Italian first paper practice tests.
Unlike the second paper, which changes with each school type, the Italian first paper is the same for every candidate. Each year the ministry sets 7 prompts — 2 of type A, 3 of type B, 2 of type C — and you choose just one. Here you will find a complete practice test for each of the three types.
The correct answer to every question and your weak topics arrive by email for free; with an account you see them straight away here, together with the score, which is already on the page for everyone. The guided step-by-step solution unlocks with your first lesson.
The maturità is Italy’s school-leaving exam, and its first paper is the Italian-language writing test that every candidate sits.
Test in ItalianThe questions of this simulator are in Italian, as in the real exam.
- Open the paper
Type A — text analysis
Leopardi, “L’infinito” (poem) · Manzoni, opening of The Betrothed (prose)
- Open the paper
Type B — argumentative text
Technology and attention span · sport and society (two original prompts)
- Open the paper
Type C — critical reflection
The value of empty time and boredom · the relationship between generations (two original prompts)
Six hours, three types, a mark out of 20.
Each test lasts six hours at most, as in the real exam. Type A starts from a literary text (a poem or a prose passage) that you have to understand, analyse and interpret. Type B starts from an argumentative text: you identify the thesis and the arguments, then write your own argumentative text on the same subject. Type C starts from a more open prompt on a current-affairs topic and asks for an expository and argumentative text with a title of your choice.
The official marking grid awards up to 100 points — 12 general indicators common to all types (up to 60 points) plus the indicators specific to the chosen type (up to 40 points) — which are then divided by 5 to give the mark out of 20. The practice test turns this scheme into a simplified estimate on the same 20 points used for the other maturità papers on the site: useful for practising the content, not a substitute for your school’s grid.
Frequently asked questions about the Italian first paper.
Is the Italian first paper the same for every school type?
Yes: unlike the second paper, which changes with each school type (maths at the scientific high school, for example), the Italian first paper is common to all — high school, technical institute, vocational institute. It is the only written paper that really every candidate sits.
How many prompts does the ministry set and how are they organised?
Each year the ministry sets 7 prompts in all: 2 of type A (text analysis, a poem and a prose passage), 3 of type B (argumentative text, on different areas: artistic-literary, historical, technical-scientific) and 2 of type C (critical reflection of an expository and argumentative kind). The student chooses just one of the seven.
What is the difference between the three types?
Type A starts from a literary text (poetry or prose) and asks you to understand it, analyse it (vocabulary, syntax, rhetorical devices) and interpret it. Type B starts from an argumentative text (often an article or an essay) and asks you to identify its thesis and arguments, then write your own argumentative text on the same subject. Type C starts from a more open prompt, on a cultural or social current-affairs topic, and asks for an expository and argumentative text with a title chosen by the student.
How long does the paper last and how is the mark worked out?
Like all written papers, the maximum time is six hours. The official grid awards up to 100 points (12 general indicators common to all types, up to 60 points, plus the indicators specific to the chosen type, up to 40 points), which are then divided by 5 for the mark out of 20. This practice test gives a simplified estimate on the same points scheme used for the other maturità papers on the site, useful for practising the content — the real mark always follows your school’s grid.
How does the marking work in this practice test?
You work on paper as in the exam — choose the prompt, write the answer or the essay — then reveal the guided solution one step at a time (comprehension, analysis, paragraph examples, typical mistakes) and at the end you mark yourself. The correct answer to every question and your weak topics arrive by email for free; with an account you see them straight away here, together with the score, which is already on the page for everyone. The guided step-by-step solution unlocks with your first lesson.
Shall we prepare for the maturità together?
If the practice test shows gaps in text analysis, argumentative writing or organising your ideas, have a look at the Italian tutoring — or start with the free diagnostic call.