The ten ASVAB subtests
Each guide says what the section measures, what its items look like, how the clock is arranged, which topics to work on, and the mistakes that cost the most points - with original worked examples and a free practice set behind it.
These decide enlistment eligibility
If you only have time for four sections, study these. Each has its own deeper acquisition page alongside the subtest guide.
Arithmetic Reasoning
Section 2 of 10. 15 items in 55 minutes - about 220 seconds per item.
120 original questions available free.
Mathematics Knowledge
Section 5 of 10. 15 items in 31 minutes - about 124 seconds per item.
120 original questions available free.
Word Knowledge
Section 3 of 10. 15 items in 9 minutes - about 36 seconds per item.
100 original questions available free.
Paragraph Comprehension
Section 4 of 10. 10 items in 27 minutes - about 162 seconds per item.
80 original questions available free.
These decide which jobs you can fill
They do not enter the AFQT, but they feed the service component and line scores your recruiter uses to match you to a rating. If you have a job in mind, this is where the work is.
General Science
Section 1 of 10. 15 items in 12 minutes - about 48 seconds per item.
80 original questions available free.
Electronics Information
Section 6 of 10. 15 items in 10 minutes - about 40 seconds per item.
60 original questions available free.
Auto Information
Section 7 of 10. 10 items in 7 minutes - about 42 seconds per item.
50 original questions available free.
Shop Information
Section 8 of 10. 10 items in 6 minutes - about 36 seconds per item.
50 original questions available free.
Mechanical Comprehension
Section 9 of 10. 15 items in 22 minutes - about 88 seconds per item.
60 original questions available free.
Assembling Objects
Section 10 of 10. 15 items in 18 minutes - about 72 seconds per item.
60 original questions available free.
How a full session is scheduled
The computer-administered ASVAB runs the ten sections in a fixed order. Our timed mock template follows the same sequence with the item counts and clocks below.
| # | Subtest | Items | Minutes | Sec / item | Pace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GS General Science | 15 | 12 | 48 | 48 seconds per item |
| 2 | AR Arithmetic Reasoning | 15 | 55 | 220 | 220 seconds per item |
| 3 | WK Word Knowledge | 15 | 9 | 36 | 36 seconds per item |
| 4 | PC Paragraph Comprehension | 10 | 27 | 162 | 162 seconds per item |
| 5 | MK Mathematics Knowledge | 15 | 31 | 124 | 124 seconds per item |
| 6 | EI Electronics Information | 15 | 10 | 40 | 40 seconds per item |
| 7 | AI Auto Information | 10 | 7 | 42 | 42 seconds per item |
| 8 | SI Shop Information | 10 | 6 | 36 | 36 seconds per item |
| 9 | MC Mechanical Comprehension | 15 | 22 | 88 | 88 seconds per item |
| 10 | AO Assembling Objects | 15 | 18 | 72 | 72 seconds per item |
| Whole test | 135 | 197 | 88 |
These are the item counts and time limits ASVAB Pilot schedules its own timed practice sections with. They are our practice template, not a reproduction of official test administration rules - confirm item counts, order and time limits against officialasvab.com before you rely on them.
CAT and paper-and-pencil are not the same test
The ASVAB is administered in two ways. The computer-adapted version at a Military Entrance Processing Station adjusts the items it serves you based on how you answer; a paper version at a Mobile Education Site does not, combines Auto and Shop Information into a single Automotive and Shop Information section, and does not include Assembling Objects at all.
Because the formats differ, item counts differ, and a score from one is not directly comparable to the other. Officialasvab.com is the authority on the format you will sit and the rules that apply to it.
One more thing worth saying plainly: our timed sections draw randomly from a fixed bank and add a clock. That is CAT-style practice - it is not adaptive scoring and it does not reproduce the official algorithm.
Where to verify official details
- Subtest descriptions and the paper-format differences - officialasvab.com counselors and educators section.
- How CAT-ASVAB selects items - the official CAT-ASVAB page.
- Score reporting and what the AFQT percentile means - the official scores page.
- Test day format and rules - what to expect as an applicant.
We re-check the pacing template against those pages before every content release; if you spot a mismatch, the support page is the fastest way to tell us.
Read a guide, then answer questions from it
Every subtest page links to a free practice set built from that section's own question bank. No account, no email, no timer running.