I Keep Failing the Practice Tests, Will the Real Canadian Citizenship Test Be Harder?

You studied, you sat a practice test, and you got 13 or 14 out of 20. Now you are wondering if the real Canadian Citizenship Test will be even harder. Take a breath: a lower practice score is normal, and it might be the best thing that happens to you before exam day.

First, the format you are actually facing

The Canadian Citizenship Test is 20 questions, and you need 15 correct to pass. You get 45 minutes, which is more than two minutes per question, so time is rarely the real problem. Questions are drawn from Discover Canada: The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship.

Rules can change, so always confirm the current format, pass mark, and timing with IRCC before your appointment.

Why good practice tests feel harder than the real thing

Here is the part that should calm you down: a well-built practice test is deliberately a bit tougher than the official exam.

• The wording is sharper, so you cannot coast on a half-remembered fact.
• The wrong answers, the distractors, are closer to the truth and designed to tempt you.
• The mix leans into the topics people actually trip on.

That is by design, and it works in your favour. If you can clear a tricky mock, the real test tends to feel calmer and more straightforward. Scoring 13 or 14 on a hard practice set is not a red flag, it is feedback telling you exactly what to review next.

The readiness rule worth booking around

Do not book your test off a single lucky score. Use this rule instead:

Pass several TIMED mock tests at 17 of 20 or better before you book.

Timed matters · practice the way you will perform. Several matters · one good run can be luck, a streak of them is skill. Aiming for 17, not 15, gives you a cushion for exam-day nerves and the one or two questions that surprise everyone.

Where people actually lose marks

Most failed marks cluster in four areas. Shore these up and your scores climb fast.

1. Provincial capitals and leaders

People mix up cities, provinces, and capitals, then lose easy points. Drill the 13 provinces and territories with their capitals as pairs. Know the basics of who leads: the Prime Minister leads the country, a Premier leads each province, and the Governor General represents the monarch federally.

2. Senate vs House of Commons

This is a classic trap. Lock in the difference:

• The House of Commons: members are elected (Members of Parliament).
• The Senate: members are appointed.
• Both must pass a bill before it becomes law.

If a question asks who is elected versus appointed, you want that answer to be automatic.

3. Federal vs provincial responsibilities

Expect at least one question on who is responsible for what. A quick mental sort:

• Federal: national defence, citizenship, foreign policy, money and banking.
• Provincial: education, healthcare delivery, highways, property and civil rights.
• Shared: areas like immigration and agriculture.

When you read a responsibility, practise placing it in the right column without hesitating.

4. Key dates and rights

Dates and rights questions reward flashcards. Focus on Confederation in 1867, major milestones, and the core rights and responsibilities of citizenship: the right to vote, freedom of expression, and duties like obeying the law and serving on a jury. Pair each right with its matching responsibility so they reinforce each other.

A calm "am I ready" checklist

You are ready to book when you can honestly tick these off:

• You have passed several timed mocks at 17 of 20 or higher, not just once.
• You can name every province and territory with its capital from memory.
• You can explain elected vs appointed for the House of Commons and the Senate in one breath.
• You can sort a responsibility into federal, provincial, or shared without second-guessing.
• The key dates and rights come to you quickly, no long pause.
• A practice test now feels routine, not stressful.

If a couple of boxes are still shaky, you have not failed at anything. You simply found your study list, which is the whole point of practising.

Practise the way the real test works

The fastest way to turn 13s and 14s into confident 17s is to rehearse in the exact format you will face: a timed simulator that mirrors the 20-question, 45-minute structure, with answer review so you learn from every miss.

Practise the Canadian Citizenship Test free on Citizen Pass and Take a free practice test →.