Ontario G1 Practice Test in English – 50 Free Questions

Free G1 Practice Test in English — Built for New Drivers Across Ontario

This is an unofficial practice test for study purposes and is not affiliated with the Ontario Ministry of Transportation or DriveTest.

If English is the language you think in, you should be able to prepare for your licence in English too. The good news: DriveTest offers the official G1 knowledge test in English at testing centres across the province, and the Ministry of Transportation publishes its Official Driver’s Handbook in English as well.

The interactive test above was built specifically for English-speaking learners. It contains 50 practice questions using Ontario road signs, with the same instant green/red feedback you will find on our other-language practice tests. Study the sign, pick your answer, and keep going until you can score 90% or higher — a comfortable cushion above the 80% you need to pass each section of the official test.

Once you’re comfortable with the signs, don’t forget the second half of the exam — our full 200-question G1 practice test covers the rules of the road as well.

What Is on the Ontario G1 Test?

The G1 knowledge test is a computer-based, multiple-choice exam taken at a DriveTest centre. It is not timed, and you get your result before you leave. Here is the exact format:

Section	Questions	Score needed to pass
Road signs	20	16/20 (80%)
Rules of the road	20	16/20 (80%)

The part most people underestimate: you must pass both sections independently. A perfect score on road signs will not save a weak rules section. That is why this page focuses on signs — pair it with our 200-question G1 practice test to cover the rules of the road too.

How to Use This English G1 Practice Test

1. Look carefully at each sign image. Every question shows an Ontario traffic sign — the same style you will see at DriveTest.
2. Click the answer you think is correct. A green highlight means you got it right; if you are wrong, your choice turns red and the correct answer turns green.
3. Use “Next question” to move forward. You can also press “Submit test” at any time to see your results early.
4. Review your score report. You will see your total questions, attempted, correct, wrong, percentage, and a pass/fail verdict (80% to pass).
5. Retake until you score 90%+. Hit “Retake the test” and run it again — repetition is what builds sign recognition.

5 Study Tips to Pass Your G1 Test on the First Try

1. Study the handbook in English. The MTO’s official handbook is the source of the questions on the official test. Read the English version alongside these practice questions so the vocabulary matches what you will see on exam day. For offline review, you can also download our free G1 questions and answers PDF.
2. Learn signs in families, not one by one. Regulatory signs (red signs, like stop and yield), warning signs (yellow diamonds, like curves and slippery roads), and information signs (green and blue) each follow visual patterns. Once you know the family, half the question is already answered.
3. Watch for “look-alike” pairs. The yield sign vs. the stop sign ahead, the divided-highway-begins vs. divided-highway-ends signs, and the various no-turn signs are classic traps. Our test includes all of them.
4. Do not ignore the rules section. New drivers often ace the signs and stumble on rules about demerit points, blood-alcohol limits, and G1 restrictions (no 400-series highways, midnight–5 a.m. curfew). Cover both halves.
5. Simulate test day. Sit somewhere quiet, put your phone away, and run through all 50 questions without notes — the real test room at DriveTest does not allow study materials or electronics.

G1 Test Guide for Newcomers Studying in English

This English G1 practice test serves two very different groups: young Ontarians getting licensed for the first time, and newcomers from English-speaking countries around the world. If you belong to the second group — newly arrived from the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Jamaica, India, or Pakistan — you face a paradox. You can read every question perfectly, yet still fail, because the test is not really about English. It is about Ontario, and Ontario’s roads work differently from the ones you grew up on.

The single biggest trap is the side of the road. Most English-speaking countries outside North America drive on the left, and left-side driving builds reflexes that feel like pure instinct: glancing right first at intersections, swinging wide into the far lane on turns, and positioning the car by the opposite curb. In Ontario every one of those instincts is mirrored. The G1 test probes this relentlessly with questions about turning into the correct lane, lane choice on multi-lane roads, and right-of-way at intersections. Do not trust your reflexes while studying. For each practice question, slow down and physically picture the manoeuvre on the right side of the road. Experienced drivers from left-driving countries fail the G1 more often than complete beginners, precisely because beginners have no habits to unlearn.

Measurement systems are the next surprise. If you learned to drive in Britain, your speedometer read miles per hour; in Ontario, every sign, limit, and test question uses kilometres per hour. The conversion is simple but the intuition takes time to rebuild, so the G1 questions about speed limits in school zones, built-up areas, and highways deserve memorization rather than estimation. Roundabouts versus four-way stops is another fault line. Drivers from the UK and Australia are fluent in roundabouts but have rarely seen a four-way stop, while the Ontario test treats the four-way stop as basic knowledge: first to stop goes first, ties go to the vehicle on the right. Learn it cold.

Winter driving separates newcomers from locals more than any other topic. If your driving life happened in Jamaica, South Africa, or Australia, snow is something from films, yet Ontario tests it heavily: following distances on ice, what black ice is and where it forms, how to handle a skid, and the rule that all snow must be cleared from your vehicle before driving. Study winter as its own subject and treat those questions as guaranteed marks. School buses are another Canadian specialty with no equivalent in most English-speaking countries. When a bus stops with flashing red lights on an undivided road, both directions of traffic must stop, and passing carries some of the heaviest penalties in the traffic code.

Check your licensing history before you assume you are starting from zero. Ontario has reciprocal licence-exchange agreements with a set list of countries (including the United States) and all Canadian provinces and territories, which can let experienced drivers skip parts of the graduated system. The list changes, so verify your own situation on the official MTO website or at a DriveTest centre rather than relying on what a friend did. If you do start at G1, respect its restrictions from day one: zero blood alcohol, an accompanying fully licensed driver with at least four years of experience, no driving between midnight and 5 a.m., and no 400-series highways unless you are with a licensed instructor.

Free help is widely available. Settlement agencies across Ontario run newcomer programs covering everything from job searches to driving, and 211 Ontario will connect you to the nearest one by phone or online. Public libraries offer free computers, quiet study space, and conversation groups, and the official MTO Driver’s Handbook is the final authority behind every question on this page. Study in short daily sessions, aim for consistent scores above 90 percent here — the real test needs 16 out of 20 in each of its two sections — and book a morning appointment when you are sharp. You already speak the language of the test. Now learn the language of the road.

Frequently Asked Questions About the G1 Test in English

Is the real G1 test available in English?

Yes. The official knowledge test is offered in English (and French) at DriveTest centres across Ontario. You can request the English version when you arrive — no appointment is needed at most locations.

How many questions are on the Ontario G1 test?

The official test has 40 multiple-choice questions: 20 on road signs and 20 on rules of the road. This practice test has 50 sign questions to give you extra repetition on the section many learners find trickiest.

What score do I need to pass the G1 test?

You need at least 16 out of 20 (80%) in each section. Failing one section means failing the whole test, even if you aced the other half.

What should I bring to the DriveTest centre?

Bring original identification showing your legal name and date of birth, plus your glasses or contact lenses if you need them to drive. The G1 licence package fee is $159.75, which covers the knowledge test, your first G2 road test, and a five-year licence. (Fees can change — check DriveTest for current amounts.) You must be at least 16 years old and an Ontario resident.

Can I take the G1 test online?

No. The knowledge test must be taken in person at a DriveTest centre (or the ServiceOntario Bay and College location in downtown Toronto, by appointment). Phones, notes, and study materials are not allowed in the testing room.

What happens if I fail the G1 test?

You can pay the retest fee and try again — a knowledge-test retake currently costs $16 — and if you retake it within a year, you only rewrite the section you didn’t pass. It still pays to practice here until you’re consistently scoring above 80%. (Fees can change, so confirm current amounts at DriveTest when you book.)

Preparing with family or friends who prefer a different language? This same free 50-question test is also available in French, Spanish, Hindi, Arabic, Punjabi, and Armenian.

For official information, see the MTO Driver’s Handbook, the official DriveTest handbooks page, and the DriveTest tests overview.