- Exam Overview: How the Two Sections Work
- Domain 1: Effective Use of the English Language
- Domain 2: Communication Skills, Techniques, and Processes
- Domain 3: Literacy Processes and Instructional Practices
- Domain 4: Literary and Informational Texts
- Domain 5: Listening, Viewing, Speaking, and Presenting
- Domain 6: Pedagogical Content for Teaching ELA
- Domain 7: Assessment and Data-Driven Instruction
- Domain 8: The Written Performance Section
- Domain Weighting at a Glance
- Mapping a Study Timeline to the Domains
- Registration, Fees, and Retake Rules
- FAQ
- FTCE English 6-12 (013) has 8 domains: 7 multiple-choice domains plus one written performance domain scored separately.
- Domain 2 (communication skills) carries the heaviest multiple-choice weight at 18 percent; Domain 4 (literary/informational texts) is second at 17 percent.
- The written performance section is entirely Domain 8: evaluating a student's written analysis of a literary text, not writing your own essay about literature.
- Passing requires a scaled score of at least 200 on the multiple-choice section and 5 of 8 points on the written performance rubric.
Exam Overview: How the Two Sections Work
FTCE English 6-12 (013) is administered by the Florida Department of Education's Bureau of Postsecondary Assessment under Rule 6A-4.0021 F.A.C. and Section 1012.56 of the Florida Statutes, with the test developed and delivered by Pearson's Evaluation Systems group. The exam is split into two sections that are scored independently: a Multiple-Choice Section of approximately 60 scored questions in 1 hour 30 minutes, and a Written Performance Section consisting of one essay in 1 hour, for a combined 2 hours 30 minutes of testing time. Some forms include unscored field-test items mixed in, which candidates cannot identify and which do not affect the reported score.
Because the two sections have been scored and reported separately since January 1, 2015, a candidate who passes the multiple-choice section but not the written performance section only needs to retake the written portion - and vice versa. This structure matters for how you should think about the eight domains below: Domains 1 through 7 live entirely in the multiple-choice section, while Domain 8 is the written performance section in its entirety. For a full walkthrough of how to prepare across both sections, see the FTCE ENG 013 Study Guide 2026.
Domain 1: Effective Use of the English Language (15%)
Knowledge of effective use of the English language at the postsecondary level
This domain tests whether you have command of the language mechanics you'll be expected to model and correct in student writing. It's less about trivia and more about applying grammar, usage, and rhetoric knowledge to real sentences and passages.
- Standard grammar, usage, and mechanics conventions, including commonly confused constructions
- Sentence-level revision: combining, subordinating, and correcting for clarity and concision
- Diction, syntax, and rhetorical effect in edited passages
- Recognizing and correcting errors in agreement, modification, and parallel structure
Expect item stems built around short passages with underlined or bracketed segments, asking you to choose the best revision. This format rewards candidates who can quickly scan for the single grammatical issue an item is testing rather than getting distracted by stylistic preferences.
Domain 2: Communication Skills, Techniques, and Processes (18%)
The heaviest-weighted multiple-choice domain
At 18 percent, this is the single largest content area on the multiple-choice section, meaning it likely accounts for more scored questions than any other domain. It centers on the writing process itself - from prewriting through revision - and how effective communication functions across contexts.
- Stages of the writing process: planning, drafting, revising, editing, publishing
- Organizational strategies and structures for different purposes and audiences
- Research and citation practices, including synthesizing sources
- Rhetorical strategies for persuasive, informative, and narrative writing
Given its 18 percent weight, Domain 2 deserves the largest single block of your study calendar. If you're deciding where to spend limited review time, this is the domain that pays off most directly on test day - a point covered in more depth in the FTCE ENG 013 Cheat Sheet 2026.
Domain 3: Literacy Processes and Instructional Practices (15%)
Knowledge of literacy processes and instructional practices
This domain shifts from "what you know" to "how you teach it." It assumes familiarity with how adolescent and secondary students actually develop as readers and writers, and what instructional moves support that development.
- Stages of reading development for secondary students, including struggling readers
- Vocabulary acquisition strategies and word-study approaches for grades 6-12
- Comprehension strategies: before, during, and after reading techniques
- Differentiated instruction for varied literacy levels within one classroom
Domain 4: Literary and Informational Texts (17%)
The second-heaviest multiple-choice domain
At 17 percent, this domain is second only to Domain 2 in weight, so treat it as a near-equal priority. It covers a wide range of literary genres, periods, and informational text structures - testing both recognition and analytical interpretation.
- Major literary genres, movements, and representative works across periods
- Literary devices, figurative language, and their effect on meaning
- Analysis of informational and nonfiction text structures
- Comparing perspectives and themes across paired or multiple texts
Because Domains 2 and 4 together account for 35 percent of the multiple-choice section, candidates often benchmark their readiness by how confidently they can move through practice items from these two areas alone. The difficulty guide breaks down why these two domains tend to separate well-prepared candidates from underprepared ones.
Domain 5: Listening, Viewing, Speaking, and Presenting (10%)
Knowledge of effective techniques for listening, viewing, speaking, and presenting
This is one of two domains weighted at 10 percent, making it lighter but not skippable. It addresses the oral and multimedia communication skills that sit alongside reading and writing in a modern ELA classroom.
- Active listening strategies and evaluating spoken or multimedia messages
- Verbal and nonverbal elements of effective oral presentation
- Analyzing media and visual texts for purpose, bias, and credibility
- Facilitating discussion-based instruction, including Socratic seminar formats
Domain 6: Pedagogical Content for Teaching ELA (15%)
Knowledge of pedagogical content for teaching English language arts
This domain tests instructional design specific to ELA classrooms - lesson planning, standards alignment, and integrating content areas into a coherent secondary curriculum.
- Backward design and aligning objectives, activities, and assessment
- Integrating reading, writing, speaking, and listening in unit planning
- Scaffolding complex texts and tasks for mixed-ability classrooms
- Selecting texts and materials appropriate to grade band and reading level
Domain 7: Assessment and Data-Driven Instruction (10%)
Knowledge of various assessments and use of assessment data to drive instructional decisions
The second 10-percent domain, this area focuses on the assessment cycle: choosing appropriate assessment types and using the resulting data to adjust instruction.
- Formative versus summative assessment purposes and formats
- Rubric design and criteria-based scoring of student writing
- Interpreting assessment data to identify instructional gaps
- Using diagnostic data to group students and differentiate follow-up instruction
Domains 5 and 7 are the lightest-weighted multiple-choice domains at 10 percent each. Many candidates deprioritize them too far, forgetting that together they still make up a fifth of the multiple-choice section.
Domain 8: The Written Performance Section (100% of Written Performance)
Ability to evaluate a student's written analysis of a literary text
Domain 8 is unlike the other seven - it is not a multiple-choice domain, and it does not ask you to analyze literature yourself. Instead, the single essay prompt asks you to evaluate a student's written literary analysis, meaning your response must demonstrate the evaluative and instructional judgment of an ELA teacher, not just strong personal writing.
- Identifying strengths and weaknesses in a sample student's literary analysis
- Providing specific, constructive, criteria-based feedback
- Demonstrating command of standard written English in your own response
- Organizing your evaluation clearly and supporting judgments with evidence from the sample
The essay is scored holistically by two independent raters, each applying a 1-to-4 scale, for a combined possible range that determines whether you clear the 5-out-of-8 point threshold that took effect January 1, 2025 (replacing the previous 8-out-of-12 rubric). This is a meaningfully different passing bar than before, and candidates studying older materials should confirm they're working from current rubric language. Full scoring mechanics are covered in the FTCE ENG 013 Passing Score 2026 article.
Key Takeaway
Do not prepare for the written performance section by practicing literary essays about a novel or poem. Practice evaluating sample student writing against clear criteria - that is the actual task Domain 8 measures.
Domain Weighting at a Glance
Seeing all seven multiple-choice domain weights side by side makes prioritization far easier than reading them in isolation.
| Domain | Focus Area | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Domain 2 | Communication skills, techniques, and processes | 18% |
| Domain 4 | Literary and informational texts | 17% |
| Domain 1 | Effective use of the English language | 15% |
| Domain 3 | Literacy processes and instructional practices | 15% |
| Domain 6 | Pedagogical content for teaching ELA | 15% |
| Domain 5 | Listening, viewing, speaking, presenting | 10% |
| Domain 7 | Assessment and data-driven instruction | 10% |
| Domain 8 | Evaluating student written analysis | 100% of Written Performance |
Notice that four of the seven multiple-choice domains - Domains 1, 3, and 6 - sit at exactly 15 percent, forming a solid mid-tier that shouldn't be neglected even as you prioritize Domains 2 and 4.
Mapping a Study Timeline to the Domains
Rather than studying domains in numerical order, sequence your review around weight and section type: heaviest multiple-choice domains first, lighter ones next, and the written performance section woven throughout so evaluation skills have time to develop.
Domains 2 and 4 (35% combined)
- Drill communication-process and rhetorical-strategy items
- Review literary periods, devices, and informational text structures
Domains 1, 3, and 6 (45% combined)
- Sharpen grammar and sentence-revision accuracy
- Study literacy development stages and lesson-design frameworks
Domains 5 and 7 (20% combined)
- Review oral/media analysis techniques
- Practice interpreting sample assessment data
Domain 8: Written Performance
- Practice evaluating sample student essays under a timed hour
- Rehearse the 5-of-8 rubric criteria and feedback structure
For a more detailed week-by-week plan tied to full-length practice tests, see the FTCE ENG 013 Study Guide, and pair your review with timed practice on our practice test platform so domain-level pacing feels familiar before test day.
Registration, Fees, and Retake Rules Tied to Domain Prep
Because the two sections are graded and reported independently, your domain strategy can be split accordingly. The full exam costs $150 for both sections, or $75 to register for just one - the same fee whether it's a first attempt or a retake. If you pass the multiple-choice section but fall short on the Domain 8 essay, you only need the $75 written-performance retake, not a full re-sit of all seven multiple-choice domains.
Testing is available Monday through Saturday at Pearson VUE sites, with score reporting split by section: multiple-choice results appear at the test center with a comprehensive score about two weeks later, while written performance scores release roughly four weeks out. A failed section can be retaken after 31 calendar days; a passed section can't be retaken for three years, and breaking either window invalidates the new score with no report issued. Fee waivers for an initial attempt are available to active-duty military members, honorably discharged veterans, their spouses or surviving spouses under the Don Hahnfeldt Act, and retired first responders. For the complete cost breakdown across scenarios, see FTCE ENG 013 Certification Cost 2026, and for exact testing calendars and deadlines, see FTCE ENG 013 Exam Dates 2026.
There are no prerequisites or eligibility screening to register - anyone can sit for the exam, and there's no cap on attempts, though the 31-day and three-year windows still apply. If you're weighing whether pursuing this credential fits your career plans, the domain breakdown above should clarify exactly what content you'd need to master, and this ROI analysis walks through the broader decision alongside practice resources to test your baseline before committing.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are 8 total domains. Domains 1 through 7 are assessed on the multiple-choice section, and Domain 8 is the entire written performance section.
Domain 2, communication skills, techniques, and processes, carries the heaviest weight at 18 percent, followed by Domain 4, literary and informational texts, at 17 percent.
No. Domain 8 asks you to evaluate a student's written analysis of a literary text, not compose your own literary analysis, so preparation should focus on evaluative feedback skills.
Yes. Since the two sections have been scored and reported independently since January 1, 2015, you only need to retake the section you failed, after waiting the required 31 calendar days.
Not entirely. Each is weighted at 10 percent, and together they still represent a fifth of the multiple-choice section, so some review time should be reserved for both.