TEAS Ready🧭 How the TEAS works · How the TEAS Works · Lesson 2 of 5 · 4 min
Pacing each section: seconds per item and checkpoints
⏱️ Running out of time is one of the most common ways to lose points, because unanswered items count as wrong. A simple pace plan prevents it.
💡 Key idea
Know your seconds per item, check your pace at the halfway point, and never leave an item blank.
🧠 The idea
Divide minutes by items to get your PACE. READING: 55 minutes for 45 items, about 73 seconds each, but passages take time to read, so aim to move steadily. MATH: 57 minutes for 38 items, about 90 seconds each, the most time per item. SCIENCE: 60 minutes for 50 items, about 72 seconds each. ENGLISH: 37 minutes for 37 items, 60 seconds each, the tightest pace. Set CHECKPOINTS: halfway through the items, about half the time should remain. In Science, for example, by item 25 you want roughly 30 minutes left. If one item is eating your time, pick your best guess, FLAG it and move on; you can come back while the section is still open. Never leave a blank: when time runs out the section closes and unanswered items count as wrong, so a guess can only help.
✏️ Worked example
You reach Math item 19 (halfway through 38) and the clock shows 22 minutes left out of 57. Halfway would be about 28 minutes left, so you are about 6 minutes behind. Fix: answer each of the next items with your best effort, flag anything that needs more than about 90 seconds, and return to flagged items only if time remains. Guessing on a flagged item beats leaving it blank.
📌 Takeaways
- Reading ≈ 73 s, Math ≈ 90 s, Science ≈ 72 s, English = 60 s per item.
- Halfway through the items, about half the time should remain.
- Guess, flag, move on; blanks count wrong.
✅ Check yourself
Question 1 of 3
About how many seconds per item does the Math section allow?
- 120 seconds
- 90 seconds
- 73 seconds
- 60 seconds
Show the answer and rationale
Answer: B
57 minutes is 3,420 seconds; divided by 38 items that is 90 seconds each. 60 seconds is the English pace, 73 seconds is Reading, and 120 seconds is more time than any section gives.
Question 2 of 3
Two minutes remain in the English section and you have three items left. What is the best move?
- Go back and recheck earlier items first
- Answer one item carefully and skip the rest
- Leave them blank so they are not marked wrong
- Answer all three, guessing if needed
Show the answer and rationale
Answer: D
Unanswered items count as wrong when time runs out, so answering every item, even with a guess, gives the best chance at points. Leaving items blank, rechecking first or skipping items all risk losing points that a guess might earn.
Question 3 of 3
In the Science section (50 items, 60 minutes), about how much time should remain when you reach item 25?
- About 10 minutes
- About 45 minutes
- About 15 minutes
- About 30 minutes
Show the answer and rationale
Answer: D
Item 25 is halfway through 50 items, so about half of the 60 minutes, roughly 30, should remain. 15 or 10 minutes left would mean you are far behind, and 45 minutes would mean you are moving unusually fast.
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