Day 5 ATI TEASE Version 7 Slang Words

 Day 5

 ATI TEASE Version 7 Slang Words

What is Slang?

Slang refers to highly informal words or expressions that are typically used within specific social groups, subcultures, or generations. Slang is often temporary, creative, and not appropriate for formal or professional writing.

Key for TEAS: Slang is generally incorrect in academic, medical, or professional contexts (e.g., nursing reports, essays, business memos). The test expects you to recognize slang and replace it with standard English.

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Types of Slang Words (with TEAS-relevant examples)

Type	Definition	Slang Example	Standard English
Abbreviation / Clipping	Shortened forms of words	Info, lab, doc, app	Information, laboratory, doctor, application
New words (neologisms)	Recently invented terms	Hangry, binge-watch, ghosting	Irritable due to hunger, watch multiple episodes, ignoring someone
Figurative / Metaphorical	Creative, non-literal meanings	Crush it, spill the tea, hit the books	Do well, share gossip, study
Vulgar / Crude	Rude or offensive terms	Crap, sucks, pissed	Poor quality, is bad, angry
Overly casual intensifiers	Exaggerated informal modifiers	Super chill, totally awesome, kinda weird	Very calm, excellent, somewhat unusual
Regional / generational	Specific to age group or location	Lit, bet, yeet, snatched	Exciting, agreed/okay, throw, excellent

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✅ When is Slang Used? (TEAS Context)

Context	Appropriate?	Example
Conversation with friends	✅ Yes	“That test was brutal.”
Personal journal / diary	✅ Yes	“Today was total chaos.”
Fiction dialogue	✅ Yes (for character voice)	“Don’t freak out,” she whispered.
Social media post	⚠️ Possibly	“Feeling blah today.”
Academic essay	❌ No	“The experiment’s results were garbage.”
Nursing care plan	❌ No	“Patient seemed kinda tired.”
Business email	❌ No	“Let’s touch base later, okay?”
Medical documentation	❌ No	“Pt was super chill.”

⚠️ On the TEAS, if a sentence contains slang, that sentence is not acceptable for formal, academic, or professional writing.

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📝 TEAS-Style Strategy: Fixing Slang

When you see slang in a TEAS question:

1.      Identify the informal word or phrase.

2.      Replace it with standard, neutral, or formal English.

3.      Keep the original meaning intact.

✍️ Practice Questions: Slang for ATI TEAS

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Question 1

The nursing student wrote in her notes: “The patient’s labs were kinda high, so the doctor ordered more tests.”

Which of the following is the most appropriate revision to replace the slang?

A) The patient’s labs were somewhat high, so the doctor ordered more tests.
B) The patient’s labs were high, so the doctor ordered more tests.
C) The patient’s labs were, like, high, so the doctor ordered more tests.
D) The patient’s labs were ridiculously high, so the doctor ordered more tests.

Answer: B – “Kinda” is slang for “somewhat” or “moderately,” but in clinical notes, the simplest standard form (“high”) is best. Option A adds unnecessary formality.

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Question 2

Which sentence contains slang that should be removed for a formal research paper?

A) The results were inconsistent with the original hypothesis.
B) The study’s methodology was flawed, so the data was trash.
C) Participants completed a 30-minute cognitive assessment.
D) The control group showed no significant change.

Answer: B – “Trash” is slang meaning “worthless” or “poor quality.” In academic writing, use “unreliable” or “invalid.”

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Question 3

A nurse writes in a patient report: “The patient crashed around 0200 and required resuscitation.”

Which of the following best describes the word “crashed” as used in this sentence?

A) Slang — inappropriate for medical documentation
B) Standard medical terminology
C) Redundant phrasing
D) A transition word

Answer: B – Although “crashed” can be slang in other contexts (e.g., “I crashed on the couch”), in medical settings it is an accepted shorthand for “experienced a sudden deterioration or cardiac/respiratory arrest.”

⚠️ TEAS Tip: Some informal terms are accepted jargon in specific fields. Distinguish between general slang and professional shorthand.

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Question 4

Which of the following sentences is most appropriate for a formal letter to a hospital administrator?

A) We think the new schedule is gonna be a total mess.
B) The proposed scheduling changes may create significant inefficiencies.
C) Honestly, this schedule thing is super problematic.
D) The new schedule kinda stinks for the night shift.

Answer: B – This uses formal, objective language. The others contain slang (“gonna,” “total mess,” “super problematic,” “kinda stinks”).

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Question 5

Read the sentence below:

“The intern was clueless about the proper protocol for hand hygiene.”

Which of the following is the best standard English replacement for “clueless” in a professional training evaluation?

A) ignorant
B) unaware
C) silly
D) lazy

Answer: B – “Clueless” is informal. “Unaware” maintains meaning without being harsh or judgmental. “Ignorant” is factually correct but more negative; “unaware” is neutral and professional.

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Question 6

Which of the following is an example of slang inappropriate for a patient education handout?

A) Take this medication with food to prevent stomach upset.
B) If you miss a dose, take it when you remember — but don’t double up.
C) Call your doctor right away if you start feeling weird.
D) Store the vial in a cool, dry place away from sunlight.

Answer: C – “Feeling weird” is vague and informal. Better: “experience unusual symptoms” or “feel unwell.”

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Question 7

A student writes in a reflection journal: “I totally bombed the TEAS English section.”

Which of the following correctly identifies the slang and its standard meaning?

A) Bombed → studied hard for
B) Bombed → performed poorly on
C) Bombed → guessed correctly on
D) Bombed → finished quickly

Answer: B – “Bombed” is slang meaning “failed” or “did very poorly.”

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Question 8

Which sentence uses slang in a way that would likely be acceptable for a college application essay?

A) My volunteer experience was lit because I helped real people.
B) I learned a ton about patient care at the free clinic.
C) The whole summer was kinda whatever until I started working.
D) My supervisor was super chill about my schedule.

Answer: B – “A ton” is mild, informal, and widely accepted in personal statements. The other options contain more obvious slang (“lit,” “kinda whatever,” “super chill”).

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Question 9

In a nursing handoff report, which sentence should be corrected?

A) The patient denied chest pain overnight.
B) The patient’s vitals were stable at 0600.
C) The patient was pretty out of it after receiving morphine.
D) The patient ambulated to the bathroom with assistance.

Answer: C – “Pretty out of it” is slang. Standard alternatives: “lethargic,” “sedated,” “altered mental status.”

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Question 10

Which of the following is not considered slang?

A) Gonna
B) Kinda
C) Wanna
D) Cannot

Answer: D – “Cannot” is standard English. “Gonna” (going to), “kinda” (kind of), and “wanna” (want to) are informal contractions considered slang or colloquial.

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Quick TEAS Review: Slang vs. Standard English

Slang	Standard English
kinda	somewhat / rather / moderately
gonna	going to
wanna	want to
super (as adverb)	very / extremely
a lot / tons (hyperbole)	many / much
stuff	items / materials / things
thing (vague)	issue / concept / object
freaking out	becoming anxious / panicking
crashed (non-medical)	fell asleep / collapsed
bombed	performed poorly on

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✅ Final Checklist for Slang on TEAS

• Slang is informal, often temporary, and tied to specific groups.
• Avoid slang in academic, medical, or professional writing.
• On the TEAS, if a sentence contains slang in a formal context → incorrect.
• Learn common slang-to-standard replacements.
• Watch for clues like “kinda,” “gonna,” “stuff,” “super,” “totally,” “weird.”

 

Practice materials

Question 1

A nursing student writes in a patient care reflection: “The patient was pretty out of it after surgery.”

Which of the following is the best professional revision?

A) The patient was pretty confused after surgery.
B) The patient was lethargic after surgery.
C) The patient was out of it after surgery.
D) The patient was super tired after surgery.

 

Answer: B – “Lethargic” is the standard medical term. “Pretty out of it” is slang.

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Question 2

Which sentence contains slang that should be removed for a formal research abstract?

A) The results showed no statistically significant difference.
B) The control group received a placebo.
C) The experimental treatment worked way better than we expected.
D) Data were collected over a six-month period.

 

Answer: C – “Way better” is informal slang. Use “substantially better” or “significantly better.”

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Question 3

Read the sentence from a progress note:
“Pt reports feeling blah for the past two days.”

Which word best replaces the slang while maintaining clinical accuracy?

A) anxious
B) energetic
C) unwell
D) happy

 

Answer: C – “Blah” is vague slang meaning generally unwell or low energy. “Unwell” is the most direct standard equivalent.

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Question 4

A medical assistant writes in an email to a physician: “The patient’s lab results were kinda weird.”

Which of the following revisions is most appropriate?

A) The patient’s lab results were somewhat unusual.
B) The patient’s lab results were kinda strange.
C) The patient’s lab results were weird.
D) The patient’s lab results were totally odd.

 

Answer: A – “Kinda” (kind of) and “weird” are both informal. “Somewhat unusual” maintains meaning with professional tone.

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Question 5

Which of the following is an example of slang inappropriate for a discharge summary?

A) The patient tolerated the procedure well.
B) The patient was super anxious about going home.
C) The patient’s incision site is clean and dry.
D) The patient will follow up in one week.

 

Answer: B – “Super” as an intensifier is slang. Use “very anxious” or “extremely anxious.”

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Question 6

A student writes in a personal statement for nursing school: “My volunteer experience was awesome and made me want to help people.”

Which of the following best describes the word “awesome”?

A) Standard English adjective
B) Slang for “very good” — informal but common in personal statements
C) Medical terminology
D) Transition word

 

Answer: B – “Awesome” is slang/colloquial for “excellent.” While less formal, it may be acceptable in a personal statement, but the TEAS expects you to recognize it as informal.

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Question 7

Read the sentence:
“Don’t freak out if the monitor beeps — it’s normal.”

If this sentence appeared in a patient education handout, which revision is most appropriate?

A) Don’t panic if the monitor beeps — it’s normal.
B) Don’t freak out if the monitor beeps — it’s normal.
C) Don’t have a cow if the monitor beeps — it’s normal.
D) Don’t get crazy if the monitor beeps — it’s normal.

 

Answer: A – “Freak out” is slang. “Panic” is standard English and appropriate for patient education.

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Question 8

Which sentence is written in standard English suitable for a formal report?

A) The whole thing was a mess from start to finish.
B) The project encountered multiple challenges throughout.
C) They totally bombed the implementation phase.
D) The team kinda dropped the ball on that one.

 

Answer: B – This uses formal vocabulary. The others contain slang: “mess,” “totally bombed,” “kinda,” “dropped the ball.”

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Question 9

In a nursing handoff, the nurse says: “Room 204 is doing great — no complaints.”

Which of the following is the best professional revision?

A) Room 204 is doing great — no complaints.
B) Room 204 is awesome — no complaints.
C) Room 204 is stable and denies any complaints.
D) Room 204 is super — no complaints.

 

Answer: C – “Doing great” is informal. “Stable and denies any complaints” is standard medical handoff language.

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Question 10

Which of the following words or phrases is slang?

A) Cannot
B) Will not
C) Gonna
D) Would not

 

Answer: C – “Gonna” is slang for “going to.” The others are standard contractions.

 

Score Tracker

Correct	TEAS Readiness
9–10	Excellent — you can identify slang easily
7–8	Good — review common slang replacements
5–6	Needs improvement — focus on slang vs. standard English
Below 5	Study the slang-to-standard chart above

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Bonus: Common Slang Words Tested on TEAS

Slang	Standard English
Gonna	Going to
Wanna	Want to
Kinda	Kind of / somewhat
Sorta	Sort of / rather
Lots of / tons of	Many / numerous
Stuff	Items / materials
Thing (vague)	Object / issue / concept
Great / awesome / cool	Excellent / satisfactory
Weird	Unusual / atypical
Freak out	Become anxious / panic
Bombed (a test)	Performed poorly on
Crashed (non-medical)	Collapsed / fell asleep
Super (as adverb)	Very / extremely
Totally	Completely
Pretty (as adverb)	Moderately / fairly