TEAS English and Language Usage Guide

Overview of the TEAS English and Language Usage Section

The TEAS English and Language Usage section consists of 37 questions, which assess your knowledge in the following areas:

• Grammar and punctuation: Understanding sentence structure, subject-verb agreement, punctuation rules, and more
• Sentence structure: Identifying errors and correct sentence construction
• Vocabulary and word usage: Recognizing word meaning and context
• Spelling and word forms: Understanding common spelling rules and word usage

This section is designed to measure your understanding of language mechanics and your ability to communicate effectively in writing. The time allotted for this section is 37 minutes, so it’s important to manage your time efficiently while answering the questions.

TEAS English and Language Usage Strategies

1. Master Basic Grammar Rules

The first step to excelling in this section is mastering fundamental grammar rules. You should be familiar with the following:

• Subject-verb agreement: Ensure that subjects and verbs agree in number (singular/plural).
• Pronoun-antecedent agreement: Make sure pronouns agree with their antecedents in gender and number.
• Proper punctuation: Use commas, periods, apostrophes, colons, semicolons, and quotation marks correctly.
• Verb tense: Understand the proper use of past, present, and future tenses in different contexts.
• Sentence fragments and run-ons: Learn how to avoid incomplete or improperly joined sentences.

By mastering these basic grammar rules, you will improve your ability to identify errors in sentences and correct them efficiently during the test.

2. Practice Sentence Structure and Correcting Errors

In the TEAS English section, you will be asked to identify sentence structure errors. These questions require you to understand how to build clear and correct sentences. Here are some common sentence structure issues you might encounter:

• Fragments: Incomplete sentences that lack a subject or a verb.
• Run-on sentences: Sentences that improperly combine two independent clauses without proper punctuation or conjunctions.
• Comma splices: Incorrectly using a comma to join two independent clauses.

To excel in these questions, practice identifying and correcting sentence structure errors. Reviewing examples of correct sentence structures and comparing them with incorrect ones will help reinforce your understanding.

3. Enhance Your Vocabulary

The TEAS English section also tests your knowledge of vocabulary and word usage. You need to be able to recognize words in context and understand their meanings. Here’s how to improve your vocabulary skills:

• Context clues: Practice determining the meaning of unfamiliar words based on the context in which they appear in a sentence or passage.
• Common prefixes, suffixes, and roots: Learn the meanings of common word parts to help you decode unfamiliar words.
• Synonyms and antonyms: Familiarize yourself with common synonyms and antonyms to understand word relationships.

Incorporate vocabulary-building exercises into your study routine, such as using flashcards or engaging in word games. This will help you expand your vocabulary and prepare for questions that test your understanding of word meaning.

4. Improve Your Spelling Skills

Spelling can play a role in the TEAS English section. While you won’t be directly tested on spelling, understanding common spelling rules and recognizing misspelled words is important for success. Some strategies include:

• Review common spelling rules, such as adding “-es” to plural nouns or changing “y” to “ies” for plural forms.
• Practice spelling frequently misspelled words, such as “definitely,” “separate,” and “accommodate.”
• Understand the differences between commonly confused words, such as “there,” “their,” and “they’re.”

By improving your spelling, you’ll be more confident when faced with word usage and correction questions on the exam.

5. Take Practice Tests

One of the best ways to prepare for the English and Language Usage section of the TEAS is to take practice tests. Practice tests simulate the actual exam experience and help you become familiar with the types of questions you’ll encounter. After completing a practice test, review your answers and focus on the areas where you made mistakes. This will help you identify patterns and areas for improvement.

6. Manage Your Time Effectively

The TEAS English section is timed, so it’s important to manage your time carefully. You have 37 minutes to answer 37 questions, which means you should aim to spend about one minute per question. If you find a question particularly challenging, don’t spend too much time on it—mark it for review and move on to the next question. You can always come back to it later if you have time.

7. Stay Calm and Confident

Finally, it’s important to stay calm and confident during the exam. If you’ve prepared adequately, trust in your ability to perform well. Take deep breaths and approach each question methodically. Focus on what you know, and don’t let difficult questions throw you off.

Conclusion

With the right preparation and strategies, you can excel in the TEAS English and Language Usage section. Mastering basic grammar rules, improving your vocabulary, and practicing sentence structure will help you confidently tackle the questions. Take practice tests regularly, manage your time effectively, and stay calm on test day. By following these tips, you’ll be well-prepared to succeed in this important section of the TEAS exam.