Free TEAS English and Language Usage practice test
28 original English and Language Usage questions covering Conventions of Standard English, Knowledge of Language, Using Language and Vocabulary to Express Ideas in Writing.
- The real TEAS English and Language Usage section has 37 questions in 37 minutes.
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TEAS 7 English and Language Usage practice test
- 28 questions
- English and Language Usage
- 28 min in exam mode
- Practice mode, no timer
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Questions are original practice items written to the published exam content, not real exam questions.
Which of the following is a complete sentence?
Correct answer: B
A complete sentence needs at least one independent clause: a subject plus a main verb that together express a complete thought. A clause that starts with a dependent marker such as because, although, or when cannot stand alone unless it is attached to an independent clause. Long word groups can still be fragments if they lack a main verb, and an -ing phrase without a subject and a helping verb is not a main clause.
- A Fragment: because turns the whole word group into a dependent clause, and no independent clause follows to complete the thought.
- B Correct: the dependent clause beginning with although is joined by a comma to an independent clause (the transport team moved every patient on time).
- C Fragment: pumps has no main verb; ordered belongs to the clause that the hospital ordered, which only describes the pumps.
- D Fragment: the -ing phrase has no subject and no main verb, so it never says who checks or what happens.
Learn this topic: How to build and fix a complete sentence 6-minute lesson
Source: Purdue OWL, Sentence Fragments · Purdue OWL, Identifying Independent and Dependent Clauses ·
Which of the following words is spelled correctly?
Correct answer: B
When ie or ei makes the long-e sound (as in bee), write ie, except right after c, where the spelling is ei. Conceive has the long-e sound right after c, so it is spelled ei. Field, believe and retrieve have the same sound with no c in front, so they all take ie.
- A Field has the long-e sound and no c before it, so it takes ie, not ei.
- B Correct: the long-e sound comes right after c, so the spelling is ei.
- C Believe has the long-e sound after l, not c, so it takes ie.
- D Retrieve has the long-e sound after r, not c, so it takes ie.
Learn this topic: How to spell by rule instead of by eye 6-minute lesson
Source: University of Arkansas at Little Rock Writing Center, Spelling ·
Which of the following sentences use the correct word? Select all that apply.
Select all that apply.
Correct answer: A, C
Swap each sound-alike word for its meaning to test it. Effect is usually a noun meaning a result, and affect is usually a verb meaning to influence. It's always means it is or it has, their means belonging to them, and than is used for comparisons while then refers to time.
- A Correct: effect is a noun here (a positive result), so the noun spelling is right.
- B It's means it is, and the hospital posted it is visiting hours makes no sense; the possessive its is needed.
- C Correct: their means belonging to them, and the backpacks belong to the students.
- D This sentence compares two shifts, so it needs than; then refers to time.
- E The word is the action (to influence), so it should be the verb affect.
Learn this topic: How to spell by rule instead of by eye 6-minute lesson
Source: OpenStax Writing Guide with Handbook, Handbook (Words Commonly Confused) · Santa Clara University Writing Center, Affect and Effect ·
A student wrote this sentence: "The nurses said there planing to recieve the new supplys before the meeting." Which revision corrects every spelling error?
Correct answer: B
The sentence has four errors, so check every word in each option. They're (they are) fits because the nurses said they are planning. Plan has one vowel and one final consonant, so it doubles before -ing (planning); receive has the long-e sound after c, so it is spelled ei; and supply ends in consonant + y, so its plural is supplies.
- A Their means belonging to them; the sentence needs they're, meaning they are.
- B Correct: they're, planning, receive and supplies are all spelled correctly.
- C Plan is a one-syllable word ending in one vowel and one consonant, so the n doubles before -ing: planning.
- D After c, the long-e sound is spelled ei, so the correct spelling is receive.
Learn this topic: How to spell by rule instead of by eye 6-minute lesson
Source: University of Arkansas at Little Rock Writing Center, Spelling · Pasco-Hernando State College Writing Center, Plurals · OpenStax Writing Guide with Handbook, Handbook (Words Commonly Confused) ·
Which of the following sentences correctly shows that the lounge is shared by all of the nurses on the unit?
Correct answer: C
To make a plural noun that already ends in s possessive, add only an apostrophe after the s: nurses'. A singular owner adds 's (one nurse's lounge), and a plural that does not end in s, such as children, adds 's (children's). Check first whether the owner is one person or many.
- A Nurse's shows a single owner, but the lounge belongs to many nurses.
- B Without an apostrophe, nurses is a plain plural and does not show ownership.
- C Correct: nurses is a plural ending in s, so it takes only an apostrophe after the s.
- D A plural ending in s does not take an extra 's; nurses's adds a letter that is not needed.
Learn this topic: How to punctuate by rule, not by pause 6-minute lesson
Source: Purdue OWL, How to Use the Apostrophe · OpenStax Writing Guide with Handbook, Handbook (Punctuation) ·
Which of the following sentences are punctuated correctly? Select all that apply.
Select all that apply.
Correct answer: A, C
When and, but, so or another coordinating conjunction joins two parts of a sentence, put a comma before it only if both parts are independent clauses, each with its own subject. Put a comma after an introductory dependent clause. A comma alone cannot join two independent clauses, and a nonessential clause needs a comma on both sides.
- A Correct: 'she labeled the new bins' has its own subject, so the comma before and joins two independent clauses.
- B 'Labeled the new bins' has no subject of its own; it shares the subject aide, so no comma belongs before and.
- C Correct: the sentence opens with a dependent clause starting with because, so a comma follows it.
- D Both halves are independent clauses joined only by a comma, which is a comma splice.
- E The nonessential clause 'which is next to the elevator' needs a closing comma after elevator.
Learn this topic: How to punctuate by rule, not by pause 6-minute lesson
Source: Purdue OWL, Extended Rules for Using Commas · Purdue OWL, Identifying Independent and Dependent Clauses · OpenStax Writing Guide with Handbook, Handbook (Punctuation) ·
Which of the following sentences is punctuated correctly in standard US English?
Correct answer: C
A question mark goes inside the closing quotation mark only when the quoted words are themselves a question; when the whole sentence is the question, it goes outside. Periods and commas go inside the closing quotation mark in US English. First ask, "Who is asking the question, the speaker being quoted or the writer?"
- A The quoted words are a statement, not a question, so the question mark belongs outside the quotation marks.
- B The quoted words are the patient's own question, so the question mark belongs inside the quotation marks.
- C Correct: the whole sentence is the question while the quoted words are a statement, so the question mark goes outside.
- D The quoted words are a question and need a question mark inside; also, in US English a period would go inside, not outside.
Learn this topic: How to punctuate by rule, not by pause 6-minute lesson
Source: Purdue OWL, Additional Punctuation Rules When Using Quotation Marks · Purdue OWL, Extended Rules for Using Commas · OpenStax Writing Guide with Handbook, Handbook (Punctuation) ·
Which type of sentence is the following? "The pharmacist counted the tablets, and the technician printed the label."
Correct answer: C
Count the clauses. "The pharmacist counted the tablets" and "the technician printed the label" each have their own subject and verb and can stand alone, and there is no dependent clause. Two independent clauses joined by a comma and and make a compound sentence.
- A A simple sentence has only one independent clause; this one has two, each with its own subject.
- B A complex sentence needs a dependent clause, but neither clause starts with a dependent marker such as because or when.
- C Correct: two independent clauses are joined by a comma and the conjunction and, with no dependent clause.
- D A compound-complex sentence also needs at least one dependent clause, and this sentence has none.
Learn this topic: How to build and fix a complete sentence 6-minute lesson
Source: OpenStax Writing Guide with Handbook, Handbook (Clear and Effective Sentences; Sentence Errors) · Purdue OWL, Punctuation in Types of Sentences ·
Which revision corrects the error in the following sentence? "The flu clinic opened at 8 a.m., more than fifty people were already waiting outside."
Correct answer: D
The original is a comma splice: two independent clauses joined by only a comma. One correct fix is to make one clause dependent by adding a marker word such as when, which leaves a single independent clause after the comma. Other correct fixes are a period, a semicolon, or a comma plus a conjunction such as and or so.
- A However is not a coordinating conjunction, so joining the clauses with commas around it is still a comma splice; it needs a semicolon before it.
- B The period fixes the splice but leaves 'Because more than fifty people were already waiting outside' as a fragment.
- C Removing the comma leaves two independent clauses with nothing between them, which is a run-on (fused sentence).
- D Correct: when turns the first clause into a dependent clause, so the sentence has one independent clause and the comma after the introductory clause is correct.
Learn this topic: How to build and fix a complete sentence 6-minute lesson
Source: Purdue OWL, Run-ons, Comma Splices, Fused Sentences · Purdue OWL, Sentence Fragments · Purdue OWL, Identifying Independent and Dependent Clauses ·
Arrange the following sentences in this order: simple, compound, complex, compound-complex.
- Although the storm knocked out power, the backup lights came on, and the staff kept working.
- The respiratory therapist and the student checked every oxygen tank and logged the results before the end of the shift.
- The inspector arrived early, so the manager moved the meeting to the morning.
- The volunteers stayed in the lobby until the last family had left.
Use the arrows to put the items in the correct order.
Correct answer: The respiratory therapist and the student checked every oxygen tank and logged the results before the end of the shift. → The inspector arrived early, so the manager moved the meeting to the morning. → The volunteers stayed in the lobby until the last family had left. → Although the storm knocked out power, the backup lights came on, and the staff kept working.
Classify each sentence by counting clauses, not by its length. Choice b is long but has one subject-verb core (therapist and student / checked and logged), so it is simple. Choice c joins two independent clauses with so (compound), choice d adds the dependent clause 'until the last family had left' to one independent clause (complex), and choice a has one dependent clause plus two independent clauses (compound-complex).
- Although the storm knocked out power, the backup lights came on, and the staff kept working. Compound-complex: 'Although the storm knocked out power' is dependent, and 'the backup lights came on' and 'the staff kept working' are two independent clauses.
- The respiratory therapist and the student checked every oxygen tank and logged the results before the end of the shift. Simple: a compound subject and a compound verb still form only one independent clause, despite the sentence's length.
- The inspector arrived early, so the manager moved the meeting to the morning. Compound: two independent clauses joined by a comma and the conjunction so, with no dependent clause.
- The volunteers stayed in the lobby until the last family had left. Complex: one independent clause plus the dependent clause 'until the last family had left,' which begins with the marker until.
Learn this topic: How to build and fix a complete sentence 6-minute lesson
Source: OpenStax Writing Guide with Handbook, Handbook (Clear and Effective Sentences; Sentence Errors) · Purdue OWL, Punctuation in Types of Sentences · Purdue OWL, Identifying Independent and Dependent Clauses · UNC Writing Center, Sentence Patterns ·
Which of the following sentences uses who or whom correctly in formal writing?
Correct answer: C
Use who where he or she would fit (a subject) and whom where him or her would fit (an object of a verb or preposition). Answering the question with he or him is a quick test: you would send the forms to him, so whom is correct after the preposition to. In choice B, we thanked him, so formal writing needs whom; in choices A and D, he is covering and he fixed, so who is needed.
- A Who is needed because the pronoun is the subject of is covering (he is covering, not him is covering).
- B In formal writing this needs whom, because the pronoun is the object of thanked (we thanked him); who here is the casual spoken form.
- C Correct: whom is the object of the preposition to (send the forms to him).
- D Who is needed because the pronoun is the subject of fixed (he fixed the printer); whom wrongly sounds more formal here.
Learn this topic: How to fix unclear sentences with rules, not by ear 6-minute lesson
Source: OpenStax Writing Guide with Handbook, Handbook (Pronoun Case: Who or Whom) · Purdue OWL, Pronoun Case ·
Which of the following sentences contain a dangling or misplaced modifier? Select all that apply.
Select all that apply.
Correct answer: A, C, E
A modifier describes whatever word sits right next to it. An opening phrase such as Walking into the lobby or To pass the exam must be followed by the person or thing that does that action; if it is not, the modifier dangles. A phrase placed next to the wrong noun, such as that hummed loudly after break room, is misplaced. Fix these by naming the doer right after the opening phrase or by moving the phrase beside the word it describes.
- A Dangling: the mural cannot walk into the lobby; the doer, Darius, should follow the comma (Walking into the lobby, Darius noticed the new mural).
- B Correct as written: Lena is the one who finished her shift, and her name comes right after the opening phrase.
- C Misplaced: that hummed loudly sits next to break room, so it seems to describe the room instead of the refrigerator.
- D Correct as written: the dog is the one covered in mud, and dog comes right after the opening phrase, even though the sentence is in passive voice.
- E Dangling: a study schedule cannot pass an exam, and no person who wants to pass is named (To pass the exam, you need a study schedule).
Learn this topic: How to fix unclear sentences with rules, not by ear 6-minute lesson
Source: Purdue OWL, Dangling Modifiers and How To Correct Them · Blinn College Writing Centers, Misplaced, Interrupting, and Dangling Modifiers ·
Which of the following sentences uses correct subject-verb agreement?
Correct answer: B
Find the true subject before choosing the verb. Phrases such as of the patient survey or of the new employees do not contain the subject here, each is singular, and in a there is/there are sentence the subject comes after the verb. With neither/nor, the verb agrees with the subject closer to it, so supervisor (singular) takes was, even though the sentence may sound odd.
- A The subject is results (plural), so the verb should be were; survey is inside the of phrase and is not the subject.
- B Correct: with neither/nor, the verb agrees with the closer subject, supervisor, which is singular, so was is right.
- C Each is singular, so the verb should be has; employees is inside the of phrase.
- D The subject wheelchairs comes after the verb and is plural, so it should be There are; There's means There is.
Learn this topic: How to fix unclear sentences with rules, not by ear 6-minute lesson
Source: OpenStax Writing Guide with Handbook, Handbook (Subject-Verb Agreement) · Purdue OWL, Making Subjects and Verbs Agree ·
Which of the following sentences is written in the active voice?
Correct answer: A
In the active voice, the subject performs the action. In the passive voice, a form of be plus a past participle (was reorganized, has been reorganized, is being reorganized) puts the receiver of the action first, and the doer appears in a by phrase or not at all. The night staff reorganized the supply closet names the doer as the subject, so it is active.
- A Correct: the subject, the night staff, performs the action of the verb reorganized.
- B Passive: has been reorganized is a form of be plus a past participle, and the doer is not named at all.
- C Passive: was plus the past participle reorganized makes the closet the subject, and the doer moves to a by phrase.
- D Passive: is being reorganized is still a form of be plus a past participle, even though it describes something happening now.
Learn this topic: How to choose words that fit the reader and the purpose 6-minute lesson
Source: Purdue OWL, Active and Passive Voice · UNC Writing Center, Passive Voice ·
A hospital newsletter contains this sentence: "Due to the fact that the main elevator is currently out of order at this point in time, all visitors are asked to make use of the stairs or the elevator located in the east wing." Which revision is most concise while keeping all of the original information?
Correct answer: D
Concise writing removes wasted words but keeps every idea the reader needs. Due to the fact that can become because, currently and at this point in time repeat the present tense of is, and make use of can become use. The best revision still includes the reason, both options, and the request.
- A It is short, but it drops the east wing elevator, which visitors need to know about.
- B It keeps the information but still uses the wordy phrase due to the fact that, so it is not the most concise.
- C It drops the reason that the main elevator is out of order, so information is lost.
- D Correct: it replaces the wordy phrases and keeps the reason, the request and both options.
Learn this topic: How to choose words that fit the reader and the purpose 6-minute lesson
Source: UNC Writing Center, Conciseness · Purdue OWL, Eliminating Words ·
Dana is writing a short notice for a hospital newsletter that patients and visitors read. The notice explains a new parking payment system. Which of the following sentences are appropriate for this audience and purpose? Select all that apply.
Select all that apply.
Correct answer: A, D, E
Writing for the general public should be clear, polite and plain. Slang and hype sound unprofessional in a hospital newsletter, and technical abbreviations that readers do not know should be replaced or explained. Sentences that give useful facts in everyday words fit both the audience and the informative purpose.
- A Appropriate: it gives the date and payment options in plain, polite language.
- B Not appropriate: total game changer and the exclamation are slang and hype, too casual for an informative hospital notice.
- C Not appropriate: LPR, ingress and PAS are unexplained jargon that most patients and visitors would not understand.
- D Appropriate: it tells readers where to get help in clear, friendly wording.
- E Appropriate: it states a useful fact plainly and briefly.
Learn this topic: How to choose words that fit the reader and the purpose 6-minute lesson
Source: Purdue OWL, Levels of Formality · Purdue OWL, Group Jargon · OpenStax Writing Guide with Handbook, Handbook (Words and Language: Slang, Technical Expressions) ·
__ In March, hand sanitizer pumps were placed at the entrance to every hallway. Signs reminding staff to clean their hands were also posted above each sink. In addition, unit managers began making short, unannounced checks each week. By June, managers were seeing staff clean their hands before patient contact more often on every floor.
Which of the following would be the best topic sentence for the paragraph?
Correct answer: B
A topic sentence states the paragraph's main idea, and every other sentence should support it. Here the details describe three actions the hospital took (pumps, signs and spot checks) and the result. The best topic sentence covers all of those details without being so broad that it could introduce a whole book.
- A Too broad: it could open a whole textbook and does not point to the specific steps this hospital took.
- B Correct: the controlling idea, several steps to improve hand cleaning, covers every detail in the paragraph.
- C Too narrow and off target: it is a small detail about refilling that no other sentence supports.
- D Off-topic: staff preferences are not discussed anywhere in the paragraph.
Learn this topic: How to build and fix a well-organized paragraph 6-minute lesson
Source: Rochester Institute of Technology, NTID Science and Engineering Writing, Paragraph Structure · OpenStax Writing Guide with Handbook, Handbook (Paragraphs and Transitions) ·
Arrange the following sentences in the order that creates the most logical, well-organized paragraph.
- The item is then sealed in a labeled bag and taken to the security office.
- Lakeside Clinic follows a simple process for items that patients leave behind.
- If no one claims the item by the end of that period, it is donated to a local charity.
- First, the staff member who finds an item writes down where and when it was found.
- Security keeps each bag for 30 days and checks it against calls from patients who report missing belongings.
Use the arrows to put the items in the correct order.
Correct answer: Lakeside Clinic follows a simple process for items that patients leave behind. → First, the staff member who finds an item writes down where and when it was found. → The item is then sealed in a labeled bag and taken to the security office. → Security keeps each bag for 30 days and checks it against calls from patients who report missing belongings. → If no one claims the item by the end of that period, it is donated to a local charity.
Start with the sentence that makes sense with nothing before it: the topic sentence that names the process. Then follow time order and the clue words. First marks the first step, then marks the next one, the 30-day holding period comes next, and that period in the last sentence points back to the 30 days.
- The item is then sealed in a labeled bag and taken to the security office. Comes third: then and the item show it continues from the finding step.
- Lakeside Clinic follows a simple process for items that patients leave behind. Comes first: it is the topic sentence that introduces the whole process and needs nothing before it.
- If no one claims the item by the end of that period, it is donated to a local charity. Comes last: that period points back to the 30 days, and donating the item ends the process.
- First, the staff member who finds an item writes down where and when it was found. Comes second: First signals the opening step.
- Security keeps each bag for 30 days and checks it against calls from patients who report missing belongings. Comes fourth: it describes what security does with the bag after it arrives.
Learn this topic: How to build and fix a well-organized paragraph 6-minute lesson
Source: Rochester Institute of Technology, NTID Science and Engineering Writing, Paragraph Structure · OpenStax Writing Guide with Handbook, 10.6 Editing Focus: Paragraphs and Transitions ·
Greenfield Medical Center started a free lunchtime walking group for employees last year. The group meets three days a week and follows a marked route around the campus. Because the time is already set aside, staff members find it easier to stay active on busy workdays. Many walkers also say that the short break helps them return to their units feeling more focused. __
Which of the following would be the most effective concluding sentence for the paragraph?
Correct answer: A
A concluding sentence wraps up the paragraph's main idea, often by summing up its key points in new words, without starting a new topic. This paragraph makes two points about the walking group: it helps busy staff stay active, and it helps them feel more focused. The best conclusion ties both points back to the walking group.
- A Correct: it restates the main idea in fresh words and sums up both benefits the paragraph describes.
- B This opens a new topic, the cafeteria menu, that the paragraph never discusses.
- C The phrase In conclusion is tempting, but the claim is far too broad and extreme for a paragraph about one walking group.
- D This is a supporting detail about the route, not a sentence that sums up the paragraph.
Learn this topic: How to build and fix a well-organized paragraph 6-minute lesson
Source: Rochester Institute of Technology, NTID Science and Engineering Writing, Paragraph Structure · OpenStax Writing Guide with Handbook, Handbook (Paragraphs and Transitions) ·
Jordan is writing a short report about hand-hygiene posters at a community clinic. Arrange the following tasks in the order a writer would typically complete them in the writing process.
- Fix two misspelled words and add a missing comma.
- Write a first draft of the paragraphs from the outline.
- Brainstorm a list of ideas and sketch a rough outline.
- Replace wordy phrases such as "at this point in time" with "now."
- Move the strongest example to the end and cut an off-topic paragraph.
Use the arrows to put the items in the correct order.
Correct answer: Brainstorm a list of ideas and sketch a rough outline. → Write a first draft of the paragraphs from the outline. → Move the strongest example to the end and cut an off-topic paragraph. → Replace wordy phrases such as "at this point in time" with "now." → Fix two misspelled words and add a missing comma.
The writing process starts with prewriting (brainstorming and outlining), then drafting. Revising comes next and handles big-picture concerns such as organization and which content stays. Editing then improves sentences, and proofreading is the final pass for spelling and punctuation errors. Writers may loop back, but big changes come before small ones so that time is not spent polishing sentences that will be cut.
- Fix two misspelled words and add a missing comma. Fixing spelling and a comma is proofreading, the final surface check, so it goes last.
- Write a first draft of the paragraphs from the outline. Drafting turns the outline into paragraphs, so it comes second, right after prewriting.
- Brainstorm a list of ideas and sketch a rough outline. Brainstorming and outlining are prewriting, the first stage of the process.
- Replace wordy phrases such as "at this point in time" with "now." Cutting wordy phrases is sentence-level editing, which follows revising and comes before proofreading.
- Move the strongest example to the end and cut an off-topic paragraph. Reordering examples and cutting an off-topic paragraph are big-picture revisions, so they come right after drafting.
Learn this topic: How the writing process works, from first idea to final check 6-minute lesson
Source: OpenStax Writing Guide with Handbook, 10.5 Writing Process: Creating a Position Argument · UNC Writing Center, Editing and Proofreading · Purdue OWL, Higher Order Concerns (HOCs) and Lower Order Concerns (LOCs) ·
While researching a paper, Dante reads an article in which a public health researcher reports a finding from her own study of teenagers' sleep. In his paper, Dante restates the finding entirely in his own words but does not name the researcher or the article. Which statement best describes what Dante did?
Correct answer: B
Plagiarism includes using another person's idea or finding without credit, even when the wording is your own. Quotations, paraphrases and summaries all need a citation; only quotations also need quotation marks. Common knowledge, such as well-known dates or general facts found in many sources, is the exception, and one researcher's study finding is not common knowledge.
- A Changing the words does not make the idea his; a paraphrase without credit is still plagiarism.
- B Correct: the finding belongs to the researcher, so his paraphrase must name the source.
- C A specific finding from one researcher's study is not common knowledge, so it must be cited.
- D A paraphrase needs a citation, not quotation marks; quotation marks are only for exact words.
Learn this topic: How the writing process works, from first idea to final check 6-minute lesson
Source: OpenStax Writing Guide with Handbook, 13.6 Spotlight on … Ethical Research · Purdue OWL, Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing ·
A student wrote this sentence in a report: "Due to the fact that the new scheduling software was really confusing to use, many of the nurses on the night shift, who work at night, kept asking the manager questions about it." Which revision is the most concise while keeping the meaning and remaining grammatically correct?
Correct answer: C
The best revision of a sentence is grammatically correct, keeps every important part of the meaning, and removes extra words. Here, "due to the fact that" becomes "because," the filler word "really" goes, and "night shift, who work at night" says the same thing twice. Check choices in this order: throw out grammar errors, throw out choices that drop meaning, then pick the most concise of what is left.
- A This is a comma splice: two complete sentences are joined with only a comma.
- B It is short and correct, but it drops the reason the nurses asked questions, so the meaning changes.
- C Correct: it keeps the cause and the result, fixes the wordiness, and is a complete, correctly punctuated sentence.
- D It keeps the filler "really" and the redundant "who work at night on the night shift," and it drops "many" and "new scheduling."
Learn this topic: How the writing process works, from first idea to final check 6-minute lesson
Source: Purdue OWL, Conciseness: Eliminating Words · UNC Writing Center, Fragments and Run-ons · UNC Writing Center, Editing and Proofreading · Purdue OWL, Steps for Revising Your Paper ·
A health brochure explains hepatitis. Using the word parts hepat- and -itis, what does hepatitis mean?
Correct answer: B
The root hepat- means liver, and the suffix -itis means inflammation, so hepatitis is inflammation of the liver. To decode a medical term, define the suffix first (what kind of condition), then the root (which body part). Enlargement would be -megaly, removal would be -ectomy, and the kidney root is nephr- or ren-.
- A Enlargement is the suffix -megaly (as in hepatomegaly), not -itis.
- B Correct: hepat- means liver and -itis means inflammation.
- C Surgical removal is the suffix -ectomy, not -itis.
- D The kidney root is nephr- or ren-; hepat- refers to the liver.
Learn this topic: How to decode a word from its roots, prefixes and suffixes 5-minute lesson
Source: MedlinePlus, Appendix A: Word Parts and What They Mean · MedlinePlus, Hepatitis ·
Which of the following terms contain a prefix that means "under" or "below normal"? Select all that apply.
Select all that apply.
Correct answer: A, C, E
The prefixes hypo- (under, deficient) and sub- (under) both carry the idea of "under." Hypoglycemia is low blood sugar, hypothermia is low body heat (therm- means heat), and subcutaneous means under the skin (cutane means skin). Hyper- is the opposite of hypo-, meaning above or excessive, and post- means after.
- A Correct: hypo- means under or deficient; hypoglycemia is low blood sugar.
- B Hyper- means above or excessive, the opposite of hypo-.
- C Correct: sub- means under; subcutaneous means under the skin.
- D Post- means after, as in after an operation; it does not mean under.
- E Correct: hypo- means under, and therm- means heat, so hypothermia is below-normal body heat.
Learn this topic: How to decode a word from its roots, prefixes and suffixes 5-minute lesson
Source: MedlinePlus, Appendix A: Word Parts and What They Mean · MedlinePlus, Understanding Medical Words Tutorial, Introduction Part 2 ·
A student reads the term pericarditis in an anatomy textbook. Based on its word parts, which is the best meaning of pericarditis?
Correct answer: C
Pericarditis has three parts: the prefix peri- (around), the root card (heart) and the suffix -itis (inflammation). Put together, it means inflammation of the covering around the heart, the pericardium. When a word has a prefix, root and suffix, define each part before combining, and watch for look-alike prefixes such as peri- (around) and endo- (within).
- A The inner lining would use endo- (within); peri- means around.
- B Surgical removal is the suffix -ectomy; -itis means inflammation.
- C Correct: peri- (around) + card (heart) + -itis (inflammation).
- D Enlargement is -megaly and the muscle root is my- or myo-; neither appears in pericarditis.
Learn this topic: How to decode a word from its roots, prefixes and suffixes 5-minute lesson
Source: NCI SEER Training, Formation of Medical Terms · MedlinePlus, Appendix A: Word Parts and What They Mean · MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Pericarditis ·
Which of the following sentences uses the correct word?
Correct answer: C
Precede means to come before, so a briefing that comes before a session correctly precedes it. Proceed means to go forward or continue, averse means opposed to, and proscribe means to forbid. With look-alike words, decide by meaning, not by sound: say the plain meaning in the sentence and see if it fits.
- A Staff move forward to the exit, so the word should be proceed, not precede.
- B A person who dislikes or opposes something is averse to it; adverse means harmful, as in adverse effects.
- C Correct: precede means to come before, which is what the briefing does.
- D The rule forbids smoking, so the word should be proscribes; prescribes means to set a rule or recommend.
Learn this topic: How to work out a word's meaning and avoid look-alike word mix-ups 6-minute lesson
Source: St. Louis Community College Writing Center, Commonly Confused Words · Towson University Online Writing Support, Commonly Confused Words: prescribe / proscribe · American Heritage Dictionary, precede · American Heritage Dictionary, proceed · American Heritage Dictionary, adverse · American Heritage Dictionary, averse ·
Read the sentence: "To mitigate the risk of falls, the unit added grab bars, brighter night-lights and nonslip socks." Which of the following is the meaning of mitigate as used in the sentence?
Correct answer: B
The examples after the comma, grab bars, brighter lights and nonslip socks, are all changes that make falls less likely. That example clue shows that mitigate means to make something less harmful or less severe. Predict the meaning from the clue first, then plug each choice into the sentence to check.
- A Grab bars and night-lights do not measure risk; they reduce it.
- B Correct: the safety changes make falls less likely, so mitigate means to lessen.
- C This is the opposite meaning; no one adds safety equipment to increase the risk of falls.
- D The unit took action on the risk, which is the opposite of ignoring it.
Learn this topic: How to work out a word's meaning and avoid look-alike word mix-ups 6-minute lesson
Source: American Heritage Dictionary, mitigate · Lumen Learning Writing Skills Lab, Read Strategically: Context Clues ·
Asthma is a long-term lung condition. When it acts up, the tubes that carry air into and out of the lungs swell and tighten, leaving less room for air to move. A person may wheeze, cough, feel a squeezing in the chest or struggle to catch a breath. How strongly these signs show up can differ a great deal from one day to the next. On a calm, mild day, a person with asthma might have no trouble at all. On another day, the same person may begin wheezing after a short walk.
Much of this difference comes from triggers, the things that set off symptoms or make them stronger. Some triggers are allergens, substances that cause an allergic reaction, like pollen, mold and dust mites. Others have nothing to do with allergies, such as cigarette smoke, polluted outdoor air, a cold or the flu, and even a breath of chilly air. For someone whose airways are already irritated, a single cold, windy morning can exacerbate symptoms, turning an occasional mild cough into steady wheezing and a tight chest. An episode in which symptoms climb well above a person's usual level is known as an asthma attack, or flare-up.
No two people react to exactly the same list of triggers, and one person's list may shift as the years pass. Learning which triggers matter for a particular person, and finding ways to avoid them, is a large part of managing the condition.
As used in the second paragraph, which of the following is the meaning of exacerbate?
Correct answer: B
The sentence says the airways are already irritated and that the cold morning turns an occasional mild cough into steady wheezing. Something that takes an existing problem and makes it more severe exacerbates it, so exacerbate means to make worse. The tempting wrong answer is "to cause," but the passage shows the symptoms were already there; the cold air made them worse rather than starting them.
- A The passage says the airways were already irritated and a mild cough already existed, so the symptoms were not caused for the first time.
- B Correct: the cold air turns a mild cough into steady wheezing, which means it makes existing symptoms worse.
- C This is the opposite meaning; the symptoms become more severe, not milder.
- D Nothing in the sentence is about noticing or finding symptoms; it describes them getting worse.
Learn this topic: How to work out a word's meaning and avoid look-alike word mix-ups 6-minute lesson
Source: American Heritage Dictionary, exacerbate · MedlinePlus, Asthma ·
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| Program | TEAS minimum |
|---|---|
| University of Arizona, MS-MEPN | 75% combined score |
| CSU San Marcos, Traditional BSN transfer (2027–2028) | 71.0% composite |
| Moorpark College, ADN | 62% recommended; lower scores need remediation |
| Minnesota State Moorhead, BSN (2027) | 58.7% composite and 41.3% science |
ATI's levels: Proficient is 58.7–79.3%, Advanced is 80.0–91.3%.
Your score is the percent of questions you got right, with a score for each section (and, with full access, each topic). The real TEAS reports a total score from 0 to 100%, adjusted for how hard your test form was, so treat ours as an estimate.
Rules change every year. Always check your own program’s page. Checked October 15, 2026.
TEAS 7 format
| Section | Questions (scored) | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | 45 (39) | 55 min |
| Math | 38 (34) | 57 min |
| Science | 50 (44) | 60 min |
| English and Language Usage | 37 (33) | 37 min |
| Total | 170 (150) | 209 min |
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Sources (checked October 15, 2026)
- ATI Help, TEAS content areas
- ATI Help, TEAS time limits
- ATI Help, How is the ATI TEAS Test Scored?
- ATI Help, Can I use a calculator on the ATI TEAS?
- University of Arizona College of Nursing, ATI TEAS Exam
- CSU San Marcos, TBSN 2027–2028 Supplemental Criteria (PDF)
- Moorpark College, ATI TEAS information
- Minnesota State University Moorhead, BSN admission requirements