50 mixed English
& Language Usage questions modeled on the ATI TEAS Version 7 format. Each
includes the correct answer and a brief rationale.
Part 1:
Conventions of Standard English (Grammar & Punctuation)
1.
Which sentence is punctuated correctly?
A) “Let’s eat Grandma!”
B) “Let’s eat, Grandma!”
C) “Let’s eat Grandma?”
D) “Let’s eat, Grandma?”
Answer:
B
Reason: The comma after “eat” directly addresses “Grandma,” showing she
is being spoken to, not eaten.
2.
Choose the correct word:
Neither the manager nor the employees ____ satisfied with the new schedule.
A) is
B) are
C) was
D) be
Answer:
B
Reason: With “nor,” the verb agrees with the closer subject (“employees”
= plural), so “are” is correct.
3.
Which is correct?
A) Whose coming to dinner?
B) Who’s coming to dinner?
C) Whose coming to dinner?
D) Whom’s coming to dinner?
Answer:
B
Reason: “Who’s” = “who is.” “Whose” shows possession.
4.
Identify the correct sentence:
A) The team plays good together.
B) The team plays well together.
C) The team plays goodly together.
D) The team plays best together.
Answer:
B
Reason: “Well” is an adverb modifying “plays”; “good” is an adjective.
5.
Which is correct?
A) I could of gone earlier.
B) I could have gone earlier.
C) I could’ve gone earlier.
D) B and C are correct.
Answer:
D
Reason: “Could’ve” is a contraction of “could have,” never “could of.”
6.
Choose the correct pronoun:
Everyone should bring ____ own stethoscope.
A) their
B) his or her
C) its
D) they’re
Answer:
B
Reason: “Everyone” is singular indefinite; formal English uses “his or
her.” “Their” is accepted informally but less correct for TEAS.
7.
Which sentence is correct?
A) After the long shift, the nurse was tired and irritable.
B) After the long shift, the nurse being tired and irritable.
C) The long shift made the nurse tired, irritable.
D) The nurse, tired and irritable after the long shift.
Answer:
A
Reason: A has a complete subject, verb, and compound predicate. Others
are fragments or faulty parallelism.
8.
Identify the correct punctuation:
Before surgery the patient asked for water.
A) Before surgery, the patient asked for water.
B) Before surgery the patient, asked for water.
C) Before, surgery the patient asked for water.
D) Before surgery the patient asked for water.
Answer:
A
Reason: A comma follows an introductory phrase (“Before surgery”).
9.
Which is correct?
A) The patient’s symptoms were fever, cough, and fatigue.
B) The patients symptoms were fever, cough, and fatigue.
C) The patients’ symptoms were fever, cough, and fatigue.
D) The patient’s’ symptoms were fever, cough, and fatigue.
Answer:
A
Reason: Singular possessive = “patient’s.” “Patients’” = plural
possessive.
10.
Select the correct verb:
Either the doctor or the nurses ____ to attend the meeting.
A) need
B) needs
C) is needing
D) has needed
Answer:
A
Reason: With “or/nor,” verb agrees with nearer subject (“nurses” =
plural → “need”).
11.
Which sentence uses a semicolon correctly?
A) The lab results were delayed; however, the doctor made a diagnosis.
B) The lab results were delayed however; the doctor made a diagnosis.
C) The lab results were delayed, however; the doctor made a diagnosis.
D) The lab results were delayed however, the doctor made a diagnosis.
Answer:
A
Reason: Semicolon before conjunctive adverb (“however”), comma after it.
12.
Choose the correct spelling:
A) seperate
B) separate
C) seperete
D) separite
Answer:
B
Reason: “Separate” – remember “there is a rat in separate.”
13.
Which is correct?
A) Its a beautiful day.
B) It’s a beautiful day.
C) Its’ a beautiful day.
D) It is a beautiful day. (both B and D)
Answer:
D
Reason: “It’s” = “it is.” Both B and D are correct, but D is formal.
14.
Identify the error:
The nurse administered the medication, then she documented it.
A) No error
B) Comma splice
C) Missing semicolon
D) Run-on sentence
Answer:
B
Reason: Two independent clauses joined only by a comma → comma splice.
Fix with “and” or semicolon.
15.
Which is correct?
A) She laid the book on the table.
B) She layed the book on the table.
C) She lied the book on the table.
D) She lay the book on the table.
Answer:
A
Reason: “Lay” (place) past tense = “laid.” “Lie” (recline) past = “lay.”
Part 2: Knowledge of Language (Style, Tone,
& Clarity)
16.
Which is most formal?
A) The patient got better fast.
B) The patient’s condition improved rapidly.
C) The patient healed up quick.
D) The patient turned around quickly.
Answer:
B
Reason: “Improved rapidly” is precise and professional; others are
colloquial.
17.
Choose the clearest sentence:
A) Walking to the clinic, the rain started.
B) While walking to the clinic, the rain started.
C) Walking to the clinic, the patient felt rain.
D) Walking to the clinic, rain fell on the patient.
Answer:
C
Reason: Avoids dangling modifier – “walking” clearly refers to
“patient.”
18.
Which sentence is redundant?
A) The medication was administered at 9 AM.
B) The nurse repeated the instructions again.
C) The patient denied any pain.
D) The results were inconclusive.
Answer:
B
Reason: “Repeated” already implies doing something again, so “again” is
redundant.
19.
Which tone is most appropriate for a nursing handoff report?
A) “That guy in 204 is super annoying.”
B) “Room 204 is alert and requesting pain meds.”
C) “Mr. Jones might be faking it.”
D) “The patient in 204 just won’t calm down.”
Answer:
B
Reason: Objective, factual, professional language is required for
clinical communication.
20.
Change to active voice:
The medication was given by the nurse.
A) The nurse gave the medication.
B) The medication the nurse gave.
C) Given was the medication by the nurse.
D) The nurse, giving the medication.
Answer:
A
Reason: Active voice = subject performs action (“nurse gave”).
21.
Which sentence uses parallel structure?
A) She likes running, to swim, and jogging.
B) She likes running, swimming, and jogging.
C) She likes run, swim, and jogging.
D) She likes to run, swimming, and jog.
Answer:
B
Reason: All items are gerunds (-ing forms).
22.
Which is the best revision for clarity?
The doctor told the nurse during the break she would review the chart.
A) During the break, the doctor told the nurse she would review the chart.
B) The doctor told the nurse, “During the break, I will review the chart.”
C) The doctor told the nurse during the break she would be reviewing the chart.
D) The doctor during the break told the nurse she would review the chart.
Answer:
B
Reason: Direct quote clarifies who will review the chart (doctor).
23.
Which word is the most precise?
The patient had a ______ pain in his chest.
A) bad
B) sharp
C) intense
D) stabbing
Answer:
D
Reason: “Stabbing” is specific and clinically descriptive for chest
pain.
24.
Which sentence is least formal for a progress note?
A) Patient reports feeling anxious.
B) Patient is kinda tired.
C) Patient’s appetite is decreased.
D) Patient denies shortness of breath.
Answer:
B
Reason: “Kinda” is informal and vague; clinical documentation requires
precise terms.
25.
Choose the sentence with correct subject-verb agreement and clarity:
A) There is three reasons for the delay.
B) There are three reasons for the delay.
C) There’s three reasons for the delay.
D) There were three reasons for the delay.
Answer:
B
Reason: “Reasons” is plural, so “are” is correct.
Part 3: Vocabulary Acquisition (Context Clues,
Roots, & Meaning)
26.
In the sentence, “The patient’s condition was acute,” acute means:
A) Chronic
B) Severe but short-term
C) Mild
D) Long-lasting
Answer:
B
Reason: In medical terms, acute = sudden onset, often severe, short
duration.
27.
The root “cardi” means:
A) Brain
B) Heart
C) Blood
D) Lung
Answer:
B
Reason: “Cardi” → cardiac, cardiology.
28.
Which word means “difficulty breathing”?
A) Dysphagia
B) Dyspnea
C) Dysplasia
D) Dysuria
Answer:
B
Reason: Dyspnea = labored breathing.
29.
Choose the synonym for “contraindication”:
A) Indication
B) Warning against use
C) Side effect
D) Prescription
Answer:
B
Reason: Contraindication = reason not to use a treatment.
30.
The prefix “brady-” means:
A) Fast
B) Slow
C) Irregular
D) Pain
Answer:
B
Reason: Bradycardia = slow heart rate.
31.
What does “sublingual” mean?
A) Under the tongue
B) Above the tongue
C) Inside the cheek
D) Through the skin
Answer:
A
Reason: Sub = under; lingual = tongue.
32.
The suffix “-ectomy” means:
A) Incision
B) Removal
C) Repair
D) Viewing
Answer:
B
Reason: Appendectomy = removal of appendix.
33.
In “The nurse had to infer the cause from the symptoms,” infer means:
A) Ignore
B) Conclude based on evidence
C) Prescribe
D) Guess randomly
Answer:
B
Reason: Infer = deduce from evidence.
34.
Which word is spelled correctly?
A) Hemorage
B) Hemorrhage
C) Heamorrhage
D) Hemmorrhage
Answer:
B
Reason: Standard medical spelling = hemorrhage.
35.
“The medication may adversely affect kidney function.” Adversely means:
A) Positively
B) Harmfully
C) Temporarily
D) Slightly
Answer:
B
Reason: Adverse = harmful or unfavorable.
Part 4: Sentence Structure & Complex
Grammatical Concepts
36.
Which sentence contains a dependent clause?
A) The patient was discharged.
B) After the patient was discharged, he went home.
C) The nurse and doctor reviewed the chart.
D) Call me tomorrow.
Answer:
B
Reason: “After the patient was discharged” cannot stand alone.
37.
Identify the sentence with correct subjunctive mood:
A) If I was the doctor, I would order that test.
B) If I were the doctor, I would order that test.
C) If I am the doctor, I order that test.
D) If I be the doctor, I order that test.
Answer:
B
Reason: Hypothetical situations use “were.”
38.
Which is a run-on sentence?
A) The patient ate dinner she felt better.
B) The patient ate dinner, and she felt better.
C) After the patient ate dinner, she felt better.
D) The patient ate dinner; she felt better.
Answer:
A
Reason: Two independent clauses joined without punctuation or
conjunction.
39.
Choose the correct word:
The doctor, along with the nurses, ____ the rounds every morning.
A) make
B) makes
C) making
D) to make
Answer:
B
Reason: Subject is “doctor” (singular).
40.
Which sentence uses quotation marks correctly?
A) The nurse said “Take two pills.”
B) The nurse said, “Take two pills.”
C) The nurse said “Take two pills.”
D) The nurse said, “Take two pills”.
Answer:
B
Reason: Comma before quote; period inside quotation marks.
41.
Identify the adverb:
The patient recovered remarkably quickly.
A) Patient
B) Recovered
C) Remarkably
D) Quickly
Answer:
C
Reason: “Remarkably” modifies “quickly.”
42.
Which is a compound-complex sentence?
A) The patient ate, and the nurse watched.
B) Because the patient ate, the nurse was happy, and the doctor smiled.
C) The patient ate because she was hungry.
D) Eat your dinner.
Answer:
B
Reason: Contains two independent clauses + one dependent clause.
43.
Choose the correct possessive plural:
The ____ uniforms were new.
A) nurses
B) nurse’s
C) nurses’
D) nurses’s
Answer:
C
Reason: Plural noun ending in s → apostrophe only.
44.
Which is correct?
A) Between you and I, the patient is unstable.
B) Between you and me, the patient is unstable.
C) Between you and myself, the patient is unstable.
D) Between we, the patient is unstable.
Answer:
B
Reason: Object of preposition requires object pronoun.
45.
Identify the complete predicate:
The nursing student carefully checked the IV line every hour.
A) The nursing student
B) Student carefully checked
C) Carefully checked the IV line every hour
D) Checked the IV line
Answer:
C
Reason: Includes verb and all modifiers/objects.
Part 5: Mixed Review & TEAS Exam Practice
46.
Which sentence has a misplaced modifier?
A) She almost washed every patient.
B) She washed almost every patient.
C) She washed every patient almost.
D) She washed every almost patient.
Answer:
A
Reason: “Almost washed” changes the meaning.
47.
Choose the correctly spelled medical term:
A) Febrile
B) Feeble
C) Fibrile
D) Febral
Answer:
A
Reason: Febrile = fever-related.
48.
Which transition best shows contrast?
A) Therefore
B) Furthermore
C) However
D) Consequently
Answer:
C
Reason: “However” signals contrast.
49.
Read the sentence:
“The patient’s chart indicated nausea, headache, and dizziness.” This is an
example of:
A) Simple sentence
B) Compound sentence
C) Complex sentence
D) Compound-complex sentence
Answer:
A
Reason: One independent clause only.
50.
Which is correct for a formal reference letter?
A) Dr. Smith and me work together.
B) Dr. Smith and I work together.
C) Me and Dr. Smith work together.
D) I and Dr. Smith work together.
Answer:
B
Reason: Remove “Dr. Smith and” → “I work together” is correct.
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