Most points lost on the TEAS 7 English & Language Usage section come from a small, predictable set of errors — comma splices, subject-verb agreement with tricky subjects, misused apostrophes, and misreading context clues in vocabulary questions — not from obscure grammar rules. Because the section moves fast (about one minute per question across 37 total questions), the goal isn't to know every grammar rule that exists; it's to instantly recognize the handful of error types the TEAS tests most often.
Practice spotting these patterns with TEAS English & grammar questions.
Mistake 1: Comma Splices
Wrong: "The patient's blood pressure was elevated, the nurse notified the physician immediately."
Why it's wrong: Two complete sentences (independent clauses) cannot be joined by only a comma.
Fixed: "The patient's blood pressure was elevated, so the nurse notified the physician immediately." (or use a period or semicolon instead of a comma)
Mistake 2: Subject-Verb Agreement with Tricky Subjects
Wrong: "Each of the nurses were assigned to a different unit."
Why it's wrong: "Each" is singular, even though "of the nurses" makes it feel plural.
Fixed: "Each of the nurses was assigned to a different unit."
Watch for these tricky subject types: indefinite pronouns (each, everyone, neither), collective nouns (team, staff, family), and subjects separated from their verb by a prepositional phrase.
Mistake 3: Apostrophe Errors (Possession vs. Contraction)
Wrong: "The clinic updated it's policy on visiting hours."
Why it's wrong: "It's" is a contraction of "it is." Possession uses "its" with no apostrophe.
Fixed: "The clinic updated its policy on visiting hours."
This same pattern trips people up with their/there/they're and your/you're — know which one shows possession, which shows contraction, and which shows location.
Mistake 4: Run-On Sentences and Fragments
Wrong (run-on): "The physician reviewed the chart she ordered a new lab panel."
Wrong (fragment): "Because the lab results were abnormal."
Fixed: "The physician reviewed the chart and ordered a new lab panel." / "Because the lab results were abnormal, the physician ordered a follow-up test."
Mistake 5: Parallel Structure Errors
Wrong: "The training covered patient intake, documentation, and how to communicate with families."
Why it's wrong: The list mixes noun phrases ("patient intake," "documentation") with a different grammatical form ("how to communicate").
Fixed: "The training covered patient intake, documentation, and family communication."
Mistake 6: Misreading Vocabulary-in-Context Questions
The TEAS often tests word meaning using medical or academic prefixes and suffixes. A common mistake is guessing from a word's general familiarity rather than analyzing its parts and context.
Example: In the sentence "The patient presented with hypotension," what does "hypo-" suggest about the condition?
The prefix "hypo-" means "below normal" (as opposed to "hyper-," meaning "above normal") — so hypotension means low blood pressure. Learning common prefixes (hypo-, hyper-, -itis, -ology, -emia) pays off on both English and Science questions, since medical vocabulary overlaps between the two sections.
Mistake 7: Formal vs. Informal Tone Errors
TEAS "knowledge of language" questions sometimes ask you to identify the better word choice for a formal context (like a clinical note) versus an informal one (like a text message). A common mistake is picking the option that "sounds fine" conversationally rather than the one that matches the stated context of the passage.
Study Strategy
- Make an error-pattern list, not a rule list — track the specific mistakes you personally make on practice questions, since the TEAS repeats error types more than specific vocabulary.
- Read every sentence back after "fixing" it. A quick reread catches most remaining errors.
- Learn 15–20 high-frequency prefixes/suffixes. This is one of the fastest ways to raise both English and Science scores at once.
- Practice under real time pressure. At one minute per question, recognizing an error pattern instantly matters more than being able to explain the grammar rule in detail. TEAS Academy's English practice questions include rationales for every answer, so you learn the "why" behind each fix.