TEAS English: Parts of Speech and Word Usage Complete Guide

The TEAS English and Language Usage section rewards students who understand how words work. Almost every grammar rule—subject-verb agreement, pronoun choice, correct modifiers—depends on knowing the parts of speech. Master the eight parts of speech and the most common usage rules, and you will be able to reason your way through questions instead of guessing.

This guide defines each part of speech with examples, then applies that knowledge to the usage rules the TEAS tests most often.

The Eight Parts of Speech

Every word in English belongs to at least one of these categories. A word's part of speech depends on how it functions in the sentence.

• Noun: A person, place, thing, or idea. Examples: nurse, hospital, syringe, courage.
• Pronoun: A word that replaces a noun. Examples: he, she, it, they, who, this.
• Verb: An action or state of being. Examples: run, administer, is, become.
• Adjective: Describes or modifies a noun or pronoun. Examples: sterile, gentle, three, blue.
• Adverb: Modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb; often ends in -ly. Examples: quickly, very, carefully, soon.
• Preposition: Shows the relationship of a noun/pronoun to another word, usually position or time. Examples: in, on, under, before, between.
• Conjunction: Connects words, phrases, or clauses. Examples: and, but, or, because, although.
• Interjection: Expresses emotion and stands apart from the sentence. Examples: Wow! Ouch! Oh!

Nouns: Common, Proper, and More

• Common noun: A general name, not capitalized: city, nurse, university.
• Proper noun: A specific name, always capitalized: Chicago, Florence Nightingale, Duke University.
• Concrete noun: Something you can sense: stethoscope, music, coffee.
• Abstract noun: An idea or feeling: freedom, anxiety, knowledge.
• Collective noun: A group treated as a unit: team, staff, committee.

Verbs: Action, Linking, and Helping

• Action verbs: Show what the subject does: write, inject, study.
• Linking verbs: Connect the subject to a description; the most common is 'to be' (is, are, was, were). Others include seem, become, feel, appear.
• Helping (auxiliary) verbs: Work with a main verb to form tense or mood: has studied, will go, is running.

Usage Rule 1: Subject-Verb Agreement

A verb must agree in number with its subject: singular subjects take singular verbs, and plural subjects take plural verbs.

• Correct: The nurse checks the chart. (singular subject + singular verb)
• Correct: The nurses check the charts. (plural subject + plural verb)
• Watch out for words between the subject and verb: 'The box of supplies IS heavy' (subject is 'box,' not 'supplies').
• Compound subjects joined by 'and' are plural: 'The doctor and the nurse ARE here.'

Usage Rule 2: Pronoun Agreement and Case

A pronoun must agree with its antecedent (the noun it replaces) in number and gender, and must use the correct case.

• Subject pronouns (do the action): I, he, she, we, they. 'She and I studied.'
• Object pronouns (receive the action): me, him, her, us, them. 'The teacher helped him and me.'
• Agreement: 'Each student must bring HIS OR HER book' (each is singular).

Usage Rule 3: Adjectives vs. Adverbs and Modifiers

Use adjectives to describe nouns and adverbs to describe verbs. A frequent TEAS trap is 'good' vs. 'well': 'good' is an adjective (a good result), while 'well' is usually an adverb (she performed well).

Also watch for misplaced modifiers—descriptive phrases should sit next to the word they modify. 'Running down the hall, the chart fell' incorrectly suggests the chart was running. Fix it: 'Running down the hall, the nurse dropped the chart.'

Common Word-Usage Errors the TEAS Tests

• There / their / they're: place, possession, and 'they are.'
• Your / you're: possession vs. 'you are.'
• Its / it's: possession vs. 'it is.'
• To / too / two: preposition, 'also/excessive,' and the number.
• Affect (usually a verb) / effect (usually a noun).
• Then (time) / than (comparison).

How to Study Grammar for the TEAS

Start by labeling parts of speech in sample sentences until it becomes automatic. Then drill the high-frequency usage rules—subject-verb agreement, pronoun case, and commonly confused words—with practice questions. Reading your answer choices aloud often helps you 'hear' the correct grammar.

Once you can identify how each word functions in a sentence, the English and Language Usage section transforms from guesswork into a series of logical decisions—and that is exactly how you raise your score.