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✍️ 10 questions · answers and rationales · free

TEAS English and language usage practice questions

A free mixed set from the TEAS English and Language Usage section: conventions of standard English, knowledge of language and vocabulary, with the rule behind every answer.

Tap an answer to check it, or open "Show the answer and rationale" under each question.

Question 1 of 10 · Conventions of Standard English

What type of sentence is this? "Every morning, the nurses on the fourth floor review the charts and plan the day's care."

  1. Simple
  2. Compound
  3. Compound-complex
  4. Complex
Show the answer and rationale

Answer: A

There is one subject (nurses) with a compound verb (review and plan), and "Every morning" and "on the fourth floor" are phrases, so the sentence is simple. Neither a second independent clause nor a dependent clause appears.

📚 Learn it: Sentence types: simple, compound, complex and compound-complex

Question 2 of 10 · Knowledge of Language

Which revision corrects the error in this sentence? "The effects of the new medication on older adults is still being studied."

  1. The effect of the new medication on older adults are still being studied.
  2. The effects of the new medication on older adults was still being studied.
  3. The effects of the new medications on older adults is still being studied.
  4. The effects of the new medication on older adults are still being studied.
Show the answer and rationale

Answer: D

The subject is effects, which is plural, so the verb must be are. Changing is to was keeps the singular error, changing effects to effect creates a new mismatch with are, and making medications plural does nothing because medication is not the subject.

📚 Learn it: Subject-verb agreement: find the real subject

Question 3 of 10 · Using Language and Vocabulary

Cost refers to the ribs. Where are the intercostal muscles found?

  1. Between the ribs
  2. Around the spine
  3. Inside each rib
  4. Below the ribcage
Show the answer and rationale

Answer: A

Inter- means between, so intercostal muscles lie between the ribs. "Inside each rib" would need intra-, "below" would need sub- or infra-, and the spine is not named by cost.

📚 Learn it: Prefixes: hyper-, hypo-, brady-, tachy- and more

Question 4 of 10 · Conventions of Standard English

Which sentence is simple?

  1. The baby woke up when the dog barked.
  2. The dog barked, and the baby woke up.
  3. The barking dog woke the baby.
  4. The baby woke up because the dog barked.
Show the answer and rationale

Answer: C

"The barking dog woke the baby" has a single subject-verb pair (dog woke), so it is simple. The ", and" sentence is compound, and the sentences with "when" and "because" contain dependent clauses, so they are complex.

📚 Learn it: Sentence types: simple, compound, complex and compound-complex

Question 5 of 10 · Knowledge of Language · Select all that apply

Select all the sentences that use correct subject-verb agreement (standard US usage).

  1. The collection of anatomy models are on loan to the college.
  2. The committee has approved the new dress code.
  3. Each of the beds have a call button.
  4. The patient and her husband are waiting in Room 3.
  5. Some of the coffee is still warm.
Show the answer and rationale

Answer: B, D, E

Committee acting as a unit takes has; a compound subject joined by and takes are; and some followed by a noncount noun (coffee) is singular, so is fits. Each is singular and needs has, and the subject collection is singular and needs is, so those two sentences are wrong.

📚 Learn it: Subject-verb agreement: find the real subject

Question 6 of 10 · Using Language and Vocabulary

Which pair of prefixes have OPPOSITE meanings?

  1. poly- and multi-
  2. sub- and hypo-
  3. endo- and intra-
  4. hyper- and hypo-
Show the answer and rationale

Answer: D

Hyper- means above or excessive and hypo- means below or deficient, so they are opposites. Endo- and intra- both mean within, sub- and hypo- both mean under, and poly- and multi- both mean many.

📚 Learn it: Prefixes: hyper-, hypo-, brady-, tachy- and more

Question 7 of 10 · Knowledge of Language

Which pronoun correctly completes the sentence? "The clinical instructor asked Tomas and ___ to present the case study."

  1. mine
  2. myself
  3. me
  4. I
Show the answer and rationale

Answer: C

The pronoun is an object of the verb asked. Drop "Tomas and" to test: "asked me to present." I is subject case, myself is reflexive and needs an earlier I in the sentence, and mine is possessive.

📚 Learn it: Pronouns: agreement, case and clear reference

Question 8 of 10 · Knowledge of Language

Read the sentences: "Every morning, Lucy jogs two miles. Then she ate a healthy breakfast and drives to campus." Which revision of the second sentence keeps the verb tense consistent?

  1. Then she eats a healthy breakfast and drives to campus.
  2. Then she ate a healthy breakfast and drove to campus.
  3. Then she will eat a healthy breakfast and drove to campus.
  4. Then she has eaten a healthy breakfast and drove to campus.
Show the answer and rationale

Answer: A

The first sentence describes a daily habit in the present tense (jogs), so the second should also use the present: eats and drives. Ate and drove are consistent with each other but clash with jogs, and the other two revisions still mix tenses.

📚 Learn it: Verb tense: stay consistent and know irregular forms

Question 9 of 10 · Using Language and Vocabulary

The dentist promised a painless cleaning. What does painless mean?

  1. Without pain
  2. Able to be painful
  3. Full of pain
  4. Causing pain later
Show the answer and rationale

Answer: A

-less means without, so painless means without pain. "Full of pain" is the meaning of -ful (painful), the opposite suffix.

📚 Learn it: Suffixes: -itis, -ectomy, -ology, -algia and more

Question 10 of 10 · Knowledge of Language

Which word correctly completes the sentence? "___ is responsible for restocking the crash cart tonight?"

  1. Whose
  2. Whom
  3. Who
  4. Whomever
Show the answer and rationale

Answer: C

The word is the subject of the verb is. Answer the question with a pronoun: "He is responsible." He is subject case, so who is correct. Whom and whomever are object case, and whose shows possession.

📚 Learn it: Pronouns: agreement, case and clear reference

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