National Latin Exam (NLE) study guide
National Latin Exam (NLE) · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The National Latin Exam (NLE) is a Latin assessment administered under the ACL/NJCL National Latin Exam name, with its office located at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia. It is intended for Latin students and teachers, and the official site also provides dedicated guidance for homeschooled students and for college students. Because the NLE offers multiple exams rather than a single paper, the first practical step for any candidate or teacher is to consult the NLE Syllabus to determine which exam best fits the students and classroom; the site also publishes a Beginning Reading Comprehension Exam page, previous exams and answer keys, and a practice app. The published domains for this profile divide coverage evenly across reading comprehension, grammar and syntax, vocabulary and derivatives, and Roman culture, mythology, and history, so preparation should be balanced rather than focused on translation alone. The National Latin Exam (NLE) study guide has 4 sections and about 1,233 words.
01Reading Comprehension in Latin
Reading comprehension asks you to translate and interpret connected Latin, not just label forms. NLE passages range from short dialogues and adapted prose to authentic Caesar, Cicero, Pliny, Catullus, Ovid, or Virgil, depending on level.
299 words, about 1 min02Grammar and Syntax: Forms in Service of Meaning
The grammar and syntax domain tests whether you can identify forms and explain their function in a sentence. Expect noun case and declension, verb tense, mood, and voice, agreement, pronouns, and subordinate clause types.
325 words, about 2 min03Vocabulary and English Derivatives
Vocabulary questions test core Latin words and your ability to connect them to English derivatives. The NLE syllabus organizes vocabulary by level, so learn listed words with principal parts and common compounds rather than isolated glosses.
288 words, about 1 min04Roman Culture, Mythology, and History
This domain covers the institutions, daily life, gods, legends, and historical turning points that Latin texts assume. Questions may ask about a magistracy, a festival, a god's attributes, or the sequence of the Republic and Empire.
321 words, about 2 min