Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Test Preparation - 2023 Edition

What Should You Expect on The TSA Test?

The TSA test (also called the TSA CBT Test and SAB) is given to candidates applying for careers in Transportation Security Administration, including Transportation Security Officer (TSO). The assessment is comprised of two tests:

1. The Object Recognition (or X-Ray) Test evaluates how well you can spot suspicious items in X-ray luggage screening, such as guns, bottles, drugs, shoes, or electronics.
2. The English Test requires answering questions on Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, and Written Communication. 

Be Ready to Spot Any Type of Object in X-ray Images

The main challenge in the x-ray test is the short time limit you have to answer each question; you’ll only have 15 seconds to spot objects, which are often laid in strange positions, come in an unfamiliar form, or overlapped by another item.

*Source - JobTestPrep's online TSA Preparation Pack

Not so obvious is it? 

This image above is taken from our X-ray practice test for locating knives, highly resembling the images you'll see on the actual TSA test. With solving tips indicating signs you should be looking for, identifying whether the specified object is in the image becomes much easier and quicker over practice. 

As stated above, there are many different items you may be asked to identify:

*Source - JobTestPrep's online TSA Preparation Pack

On the challenging x-ray test, each of the items you'll be asked to locate has a certain form and characteristics- the more you are familiar with those, the quicker you'll be at locating them in the given image.

 
Practicing a variety of x-ray images and receiving tips and feedback can highly help improve you ability to quickly recognize any item in a given x-ray image. 

Sharpen your English Skills

The TSA English Test (also known as the writing skills test) examines your language and grammar skills using three subtests:

Reading Comprehension Questions

The reading comprehension part of the TSA test requires answering multiple-choice questions regarding written passages: 

*Source - JobTestPrep's online TSA Preparation Pack ("Reading Comprehension")

The main challenge in these questions is to understand what you read quickly enough to answer each question within 90 seconds. Our TSA practice pack includes explanations for each question, providing specific tips to improve your reading speed over practice. 

Vocabulary Test Questions

Vocabulary Test Questions evaluate your knowledge of synonyms, antonyms, and correct spelling. This is an example for a question about antonyms you may see on this test: 

*Source - JobTestPrep's online TSA Preparation Pack ("Vocabulary")

These questions examine your familiarity with words and subtleties you may not come across regularly. Practicing and going over incorrect answers can quickly refresh and expand your familiarity with different Synonyms, Antonyms, and incorrectly spelled words, ensuring you get these questions right.

Written Communication Test Questions

This part examines your ability to determine whether a sentence contains any errors in Grammer, Spelling, Punctuation or capitalization. 

*Source - JobTestPrep's online TSA Preparation Pack ("Fault Finding")

Why Prepare for the TSA Test?

Although you may have been told that no preparation is needed, many of our customers found that practicing each step of the TSA assessment improved their confidence and specific skills required to succeed, especially on the challenging x-ray test. 

Here's one of them: 

Yulia Pratt, USA

Verified Reviewer

"The test prep is really good, it has exactly what I had to do during the test. I highly recommend this website for anyone looking for a job or trying to pass a test. It's really worth the money. It helped me, and I'm sure it will help you too!"

Our TSA computer-based test practice includes:

• TSA diagnostic test: This diagnostic test will help save you time by focusing on your studying. It is recommended to take this test before continuing to the rest of the pack.
• Writing Skills Assessment: preparation pack includes 47 drills to help you improve your vocabulary, writing, and grammar skills for this section.
• X-Ray Test: Our preparation pack consists of 14 practice tests to help prepare you for this section. Our test gives you 15 seconds to answer each of the questions and over 30 seconds to view the objects. The real TSA X-Ray exam will give you approximately 15 seconds per question.
• Study guide: Elaborates on the different methods for analyzing X-ray images.
• 2 Shape Folding Tests that may be included in the assessment (optional).