TEAS English Grammar Rules: Master Grammar and Boost Your Score

The TEAS English and Language Usage section tests your grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and vocabulary. With 37 questions in 37 minutes, this fast-paced section rewards those who know the rules. Good news: English is often the easiest section to improve quickly!

TEAS English Section Breakdown

• Conventions of Standard English (~15 questions): Grammar, spelling, punctuation
• Knowledge of Language (~12 questions): Sentence structure, word choice, clarity
• Using Language and Vocabulary (~10 questions): Context clues, word meanings, prefixes/suffixes

Subject-Verb Agreement Rules

Subjects and verbs must agree in number (singular or plural).

• Singular subjects take singular verbs: 'The nurse works hard.'
• Plural subjects take plural verbs: 'The nurses work hard.'
• Compound subjects with 'and' are usually plural: 'The doctor and nurse work together.'
• Subjects with 'or/nor' agree with the closer subject: 'Neither the nurses nor the doctor is available.'
• Collective nouns can be singular or plural depending on context: 'The team is winning.' vs. 'The team are arguing.'

Pronoun Rules

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

• Pronouns must agree with their antecedents in number and gender
• Everyone, someone, anyone, no one = singular: 'Everyone has his or her own opinion.'
• They/their can be used as singular for gender-neutral references

Pronoun Case

• Subject pronouns: I, you, he, she, it, we, they
• Object pronouns: me, you, him, her, it, us, them
• Possessive pronouns: my/mine, your/yours, his, her/hers, its, our/ours, their/theirs

Common Pronoun Errors

• Wrong: 'Me and John went to the store.' → Correct: 'John and I went to the store.'
• Wrong: 'Between you and I...' → Correct: 'Between you and me...'
• Wrong: 'The nurse gave the medicine to John and I.' → Correct: '...to John and me.'

Verb Tense Consistency

Keep verb tenses consistent within a sentence or paragraph unless there's a logical reason to change.

• Wrong: 'She walked to the store and buys milk.'
• Correct: 'She walked to the store and bought milk.'
• Wrong: 'When I was young, I want to be a nurse.'
• Correct: 'When I was young, I wanted to be a nurse.'

Punctuation Rules

Commas

• Use commas in a series: 'Apples, oranges, and bananas'
• Use commas after introductory phrases: 'After the surgery, the patient rested.'
• Use commas with coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS): 'I studied hard, but I was still nervous.'
• Use commas around non-essential information: 'The patient, who was 85 years old, recovered quickly.'

Semicolons

• Connect two independent clauses: 'I love nursing; it's my passion.'
• Use before conjunctive adverbs: 'The test was hard; however, I passed.'

Colons

• Introduce a list after a complete sentence: 'I need three things: sleep, food, and coffee.'
• Introduce an explanation: 'She had one goal: to become a nurse.'

Apostrophes

• Show possession: 'The nurse's stethoscope' (singular), 'The nurses' break room' (plural)
• Contractions: 'don't' = do not, 'it's' = it is
• Never use apostrophes for plurals: 'The 1990s' NOT 'The 1990's'

Commonly Confused Words

• Their (possession) / There (place) / They're (they are)
• Your (possession) / You're (you are)
• Its (possession) / It's (it is)
• Affect (verb) / Effect (noun usually)
• Accept (receive) / Except (exclude)
• Than (comparison) / Then (time)
• Lose (verb) / Loose (adjective)
• Principal (main/leader) / Principle (rule)

Sentence Structure

Run-On Sentences

Two or more independent clauses incorrectly joined.

• Wrong: 'I studied hard I passed the test.'
• Fix 1: Add a period: 'I studied hard. I passed the test.'
• Fix 2: Add a comma + conjunction: 'I studied hard, and I passed the test.'
• Fix 3: Add a semicolon: 'I studied hard; I passed the test.'

Sentence Fragments

Incomplete sentences missing a subject, verb, or complete thought.

• Wrong: 'Because I was tired.'
• Correct: 'I went to bed because I was tired.'
• Wrong: 'Running through the hospital.'
• Correct: 'The nurse was running through the hospital.'

Parallel Structure

Items in a series should have the same grammatical form.

• Wrong: 'I like swimming, to run, and biking.'
• Correct: 'I like swimming, running, and biking.'
• Wrong: 'The nurse is responsible for taking vitals, the administration of medications, and to document care.'
• Correct: 'The nurse is responsible for taking vitals, administering medications, and documenting care.'

Modifiers

Dangling Modifiers

• Wrong: 'Walking into the room, the patient looked tired.' (Who was walking?)
• Correct: 'Walking into the room, I noticed the patient looked tired.'

Misplaced Modifiers

• Wrong: 'I only have five minutes.'
• Correct: 'I have only five minutes.'
• Wrong: 'She almost failed every test.'
• Correct: 'She failed almost every test.'

Vocabulary and Context Clues

Use context clues to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words:

• Definition clues: The word is defined in the sentence
• Synonym clues: A similar word is nearby
• Antonym clues: An opposite word is nearby (signaled by 'but,' 'however')
• Example clues: Examples clarify the meaning
• Inference clues: You must figure out the meaning from overall context

Common Prefixes and Suffixes

Prefixes

• un-, in-, im-, dis- = not (unhappy, incomplete, impossible, disagree)
• re- = again (review, redo)
• pre- = before (preview, prenatal)
• post- = after (postoperative)
• anti- = against (antibiotic)
• hyper- = over/excessive (hypertension)
• hypo- = under/below (hypoglycemia)

Suffixes

• -tion, -sion = act or process (medication, tension)
• -ology = study of (biology, cardiology)
• -itis = inflammation (arthritis, bronchitis)
• -ectomy = surgical removal (appendectomy)
• -able, -ible = capable of (readable, flexible)

Quick Grammar Checklist

Before selecting an answer, ask yourself:

• Does the subject agree with the verb?
• Are pronouns used correctly?
• Is the sentence complete (not a fragment or run-on)?
• Is punctuation correct?
• Are modifiers placed correctly?
• Is the verb tense consistent?
• Is there parallel structure in lists?

Practice Makes Perfect

The English section rewards familiarity with rules. Review this guide, practice with our quizzes, and you'll see improvement quickly. Remember: good grammar is essential for clear communication in nursing—mastering it now will benefit you throughout your career!