CALIFORNIA SPEECH-LANGUAGE
PATHOLOGIST LICENSING EXAM , QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS)
PLUS RATIONALES 2026 Q&A | INSTANT
DOWNLOAD PDF
1. Which cranial nerve is primarily responsible for controlling the
muscles of mastication?
A. Facial (CN VII)
B. Trigeminal (CN V)
C. Hypoglossal (CN XII)
D. Vagus (CN X)
The trigeminal nerve (CN V) innervates the muscles responsible for
chewing and provides sensory input from the face.
2. A patient demonstrates difficulty producing the /s/ and /z/ sounds.
This is an example of:
A. Apraxia of speech
B. Dysarthria
C. Articulation disorder
D. Fluency disorder
Difficulty producing specific speech sounds is characteristic of an
articulation disorder.
3. Broca’s aphasia is primarily associated with:
A. Fluent speech with paraphasias
B. Nonfluent speech with intact comprehension
,C. Global speech impairment
D. Receptive language deficit only
Broca’s aphasia results in effortful, nonfluent speech, while
comprehension is relatively preserved.
4. The type of hearing loss caused by a blockage in the outer or middle
ear is:
A. Sensorineural
B. Mixed
C. Conductive
D. Central
Conductive hearing loss occurs when sound is impeded in the outer or
middle ear.
5. A child consistently substitutes “w” for “r,” saying “wabbit” for
“rabbit.” This is an example of:
A. Phonological process disorder
B. Dysfluency
C. Voice disorder
D. Apraxia
This substitution reflects a phonological process, a pattern of sound
errors.
6. Which assessment is commonly used to evaluate a client’s
swallowing function?
A. MMSE
B. GFTA-3
C. VFSS (Videofluoroscopic Swallow Study)
D. CELF-5
VFSS is a radiographic procedure to assess swallowing mechanics and
safety.
, 7. The most common cause of acquired aphasia in adults is:
A. Tumor
B. Stroke
C. Traumatic brain injury
D. Infection
Stroke, particularly ischemic or hemorrhagic, is the leading cause of
adult aphasia.
8. A patient presents with monotone pitch, imprecise articulation, and
slow rate. This is most consistent with:
A. Spastic dysarthria
B. Ataxic dysarthria
C. Hypokinetic dysarthria
D. Flaccid dysarthria
Flaccid dysarthria is associated with weakness of the speech muscles,
leading to monotone and imprecise speech.
9. Which laryngeal structure is primarily responsible for voice
production?
A. Epiglottis
B. Vocal folds
C. Arytenoid cartilages
D. False vocal folds
The vocal folds vibrate to produce sound for phonation.
10. The most appropriate intervention for a child with stuttering is:
A. Fluency shaping and stuttering modification techniques
B. Oral motor exercises only
C. Hearing aids
D. Language comprehension therapy
PATHOLOGIST LICENSING EXAM , QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS)
PLUS RATIONALES 2026 Q&A | INSTANT
DOWNLOAD PDF
1. Which cranial nerve is primarily responsible for controlling the
muscles of mastication?
A. Facial (CN VII)
B. Trigeminal (CN V)
C. Hypoglossal (CN XII)
D. Vagus (CN X)
The trigeminal nerve (CN V) innervates the muscles responsible for
chewing and provides sensory input from the face.
2. A patient demonstrates difficulty producing the /s/ and /z/ sounds.
This is an example of:
A. Apraxia of speech
B. Dysarthria
C. Articulation disorder
D. Fluency disorder
Difficulty producing specific speech sounds is characteristic of an
articulation disorder.
3. Broca’s aphasia is primarily associated with:
A. Fluent speech with paraphasias
B. Nonfluent speech with intact comprehension
,C. Global speech impairment
D. Receptive language deficit only
Broca’s aphasia results in effortful, nonfluent speech, while
comprehension is relatively preserved.
4. The type of hearing loss caused by a blockage in the outer or middle
ear is:
A. Sensorineural
B. Mixed
C. Conductive
D. Central
Conductive hearing loss occurs when sound is impeded in the outer or
middle ear.
5. A child consistently substitutes “w” for “r,” saying “wabbit” for
“rabbit.” This is an example of:
A. Phonological process disorder
B. Dysfluency
C. Voice disorder
D. Apraxia
This substitution reflects a phonological process, a pattern of sound
errors.
6. Which assessment is commonly used to evaluate a client’s
swallowing function?
A. MMSE
B. GFTA-3
C. VFSS (Videofluoroscopic Swallow Study)
D. CELF-5
VFSS is a radiographic procedure to assess swallowing mechanics and
safety.
, 7. The most common cause of acquired aphasia in adults is:
A. Tumor
B. Stroke
C. Traumatic brain injury
D. Infection
Stroke, particularly ischemic or hemorrhagic, is the leading cause of
adult aphasia.
8. A patient presents with monotone pitch, imprecise articulation, and
slow rate. This is most consistent with:
A. Spastic dysarthria
B. Ataxic dysarthria
C. Hypokinetic dysarthria
D. Flaccid dysarthria
Flaccid dysarthria is associated with weakness of the speech muscles,
leading to monotone and imprecise speech.
9. Which laryngeal structure is primarily responsible for voice
production?
A. Epiglottis
B. Vocal folds
C. Arytenoid cartilages
D. False vocal folds
The vocal folds vibrate to produce sound for phonation.
10. The most appropriate intervention for a child with stuttering is:
A. Fluency shaping and stuttering modification techniques
B. Oral motor exercises only
C. Hearing aids
D. Language comprehension therapy
