Free CWI practice test for Parts A, B and C

Part A: fundamentals (closed book)

Format: 165 questions in 135 minutes, no code book and no notes. That's under 50 seconds a question, so formulas, symbols and terms have to be cold.

Sample question. A welder runs a pass at 25 volts and 200 amps with a travel speed of 10 inches per minute. What is the heat input?

• A. 0.5 kJ/in
• B. 3 kJ/in
• C. 30 kJ/in
• D. 300 kJ/in

Answer: C, 30 kJ/in. Heat input is volts times amps times 60, divided by travel speed in inches per minute: 25 × 200 × 60 ÷ 10 = 30,000 J/in, which is 30 kJ/in. B and D come from slipping a factor of 10 on the speed or the unit change. A comes from leaving out the 60 that turns seconds into minutes.

Work more of these step by step with the CWI math calculator, check heat input on its own with the heat input calculator, and see where the rest of the points are in the CWI Part A exam guide.

Part B: practical

Format: 46 questions in 120 minutes at an AWS test site. You measure plastic weld replicas with the tool kit and check documents against the Book of Specifications, which is a free PDF from AWS. Every answer comes from that book, not from your memory of D1.1.

Sample question. A drawing calls for a 3/8 in fillet weld. On a convex fillet replica your gauge reads one leg at 3/8 in and the other at 5/16 in. What fillet weld size do you record?

• A. 3/8 in
• B. 11/32 in
• C. 5/16 in
• D. 0.221 in

Answer: C, 5/16 in. Fillet size is the leg of the largest right isosceles triangle that fits inside the weld, so on a convex fillet the shorter leg sets the size, and this weld reads under the 3/8 in called for. A overstates it by taking the longer leg, and it's also the size on the drawing, so it's the tempting copy from the stem. B averages the two legs, which isn't how size is defined. D is the theoretical throat of a 5/16 in fillet (0.707 × 5/16), a different dimension. With the size recorded, you then judge it against the section of the Book of Specifications for the application the question puts you in.

Drill fillet gauge and V-WAC readings with the weld gauge reading trainer, and get the replicas, tool kit and a 120-minute plan in the Part B guide.

Part C: D1.1 code

Format: 55 questions in 135 minutes at a Prometric test center. The code is D1.1:2025 as an on-screen PDF with word search switched off, so you get there by bookmarks and clause numbers.

Sample question. You find undercut on a statically loaded nontubular fillet weld and need the acceptance limit for it. Which clause of D1.1:2025 do you go to first?

• A. Clause 5, prequalification of WPSs
• B. Clause 6, qualification
• C. Clause 7, fabrication
• D. Clause 8, inspection

Answer: D, Clause 8. In D1.1:2025 the visual acceptance criteria, undercut included, sit in Clause 8 in a table laid out by connection type; confirm the table number in your copy's contents. A covers what makes a WPS prequalified. B covers qualifying a WPS or welder by test. C covers workmanship and how welds are made and repaired, which is the trap: it sets profile rules and repair methods, but the acceptance limit itself is in Clause 8.

Time yourself on five more with the code navigation drill, and see the on-screen code and exam day in the Part C guide.

What free CWI practice tests miss

• Old editions. Tests in 2026 use D1.1:2025, and plenty of free Part C tests are still built on 2020. Practice on the wrong edition and your clause numbers are off on exam day.
• No explanations. A score with no reason behind each miss tells you that you're losing points, not where. Every answer here explains the key and every wrong option.
• Part B treated like D1.1. Part B is its own book. Practice that answers from D1.1 memory trains the exact habit the Book of Specifications is written to catch.
• Question PDFs passed around online. You sign a Candidate Attestation Agreement before each part, and sharing exam content breaks it. Every question on Fillet Gauge is original and written to the published AWS outline, with no copied code text.

Want every free option in one list, ours and AWS's? See free CWI practice resources. Need the weeks mapped out? The CWI study plan builder turns your exam dates and weekly hours into a printable schedule for every part.

FAQ

Is there a free CWI practice exam?

Yes. Start with the three explained questions on this page, one per part, then take the free 10-question check for your part below. It's scored by domain and needs no signup. AWS's free exam information guides carry a few sample questions too, and free CWI practice resources links every one.

How many questions are on the CWI exam?

Part A has 165 questions in 135 minutes, closed book. Part B has 46 questions in 120 minutes, answered from weld replicas and the Book of Specifications. Part C has 55 questions in 135 minutes, answered from D1.1:2025 on screen. You need 72% on each part.

Where do these CWI practice questions come from?

Every question is original and written to the published AWS outline for each part, with no copied code text. Each one explains why the key is right and why every other option is wrong.

How should I use CWI practice questions?

Practice each part the way it's tested: Part A from memory at under 50 seconds a question, Part B from the Book of Specifications rather than D1.1, and Part C by clause number in D1.1:2025. Read the explanation on every miss, not just the score, and note which domain it came from. To judge whether your scores say you're ready to book, see what a CWI practice test score tells you.

What's the difference between a CWI practice test and a mock exam?

A practice test like this one is short and explained, so you learn from every question. A mock exam is a full-length timed run at the exam's question count and time limit, taken once you know the material, to test your pacing. The Fillet Gauge course has full-length timed practice exams for every part.

Take the free 10-question check for your part

Pick your part and start now: Part A check, Part B check or Part C (D1.1) check. Each one is the free 10-question check, scored by domain, with no signup, so you see which domain to fix first. When you're ready for the full prep, the Fillet Gauge course gives you a lesson for every exam subject, two full-length timed practice exams per part, a worked explanation with every answer, and drills that train you to find answers fast in the Book of Specifications and in D1.1.