The TEAS format: sections, minutes and question types
Four sections, each with its own clock. ATI says the test has 170 questions and 209 minutes of testing time, and that finishing a section early does not add time to the next one [1][2].
| Section | Questions | Minutes |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | 45 | 55 |
| Mathematics | 38 | 57 |
| Science | 50 | 60 |
| English and language usage | 37 | 37 |
Only 150 questions count
Twenty of the 170 are unscored pretest questions that ATI is trying out, and you cannot tell which ones [1][3]. Treat every question as if it counts.
Question types
Most questions are standard multiple choice. About 20% are other types: multiple select, fill in the blank, ordered response and hot spot [4]. Each question is scored right or wrong with no partial credit, and wrong answers are not penalised, so never leave one blank [3].
What this means for practice
Practice with the same clocks. Math gets 1.5 minutes a question, Reading about 1.2, Science 1.2 and English 1. Our tests use those minutes per question, include the other question types except hot spot, and score the same way. Your program decides what counts as a pass; see what score you need.
Sources
[1] What Is on the ATI TEAS Exam?, ATI help.
[2] What is the time limit for the ATI TEAS Exam?, ATI help.
[3] TEAS Sections, Timing, and Going Back, ATI help.
[4] ATI TEAS Question Types With Examples, ATI help. Read 2026-10-18.