TEAS vocabulary list: words, word parts and practice
The TEAS doesn't hand you a list of words to memorize. Vocabulary on the TEAS 7 is tested two ways: in English and language usage, where one content area of 10 scored questions covers using language and vocabulary, and in Reading, where craft and structure questions (9 scored) include finding a word's meaning from the passage. So the vocabulary list worth studying is a short one: the prefixes, roots and suffixes that unlock unfamiliar words, a few dozen health and academic words that show up in passages, and the word pairs people confuse.
This page gives you all three in tables, with plain meanings and a sentence for each word, then 18 practice questions with answers and reasons, and a 14-day plan. Test facts come from ATI, which writes the TEAS; the word lists and questions are ours.
Where is vocabulary on the TEAS 7?
ATI's exam details for Version 7 list the sections and content areas below. Vocabulary is not a section of its own; it sits inside two content areas.
| Section | Content area | Scored questions | Vocabulary in it |
|---|---|---|---|
| English and language usage (37 questions, 37 minutes) | Using language and vocabulary to express ideas in writing | 10 | Word meaning from context and from word parts, plus the writing process and using sources |
| English and language usage | Conventions of standard English | 12 | Spelling, which overlaps with word parts (prefix + root spelled right) |
| Reading (45 questions, 55 minutes) | Craft and structure | 9 | A word's meaning in this passage, tone words, author's purpose |
Some older guides say vocabulary is "6 of 24 scored English questions". That was the TEAS 6. The TEAS 7, in use since June 3, 2022, has 33 scored English questions in three content areas (12, 11 and 10). For the whole English section, read our TEAS English and language usage study guide; for the reading side, the TEAS reading study guide.
What TEAS vocabulary questions look like
Expect three shapes, all short. None of them asks you to define a word with no sentence around it.
- Meaning in context. A sentence or a short passage, one word underlined or named, four choices. "Which of the following is the meaning of intermittent as used in the sentence?" The sentence carries the clue.
- Meaning from word parts. "The prefix hypo- in hypothermia means…" or a made-up-looking medical word you can split into pieces.
- The right word for the sentence. Which word best completes the sentence, or which sentence uses a word correctly. This is where confused pairs (affect and effect, principal and principle) and formal versus casual word choice come up.
The English section runs at 60 seconds a question, so a vocabulary item you can answer from a word part in 20 seconds buys time for a hard grammar question.
How to use context clues on the TEAS
The sentence almost always gives the meaning away. Five kinds of clue cover nearly every case:
| Clue | Signal words | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | or, that is, which means, commas or dashes | The patient was ambulatory, able to walk without help. |
| Synonym | also, likewise, and | Her answer was concise and brief. |
| Contrast | but, unlike, however, although | Unlike his verbose report, hers was one paragraph. |
| Example | such as, for example, including | Sedentary habits, such as sitting at a desk all day, raise the risk. |
| General sense | none; the whole sentence | The pain was so debilitating that she could not stand. |
A method that works under time pressure:
- Cover the word and read the sentence with a blank.
- Say your own word for the blank before you look at the choices.
- Pick the choice closest to your word.
- Put it back in the sentence and reread. If the sentence now says something different, try again.
The common trap is a real meaning of the word that doesn't fit this sentence. "The nurse charted the reading" means recorded, not mapped or sailed. Read the choices against the sentence, not against what the word usually means.
TEAS word parts: prefixes, roots and suffixes
Many TEAS passages are about health and science, and health words are built from Greek and Latin parts. Learn the part once and you can read dozens of words. The English study guide has a starter table (pre-, post-, hyper-, hypo-, brady-, tachy-, -itis, -ectomy); these go further.
Prefixes
| Prefix | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a-, an- | without, not | asymptomatic (without symptoms), anemia |
| bi- | two | bilateral (both sides) |
| circum-, peri- | around | circumference, pericardium |
| inter- | between | intercostal (between the ribs) |
| intra- | within | intravenous (within a vein) |
| sub- | under, below | subcutaneous (under the skin) |
| trans- | across, through | transfusion |
| poly- | many | polyuria (much urine) |
| hemi-, semi- | half | hemisphere, semicircle |
| neo- | new | neonatal (newborn) |
| dis-, in-, im-, un- | not, opposite | discontinue, inadequate, impair, unstable |
| re- | again, back | relapse |
Roots
| Root | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| hem/o, hemat/o, -emia | blood | hematology, hyperglycemia |
| neur/o | nerve | neuropathy |
| oste/o | bone | osteoporosis |
| pulmon/o, pneum/o | lung | pulmonary, pneumonia |
| nephr/o, ren/o | kidney | nephrology, renal |
| hepat/o | liver | hepatitis |
| gastr/o | stomach | gastritis |
| vas/o, angi/o | vessel | vasodilation, angioplasty |
| dent/i, odont/o | tooth | dentition, orthodontic |
| bio | life | biopsy |
| chron | time | chronic, chronological |
| dict | say | contradict, predict |
| spect, scop | look | inspect, microscope |
| vers, vert | turn | reverse, vertigo |
Suffixes
| Suffix | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -algia | pain | neuralgia (nerve pain) |
| -otomy | cutting into | tracheotomy |
| -ectomy | cutting out, removal | tonsillectomy |
| -scopy | looking inside with an instrument | endoscopy |
| -plasty | surgical repair | rhinoplasty |
| -osis | condition, often abnormal | fibrosis |
| -megaly | enlargement | cardiomegaly |
| -able, -ible | can be | treatable, visible |
| -ous, -ful | full of, having | hazardous, painful |
| -less | without | painless |
| -tion, -ment | act or result of (makes a noun) | infection, treatment |
| -ize, -ify | to make (makes a verb) | immunize, clarify |
Two parts that look alike and cost points: -otomy (cut into) versus -ectomy (cut out), and inter- (between) versus intra- (within). Split the word, then read the pieces back to front for medical terms: gastr-itis is inflammation of the stomach.
TEAS vocabulary list: health and body words
These turn up in health passages and science-flavoured English questions. You don't need them for science answers; you need them so a passage about a clinic or a study doesn't slow you down.
| Word | Plain meaning | In a sentence |
|---|---|---|
| acute | sudden and severe, or short-term | He came in with acute chest pain that started an hour ago. |
| chronic | lasting a long time or coming back | Her asthma is chronic, so she carries an inhaler every day. |
| adverse | harmful, unwanted | Report any adverse reaction to the new medicine. |
| benign | not harmful; not cancer | The biopsy showed the lump was benign. |
| lethargic | very tired, slow, hard to rouse | The child was lethargic and would not play. |
| prognosis | the likely course or outcome | With early treatment, the prognosis is good. |
| ambulatory | able to walk | Ambulatory patients may use the hallway. |
| sedentary | sitting a lot, inactive | A sedentary job can strain the back. |
| contraindicated | should not be used in this case | Aspirin is contraindicated for some bleeding disorders. |
| dilate / constrict | widen / narrow | Pupils dilate in the dark and constrict in bright light. |
| alleviate | make less severe | Ice can alleviate the swelling. |
| exacerbate | make worse | Smoke can exacerbate a cough. |
| deteriorate | get worse over time | His condition began to deteriorate overnight. |
| adhere | stick to; follow | Patients who adhere to the schedule take every dose. |
| intermittent | stopping and starting | The pain was intermittent, coming every few hours. |
| prone / supine | lying face down / face up | Place the patient supine for the exam. |
| impair | weaken, damage | Lack of sleep can impair judgement. |
| vital | necessary for life; very important | Check vital signs every four hours. |
Reading and reasoning words
These come up in questions about passages, studies and arguments, in Reading and in Science's scientific reasoning. Several are also answer choices about an author's tone or purpose.
| Word | Plain meaning | In a sentence |
|---|---|---|
| infer | work out from clues (the reader does it) | From the wet coats, we can infer it rained. |
| imply | suggest without saying (the writer does it) | The author implies the policy failed. |
| explicit / implicit | stated directly / suggested | The rule is explicit: no phones. |
| objective / subjective | based on facts / based on feelings or opinions | A temperature is objective; "I feel awful" is subjective. |
| empirical | based on observation or experiment | The claim needs empirical evidence. |
| hypothesis | a testable guess | Her hypothesis was that light speeds growth. |
| ambiguous | having more than one possible meaning | The sign was ambiguous, so people went both ways. |
| concise / verbose | short and clear / using too many words | Keep the note concise. |
| bias | a leaning that makes a view unfair | An ad written by the seller shows bias. |
| skeptical | doubting | She was skeptical of the miracle cure. |
| candid | honest and direct | The doctor was candid about the risks. |
| discrepancy | a difference that shouldn't be there | There was a discrepancy between the two counts. |
| prevalent | common, widespread | Flu is prevalent in winter. |
| sporadic | happening now and then, irregular | Sporadic cases appeared in three towns. |
| tentative | not certain or final | The date is tentative until the room is booked. |
Everyday academic words
| Word | Plain meaning | In a sentence |
|---|---|---|
| adjacent | next to | The lab is adjacent to the library. |
| consecutive | one after another, without a break | She worked three consecutive night shifts. |
| comply | do what is asked or required | All visitors must comply with the mask rule. |
| compensate | make up for | He drank more water to compensate for the heat. |
| inevitable | sure to happen | Some delay was inevitable in the storm. |
| mitigate | make less harmful | Handwashing mitigates the spread of germs. |
| prudent | careful and sensible | It is prudent to save the file twice. |
| rudimentary | basic, at an early stage | He had a rudimentary grasp of Spanish. |
| superficial | on the surface; not deep | The cut was superficial and healed fast. |
| viable | able to work or survive | Is the plan viable on our budget? |
| diligent | careful and hard-working | A diligent student reviews her mistakes. |
| novel | new and unusual (as an adjective) | The team tried a novel approach. |
Notice novel: a word with a common meaning (a book) and a less common one (new). Multiple-meaning words like this, along with charge, present, stable and culture, are the ones TEAS likes to test in context.
Commonly confused words on the TEAS
| Pair | How to tell them apart | Example |
|---|---|---|
| affect / effect | affect is usually the verb; effect is usually the noun (the result) | Caffeine affects sleep; the effect lasts hours. |
| accept / except | accept = take; except = leave out | We accept all forms except cash. |
| complement / compliment | complement completes; compliment praises | The sauce complements the fish. She paid me a compliment. |
| principal / principle | principal = main, or the head of a school; principle = a rule or belief | The principal reason is cost. It's a matter of principle. |
| discreet / discrete | discreet = tactful and private; discrete = separate | Be discreet with records. The data fall into discrete groups. |
| elicit / illicit | elicit = draw out; illicit = illegal | The question elicited a long answer. |
| adverse / averse | adverse = harmful; averse = unwilling | He is averse to needles. |
| ensure / insure | ensure = make certain; insure = cover with insurance | Ensure the door is locked. |
| precede / proceed | precede = come before; proceed = go on | A test precedes the class; then we proceed. |
| conscious / conscience | conscious = awake, aware; conscience = sense of right and wrong | The patient is conscious. |
| than / then | than compares; then is time | Faster than before; then she left. |
| lose / loose | lose = misplace or fail to win; loose = not tight | Don't lose the loose screw. |
TEAS vocabulary practice test: 18 questions
Give yourself 15 minutes, about the English section's pace. Answers and reasons follow.
- "The fever was intermittent, rising each evening and falling by morning." Intermittent means: A) constant B) dangerous C) stopping and starting D) rising slowly
- The prefix in subcutaneous means: A) above B) under C) across D) within
- "Unlike the verbose first draft, the final memo fit on one page." Verbose means: A) wordy B) careless C) angry D) early
- Nephritis is inflammation of the: A) liver B) nerve C) kidney D) lung
- Which sentence is correct? A) The new rule will effect every shift. B) The new rule will affect every shift. C) The new rules affect was clear. D) The affect of the rule was clear.
- "The results were ambiguous, so the team ran the test again." Ambiguous means: A) clear B) unclear, open to more than one reading C) wrong D) late
- Which word part means "removal"? A) -otomy B) -scopy C) -ectomy D) -plasty
- "Rest may alleviate the symptoms, but smoking will exacerbate them." The two words are: A) synonyms B) antonyms C) both mean "cause" D) both mean "hide"
- "The nurse asked the patient to lie supine." The patient lies: A) face down B) on the side C) face up D) sitting
- "From the empty plates, she could ___ that the meal had been enjoyed." A) imply B) infer C) insure D) elicit
- Intravenous means: A) between veins B) within a vein C) around a vein D) without veins
- "The committee tabled the proposal until next month." Tabled means: A) put it on a table B) printed it C) postponed it D) approved it
- Which word best fits a formal report? "The data ___ a link between sleep and memory." A) show B) kinda show C) totally prove D) are like
- Asymptomatic means: A) with many symptoms B) without symptoms C) with sudden symptoms D) after symptoms
- "Her candid answer surprised the panel; she admitted she had failed the course once." Candid means: A) sweet B) honest C) short D) rude
- Which is spelled and used correctly? A) Please be discrete about the patient's name. B) Please be discreet about the patient's name. C) Please be discreat about the patient's name. D) Please be descrete about the patient's name.
- Cardiomegaly means: A) heart pain B) a fast heart C) an enlarged heart D) heart surgery
- "The plan is tentative; the date may change." Tentative means: A) final B) not yet certain C) cancelled D) secret
Answers and reasons
| # | Answer | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | "Rising each evening and falling by morning" defines it: on and off. |
| 2 | B | sub- = under; subcutaneous = under the skin. |
| 3 | A | Contrast clue: "unlike" a one-page memo, so the draft was long and wordy. |
| 4 | C | nephr/o = kidney, -itis = inflammation. |
| 5 | B | "Will ___" needs a verb: affect. D and C need the noun effect (and C an apostrophe). |
| 6 | B | They reran the test because the results didn't point one way. |
| 7 | C | -ectomy = cutting out; -otomy = cutting into. |
| 8 | B | "But" signals contrast: ease versus worsen. |
| 9 | C | Supine = face up; prone = face down. |
| 10 | B | She is the reader of the clues, so she infers. A writer implies. |
| 11 | B | intra- = within; inter- = between. |
| 12 | C | A multiple-meaning word: "until next month" tells you it was put off. (In British English, "table" can mean the opposite; the sentence settles it.) |
| 13 | A | Formal and accurate. "Prove" claims too much for one study; B and D are casual. |
| 14 | B | a- = without. |
| 15 | B | The second half shows her being open about a failure. |
| 16 | B | Discreet = tactful and private; discrete = separate. C and D are misspellings. |
| 17 | C | cardi/o = heart, -megaly = enlargement. |
| 18 | B | "The date may change" defines it. |
Missed more than four? Go back to the word part tables first: they cover the most questions per hour of study. For a full English set in ATI's 12/11/10 split, take our TEAS English practice test with 33 questions and answers. To see where vocabulary ranks against your other gaps, the free TEAS practice test scores all four sections in 15 questions.
A 14-day TEAS vocabulary plan
Fifteen to twenty minutes a day, alongside your other study. Make flashcards by hand or in any app: the word or part on the front, the meaning and your own sentence on the back.
| Day | Do this |
|---|---|
| 1 | Take the 18 practice questions cold. Note which kind you missed: context, word part or confused pair |
| 2 | Prefixes table: make 12 cards |
| 3 | Roots table: make 14 cards; review yesterday's |
| 4 | Suffixes table: make 12 cards; split 10 health words you meet anywhere into parts |
| 5 | Health and body words: cards, with your own sentence for each |
| 6 | Context clue drill: read one health news article and circle every clue word (or, unlike, such as) |
| 7 | Review all cards; set aside the ones you know |
| 8 | Reading and reasoning words: cards |
| 9 | Confused pairs: write one sentence using both words of each pair |
| 10 | Everyday academic words: cards; list five multiple-meaning words you know |
| 11 | Review only the cards you still miss |
| 12 | One timed English practice set; mark every vocabulary item |
| 13 | Redo the questions you missed; one reading passage, answer only its word-meaning items |
| 14 | Retake the 18 questions here; compare with day 1 |
A few minutes of review spread over days beats one long session, so keep every day short rather than catching up in one sitting. If your test is closer than two weeks, do days 2–4 and 9 only: word parts and confused pairs give the most points back.
Mistakes on TEAS vocabulary questions
- Picking the meaning you know instead of the one the sentence uses. Always put the answer back into the sentence.
- Memorizing a 500-word list. The TEAS tests how you work out words, not a fixed list. Hours on obscure words are hours not spent on word parts and grammar.
- Mixing up look-alike parts: inter-/intra-, hyper-/hypo-, -otomy/-ectomy.
- Ignoring the signal word. "But", "unlike" and "however" flip the meaning; "such as" gives you examples.
- Choosing the fanciest word. On "best word" questions, the right choice is the clear, accurate, formal one, not the longest.
- Spending two minutes on one word. If no clue helps, eliminate what clearly doesn't fit, pick, flag, and move on. There is no penalty for a wrong answer.
TEAS vocabulary FAQ
Is there an official TEAS vocabulary list?
No. ATI publishes the content areas and skills, not a word list. Vocabulary is tested through context and word parts, which is why lists of roots and prefixes help more than long word lists.
How many vocabulary questions are on the TEAS 7?
ATI doesn't give a separate count. The English content area that includes vocabulary has 10 scored questions, and it also covers the writing process and sources. Reading's craft and structure area (9 scored) includes word meaning in context.
Do I need medical terminology for the TEAS?
You don't need a medical terminology course. You do benefit from the common parts (cardi/o, hepat/o, -itis, -ectomy), because health words appear in passages and English questions and the parts let you read them.
Are TEAS vocabulary questions in the reading section?
Yes. Reading asks what a word means as used in a passage. The method is the same as in English: cover the word, use the clues, put the answer back.
Is Quizlet enough for TEAS vocabulary?
Flashcards help you remember parts and words, but they don't train you to read clues in a sentence. Mix cards with timed questions in context, like the set above.
Sources
- ATI, ATI TEAS exam details (sections, questions, minutes, content areas and their scored counts for Version 7).
- ATI, ATI TEAS exam and other FAQs (Version 7, released June 3, 2022).
- ATI, ATI TEAS sections and going back to a question (unanswered questions scored as wrong).
More on the English section: the TEAS English study guide, the TEAS English practice test, or all TEAS guides. If you want to know whether English or another section needs your time most, take the free practice test: 15 questions across the four sections, scored against your program's minimum.