scored on a 6-point rubric, weighted by 4.
- Part 3, text-analysis response: one literary or informational text. In at least two paragraphs you identify a central idea or theme and analyze how one or more writing strategies develop it. Scored on a 4-point rubric, weighted by 2.
What is scored
- Both rubrics look at content and analysis, command of evidence, coherence, organization and style, and control of conventions.
- An argument that uses fewer than three of the sources is capped on the Part 2 rubric, so plan to use three.
Next step
Questions people ask
How many multiple-choice questions are there?
24, all in Part 1, on three texts: a literary text, a poem and a nonfiction text.
How are the essays scored?
The Part 2 argument essay on a 6-point rubric weighted by 4, and the Part 3 text-analysis response on a 4-point rubric weighted by 2.
Is this the Next Generation exam?
Yes. The Regents Examination in English Language Arts (Next Generation) was first given in June 2026, after the last administration of the earlier exam in January 2026.