<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 B000000 08/31/96
000 C000000 0000857769
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0
000 J000000 A
001 A000000 JOHN HANCOCK TAX-FREE BOND TRUST
001 B000000 811-5968
001 C000000 6173751702
002 A000000 101 HUNTINGTON AVENUE
002 B000000 BOSTON
002 C000000 MA
002 D010000 02199
002 D020000 7603
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 Y
007 B000000 1
007 C010100 1
007 C020100 JOHN HANCOCK TAX-FREE BOND FUND
007 C030100 N
007 C010200 2
007 C010300 3
007 C010400 4
007 C010500 5
007 C010600 6
007 C010700 7
007 C010800 8
007 C010900 9
007 C011000 10
008 A00AA01 JOHN HANCOCK ADVISERS, INC.
008 B00AA01 A
008 C00AA01 801-8124
008 D01AA01 BOSTON
008 D02AA01 MA
008 D03AA01 02199
008 D04AA01 7603
011 A00AA01 JOHN HANCOCK FUNDS, INC.
011 B00AA01 8-43582
011 C01AA01 BOSTON
011 C02AA01 MA
011 C03AA01 02199
011 C04AA01 7603
012 A00AA01 JOHN HANCOCK INVESTOR SERVICES CORPORATION
012 B00AA01 84-18851
012 C01AA01 BOSTON
<PAGE> PAGE 2
012 C02AA01 MA
012 C03AA01 02199
012 C04AA01 7603
013 A00AA01 ERNST & YOUNG LLP
013 B01AA01 BOSTON
013 B02AA01 MA
013 B03AA01 02116
014 A00AA01 JOHN HANCOCK DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
014 B00AA01 8-13995
014 A00AA02 JOHN HANCOCK FUNDS, INC.
014 B00AA02 8-43582
014 A00AA03 TUCKER ANTHONY, INC.
014 B00AA03 8-24297
014 A00AA04 SUTRO & CO., INC
014 B00AA04 8-7981
014 A00AA05 FREEDOM DISTRIBUTORS CORPORATION
014 B00AA05 8-37458
014 A00AA06 JOHN HANCOCK MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
014 B00AA06 8-15661
020 A000001 BEAR STEARNS & CO
020 B000001 13-2975144
020 C000001 335
020 C000002 0
020 C000003 0
020 C000004 0
020 C000005 0
020 C000006 0
020 C000007 0
020 C000008 0
020 C000009 0
020 C000010 0
021 000000 335
022 A000001 SMITH BARNEY SHEARSON
022 B000001 13-1912900
022 C000001 38374
022 D000001 63384
022 A000002 GOLDMAN SACHS
022 B000002 13-5108880
022 C000002 42375
022 D000002 48414
022 A000003 MERRILL LYNCH PIERCE FENNER & SMITH
022 B000003 13-5674085
022 C000003 27923
022 D000003 34226
022 A000004 PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES
022 B000004 22-2347336
022 C000004 30391
022 D000004 24652
022 A000005 LEHMAN BROTHERS
022 B000005 13-2501865
022 C000005 22294
<PAGE> PAGE 3
022 D000005 15903
022 A000006 MORGAN STANLEY & CO
022 B000006 13-2655998
022 C000006 19963
022 D000006 13083
022 A000007 PAINE WEBBER INC
022 B000007 13-2638166
022 C000007 8821
022 D000007 12648
022 A000008 FIRST ALBANY
022 B000008 14-1391446
022 C000008 9710
022 D000008 2767
022 A000009 MCDONALD & CO
022 C000009 4255
022 D000009 6642
022 A000010 WILLIAM E. SIMON & SONS INC
022 B000010 22-3017217
022 C000010 4483
022 D000010 4477
023 C000000 225129
023 D000000 230715
024 00AA00 N
025 D00AA01 0
025 D00AA02 0
025 D00AA03 0
025 D00AA04 0
025 D00AA05 0
025 D00AA06 0
025 D00AA07 0
025 D00AA08 0
026 A000000 N
026 B000000 Y
026 C000000 N
026 D000000 Y
026 E000000 N
026 F000000 N
026 G010000 N
026 G020000 N
026 H000000 N
027 000000 Y
037 00AA00 N
038 00AA00 0
039 00AA00 Y
040 00AA00 Y
041 00AA00 Y
049 00AA00 N
050 00AA00 N
051 00AA00 N
052 00AA00 N
053 A00AA00 Y
<PAGE> PAGE 4
053 B00AA00 Y
053 C00AA00 N
054 A00AA00 Y
054 B00AA00 N
054 C00AA00 N
054 D00AA00 N
054 E00AA00 N
054 F00AA00 N
054 G00AA00 Y
054 H00AA00 Y
054 I00AA00 N
054 J00AA00 Y
054 K00AA00 N
054 L00AA00 N
054 M00AA00 Y
054 N00AA00 N
054 O00AA00 N
055 A00AA00 N
055 B00AA00 N
056 00AA00 Y
057 00AA00 N
058 A00AA00 N
059 00AA00 Y
060 A00AA00 Y
060 B00AA00 Y
061 00AA00 1000
077 A000000 Y
077 B000000 Y
077 C000000 N
077 D000000 N
077 E000000 N
077 F000000 N
077 G000000 N
077 H000000 N
077 I000000 N
077 J000000 N
077 K000000 N
077 L000000 N
077 M000000 N
077 N000000 N
077 O000000 N
077 P000000 N
077 Q010000 Y
077 Q020000 N
077 Q030000 N
078 000000 N
080 A00AA00 GULF INSURANCE COMPANY
080 B00AA00 ICI MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY
080 C00AA00 35000
081 A00AA00 Y
081 B00AA00 79
<PAGE> PAGE 5
082 A00AA00 N
082 B00AA00 0
083 A00AA00 N
083 B00AA00 0
084 A00AA00 N
084 B00AA00 0
085 A00AA00 Y
085 B00AA00 N
015 A000101 INVESTORS BANK & TRUST COMPANY
015 B000101 C
015 C010101 BOSTON
015 C020101 MA
015 C030101 02110
015 E010101 X
018 000100 Y
019 A000100 Y
019 B000100 60
019 C000100 JOHNHANCOC
028 A010100 10381
028 A020100 2202
028 A030100 0
028 A040100 20100
028 B010100 17316
028 B020100 1970
028 B030100 0
028 B040100 21921
028 C010100 0
028 C020100 0
028 C030100 0
028 C040100 0
028 D010100 0
028 D020100 0
028 D030100 0
028 D040100 0
028 E010100 0
028 E020100 0
028 E030100 0
028 E040100 0
028 F010100 0
028 F020100 0
028 F030100 0
028 F040100 0
028 G010100 27697
028 G020100 4172
028 G030100 0
028 G040100 42021
028 H000100 5806
029 000100 Y
030 A000100 364
030 B000100 4.50
030 C000100 0.00
<PAGE> PAGE 6
031 A000100 39
031 B000100 0
032 000100 120
033 000100 205
034 000100 Y
035 000100 281
036 A000100 Y
036 B000100 0
042 A000100 0
042 B000100 0
042 C000100 100
042 D000100 0
042 E000100 0
042 F000100 0
042 G000100 0
042 H000100 0
043 000100 804
044 000100 4487
045 000100 Y
046 000100 N
047 000100 Y
048 000100 0.550
048 A010100 0
048 A020100 0.000
048 B010100 0
048 B020100 0.000
048 C010100 0
048 C020100 0.000
048 D010100 0
048 D020100 0.000
048 E010100 0
048 E020100 0.000
048 F010100 0
048 F020100 0.000
048 G010100 0
048 G020100 0.000
048 H010100 0
048 H020100 0.000
048 I010100 0
048 I020100 0.000
048 J010100 0
048 J020100 0.000
048 K010100 0
048 K020100 0.000
062 A000100 Y
062 B000100 0.0
062 C000100 0.0
062 D000100 0.0
062 E000100 0.0
062 F000100 0.0
062 G000100 0.0
<PAGE> PAGE 7
062 H000100 0.0
062 I000100 0.0
062 J000100 0.0
062 K000100 0.0
062 L000100 0.0
062 M000100 0.0
062 N000100 0.0
062 O000100 100.0
062 P000100 0.0
062 Q000100 0.0
062 R000100 0.0
063 A000100 0
063 B000100 21.6
064 A000100 N
064 B000100 N
066 A000100 N
067 000100 N
068 A000100 N
068 B000100 N
069 000100 N
070 A010100 Y
070 A020100 N
070 B010100 N
070 B020100 N
070 C010100 Y
070 C020100 Y
070 D010100 N
070 D020100 N
070 E010100 Y
070 E020100 N
070 F010100 N
070 F020100 N
070 G010100 Y
070 G020100 Y
070 H010100 N
070 H020100 N
070 I010100 N
070 I020100 N
070 J010100 Y
070 J020100 Y
070 K010100 N
070 K020100 N
070 L010100 N
070 L020100 N
070 M010100 N
070 M020100 N
070 N010100 Y
070 N020100 N
070 O010100 N
070 O020100 N
070 P010100 Y
<PAGE> PAGE 8
070 P020100 N
070 Q010100 N
070 Q020100 N
070 R010100 N
070 R020100 N
071 A000100 222970
071 B000100 234679
071 C000100 192761
071 D000100 116
072 A000100 8
072 B000100 18149
072 C000100 0
072 D000100 0
072 E000100 0
072 F000100 1503
072 G000100 21
072 H000100 0
072 I000100 480
072 J000100 85
072 K000100 0
072 L000100 45
072 M000100 23
072 N000100 61
072 O000100 0
072 P000100 0
072 Q000100 0
072 R000100 39
072 S000100 16
072 T000100 804
072 U000100 0
072 V000100 0
072 W000100 1
072 X000100 3078
072 Y000100 348
072 Z000100 15419
072AA000100 150708
072BB000100 0
072CC010100 0
072CC020100 2174
072DD010100 12786
072DD020100 2576
072EE000100 0
073 A010100 0.3940
073 A020100 0.3421
073 B000100 0.0000
073 C000100 0.0000
074 A000100 841
074 B000100 0
074 C000100 0
074 D000100 659170
074 E000100 0
<PAGE> PAGE 9
074 F000100 0
074 G000100 0
074 H000100 0
074 I000100 49
074 J000100 0
074 K000100 62
074 L000100 17208
074 M000100 54
074 N000100 677384
074 O000100 34541
074 P000100 422
074 Q000100 0
074 R010100 0
074 R020100 0
074 R030100 0
074 R040100 381
074 S000100 0
074 T000100 642040
074 U010100 54614
074 U020100 7903
074 V010100 10.27
074 V020100 10.27
074 W000100 0.0000
074 X000100 29724
074 Y000100 0
075 A000100 0
075 B000100 411087
076 000100 0.00
SIGNATURE SUSAN S. NEWTON
TITLE VICE PRESIDENT
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 011
<NAME> JOHN HANCOCK TAX-FREE BOND FUND - CLASS A
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 8-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> AUG-31-1996
<PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END> AUG-31-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 633,634,136
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 659,219,704
<RECEIVABLES> 17,270,189
<ASSETS-OTHER> 894,926
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 25,585,568
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 677,384,819
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 34,541,421
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 802,938
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 35,344,359
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 628,477,973
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 54,614,449
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 11,137,117
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 70,842
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (14,252,207)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 27,743,852
<NET-ASSETS> 642,040,460
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 18,149,462
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 2,730,284
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 15,419,178
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 150,708
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (2,174,110)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 13,395,776
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 12,785,885
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 50,425,345
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 7,839,272
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 891,259
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 446,419,389
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (14,389,504)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 1,489,530
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 2,730,284
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 411,087,231
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 10.67
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.40
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (0.41)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0.39
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 10.27
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 0.85
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 012
<NAME> JOHN HANCOCK TAX-FREE BOND FUND - CLASS B
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 8-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> AUG-31-1996
<PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END> AUG-31-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 633,634,136
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 659,219,704
<RECEIVABLES> 17,270,189
<ASSETS-OTHER> 894,926
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 25,585,568
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 677,384,819
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 34,541,421
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 802,938
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 35,344,359
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 628,477,973
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 7,903,476
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 7,202,812
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 70,842
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (14,252,207)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 27,743,852
<NET-ASSETS> 642,040,460
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 18,149,462
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 2,730,284
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 15,419,178
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 150,708
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (2,174,110)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 13,395,776
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 2,575,862
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 1,704,795
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 1,147,198
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 143,061
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 446,419,389
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (14,389,504)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 1,489,530
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 2,730,284
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 411,087,231
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 10.67
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.34
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (0.40)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0.34
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 10.27
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.60
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
