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TEAS English practice test: 33 free questions with answers

This free TEAS English practice test has 33 questions, the same number ATI scores on the real English and language usage section, split the same way across its three content areas: 12 on conventions of standard English, 11 on knowledge of language and 10 on using language and vocabulary. Set a timer for 33 minutes, which is the real section's pace of one minute a question, then check every answer with its explanation.

After the test you'll find a score table against the English minimums programs publish, and a map from each question to the rule it tests, so your misses turn into a short study list.

How to take this TEAS English practice test

1. Time it. 33 minutes for 33 questions. The real section gives 37 minutes for 37 questions (33 scored, 4 unscored), so the pace is the same.
2. Answer on paper before you open any answer. Don't skip: the real exam gives no credit for a blank.
3. Mark the ones you guessed. A lucky guess is a miss you haven't found yet.
4. Check your answers with the explanations, then use the score table and the miss map.

The real section is all four-option multiple choice and a few other types (multiple select, fill in the blank, ordered response, hot spot), and none of them give partial credit. These questions are all multiple choice so you can take them on paper. They are our own, written to ATI's published content areas; they are not ATI questions.

Conventions of standard English: questions 1 to 12

Spelling, punctuation, capitalization and sentence structure.

Question 1

Which word is spelled correctly?

1. recive
2. receeve
3. recieve
4. receive

Question 2

Which word is spelled correctly?

1. occurence
2. ocurrence
3. occurrence
4. occurance

Question 3

What is the correct plural of diagnosis?

1. diagnosis'
2. diagnoses
3. diagnosi
4. diagnosises

Question 4

Which sentence uses commas correctly?

1. After the shift ended, Maria drove home.
2. After the shift, ended Maria drove home.
3. After, the shift ended Maria drove home.
4. After the shift ended Maria, drove home.

Question 5

The three ___ charts were updated before rounds.

1. nurses
2. nurses's
3. nurse's
4. nurses'

Question 6

Which punctuation belongs in the blank? The lab closed early ___ the results will arrive tomorrow.

1. no punctuation
2. a comma
3. a semicolon
4. a colon

Question 7

Which sentence uses the colon correctly?

1. Pack three things: a jacket, water and a snack.
2. Pack: a jacket, water and a snack.
3. Pack three things, a jacket: water and a snack.
4. The things to pack are: a jacket, water and a snack.

Question 8

Which sentence is capitalized correctly?

1. The clinic is next to Mercy Hospital on Main Street.
2. the clinic is next to mercy hospital on main street.
3. The clinic is next to Mercy hospital on Main street.
4. The Clinic is next to Mercy Hospital on Main Street.

Question 9

Which sentence is capitalized correctly?

1. I booked a visit with doctor patel, our Family Doctor.
2. I booked a visit with doctor Patel.
3. I booked a visit with Doctor Patel, our family Doctor.
4. I booked a visit with Doctor Patel, our family doctor.

Question 10

Which is a complete sentence?

1. Because the patient was tired.
2. Running down the hall to the elevator.
3. The patient rested after lunch.
4. Which the doctor ordered yesterday.

Question 11

What is the best way to fix this run-on? The test starts at nine I need to leave at eight.

1. The test starts at nine, I need to leave at eight.
2. The test starts at nine, so I need to leave at eight.
3. The test starts at nine so, I need to leave at eight.
4. The test, starts at nine I need to leave at eight.

Question 12

What type of sentence is this? Although the clinic was busy, the staff stayed calm, and every patient was seen.

1. simple
2. compound
3. complex
4. compound-complex

Knowledge of language: questions 13 to 23

Grammar for clarity, formal and informal language, transitions and how a paragraph holds together.

Question 13

The box of gloves ___ on the top shelf.

1. were
2. be
3. are
4. is

Question 14

Neither the students nor the instructor ___ ready to start.

1. were
2. are
3. is
4. be

Question 15

The committee announced ___ decision on Friday.

1. their
2. its
3. it's
4. they're

Question 16

The award went to Jamal and ___.

1. me
2. myself
3. mine
4. I

Question 17

Which sentence is clearest?

1. Walking into the room, the monitor beeped loudly.
2. Walking into the room, I heard the monitor beep loudly.
3. The monitor, walking into the room, beeped loudly.
4. Walking into the room, a loud beep came from the monitor.

Question 18

Which sentence has parallel structure?

1. She likes reading, jogging and to swim.
2. She likes reading, to jog and swimming.
3. She likes reading, jogging and swimming.
4. She likes to read, jogging and to swim.

Question 19

Which word should replace the underlined one? Yesterday the nurse checks the chart and called the doctor.

1. check
2. checked
3. will check
4. is checking

Question 20

Which sentence fits a formal email to a nursing admissions office?

1. I am writing to ask about the status of my application.
2. Did u get my stuff yet?
3. What's up with my application?
4. Hey, just wanted to check on my app.

Question 21

Which word or phrase belongs in the blank? The patient's fever dropped overnight. ___, she went home the next morning.

1. For example
2. In contrast
3. However
4. As a result

Question 22

Which word or phrase belongs in the blank? Most applicants study for several weeks. ___, some try to learn everything in a few days.

1. Therefore
2. Similarly
3. However
4. For instance

Question 23

Which sentence does not belong in this paragraph? (1) Handwashing is one of the simplest ways to stop infections from spreading. (2) Soap and water remove germs from the skin. (3) The hospital cafeteria serves lunch from 11 to 2. (4) Scrubbing for at least 20 seconds removes more germs than a quick rinse.

1. Sentence 1
2. Sentence 2
3. Sentence 3
4. Sentence 4

Using language and vocabulary: questions 24 to 33

Word meaning from context and word parts, the writing process, and using sources.

Question 24

Read the sentence: The wound was superficial; it barely broke the skin and needed only a bandage. What does superficial mean?

1. on the surface
2. infected
3. painful
4. deep

Question 25

Read the sentence: Her answer was ambiguous, so the instructor asked her what she meant. What does ambiguous mean?

1. angry
2. short
3. clear
4. open to more than one meaning

Question 26

Read the sentence: The medication should alleviate the pain within an hour. What does alleviate mean?

1. worsen
2. cause
3. relieve
4. measure

Question 27

What does the prefix hypo- mean in hypothermia?

1. above
2. below or under
3. heat
4. against

Question 28

Using word parts, what does cardiology mean?

1. the study of the heart
2. inflammation of the heart
3. a picture of the heart
4. surgery on the heart

Question 29

What does postoperative care mean?

1. care instead of surgery
2. care before surgery
3. care during surgery
4. care after surgery

Question 30

A student lists ideas and sorts them into an outline before writing a paragraph. Which stage of the writing process is this?

1. prewriting (planning)
2. drafting
3. revising
4. editing

Question 31

A student rereads a finished essay only to fix spelling and comma errors. Which stage is this?

1. prewriting
2. drafting
3. revising
4. editing

Question 32

Which source is most credible for a paper on diabetes rates in the United States?

1. a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
2. a social media post
3. an ad for a glucose monitor
4. a personal blog

Question 33

A student copies one sentence word for word from a journal article into a paper. What must the student do?

1. Cite it only if it contains a number
2. Mention the topic in the conclusion
3. Nothing, if one word is changed
4. Put it in quotation marks and cite the source

Score your TEAS English practice test

Count your right answers out of 33. With 33 scored questions on the real section, each is worth about 3 percentage points. ATI adjusts scores for differences between test forms, so read this as an estimate, not your official score.

These programs from our list set an English minimum, each from the program's own admissions page: Northern Virginia CC Diagnostic Medical Sonography 70%, Northern Virginia CC Nursing (RN) 62%, Middlesex Community College Nursing 60%, Washtenaw CC Associate Degree RN 60%, North Central Texas College Vocational Nursing 50%, Northern Virginia CC Radiography 50%. Most programs set only an overall minimum, where English counts along with the other three sections. All 56 programs are in what TEAS score you need, and the TEAS score calculator turns your right answers in each section into a total.

What your misses mean

Find each question you missed or guessed, and study the rule next to it. The links go to the section of our TEAS English and language usage study guide that teaches it.

How to fix what you missed

English misses fall into three kinds, and each has its own fix:

• You didn't know the rule. Learn it from the study guide, then write three sentences of your own that use it correctly and one that breaks it. Writing the wrong version is what makes it easy to spot under time.
• You knew the rule but didn't see which one the question tested. This is the most common miss on a 60-second section. Before you look at the choices, say what the question is about: "this is agreement", "this is a comma after an opening clause". Then choose.
• You ran out of time or rushed. English comes last on the exam, after more than two and a half hours. Practise sets of 10 questions in 10 minutes at the end of a study session, when you're already tired, so test day feels familiar.

Then retake only the questions you missed two days later, without looking at the explanations. A question you get right twice is learned.

What the real TEAS English section looks like

Counts and minutes are ATI's for the TEAS Version 7. English is the shortest section and the fastest: 60 seconds a question, against about 73 for reading, 72 for science and 90 for math. It is also the last of the four. For the whole exam, read what is on the TEAS test.

A 7-day plan after this practice test

For a longer runway, the study guide has a 14-day TEAS English plan. If reading is also on your list, the TEAS reading study guide covers the skills that overlap, such as word meaning from context.

TEAS English practice test FAQ

How many English questions are on the TEAS?

37: 33 scored and 4 unscored, in 37 minutes.

Are TEAS practice tests harder than the real test?

It depends on the publisher; no one can compare against the real forms except ATI. What matters more is that a practice test matches the real content areas and pace, so your score tells you something. This one matches ATI's content area counts and timing.

Is there a TEAS English practice test PDF?

You can print this page: the questions and the answers are all on it, with the answers folded away until you open them.

What is a good TEAS English score?

One above your program's English minimum, if it sets one, and high enough to lift your overall score past its overall minimum. The programs in our list that set an English minimum ask for 50% to 70%.

What grammar is on the TEAS English section?

Subject-verb and pronoun agreement, pronoun case, modifiers, parallel structure, verb tense, plus punctuation, capitalization, spelling and sentence structure (fragments, run-ons, sentence types).

Can I retake just the English section?

No. Every TEAS attempt is all four sections. Programs set their own retake rules; see how many times you can retake the TEAS.

Sources

• ATI, ATI TEAS exam details (English questions, minutes, content areas). Read for our format guide, October 2026.
• ATI, What type of questions are on the ATI TEAS Version 7?
• ATI, What is the difference between the TEAS 6 and TEAS 7?
• Program minimums: each program's admissions page, linked from what TEAS score you need, e.g. Northern Virginia CC, Middlesex College, North Central Texas College.
• Nurse.org, TEAS English and language usage study guide: topic list per content area. Read 2026-11-02.

More English: the TEAS English and language usage study guide, or all guides. To see how English compares with your reading, math and science, take the free practice test: 15 questions across the four sections, scored against your program's minimum.