Free Practice Questions for NLN NEX Verbal
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Key Facts: NLN NEX Verbal Exam
The NLN NEX replaced the NLN PAX in 2025 as the nursing-school admission exam from the National League for Nursing.
The NEX Verbal Subject Test has 58 multiple-choice items, with 50 scored and 8 unscored pilot items.
The 50 scored verbal items split evenly into 25 Word Knowledge and 25 Reading Comprehension questions.
The Verbal section is timed at 60 minutes, part of the full 3-hour NEX with Math and Science.
Word Knowledge weights word analysis at 30 percent and vocabulary development at 20 percent of the verbal score.
Reading Comprehension weights reading for information, application, and inference at 20, 20, and 10 percent.
Reading Comprehension on the NEX uses five scored informational passages drawn from science, health, technology, and general topics.
About 70 percent correct on verbal meets the RN 50th percentile and about 62 percent the LPN/VN 50th percentile.
The NLN NEX Verbal Subject Test is a 58-item, 60-minute multiple-choice section of the nursing entrance exam that replaced the PAX in 2025, split evenly between Word Knowledge (vocabulary and word analysis) and Reading Comprehension (information, application, and inference).
Sample NLN NEX Verbal Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to review concepts for the NLN NEX Verbal exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1Select the word that is most nearly the same in meaning as the word in capitals: BENEVOLENT
2Select the word that is most nearly OPPOSITE in meaning to the word in capitals: TRANSPARENT
3Choose the word that correctly completes the sentence: The nurse gave the patient explicit instructions, leaving no room for ______.
4Which sentence uses the frequently confused words correctly?
5Select the word that is most nearly the same in meaning as the word in capitals: METICULOUS
6Select the word that is most nearly OPPOSITE in meaning to the word in capitals: SCARCE
7Choose the sentence that uses its and it's correctly.
8Select the word that is most nearly the same in meaning as the word in capitals: CANDID
9Choose the word that best completes the sentence: Because the evidence was ______, the committee could not reach a firm conclusion.
10Select the word that is most nearly OPPOSITE in meaning to the word in capitals: TEMPORARY
About the NLN NEX Verbal Exam
The Verbal Subject Test is one of three sections of the NLN Nursing Entrance Exam (NEX), the standardized nursing-school admission test that replaced the NLN PAX in 2025. It measures foundational verbal skills at a high-school to first-year-college level through 58 multiple-choice items (50 scored and 8 unscored pilot items) completed in 60 minutes. The test has two sections: Word Knowledge (25 scored items covering vocabulary development and word analysis) and Reading Comprehension (25 scored items covering reading for information, application, and inference). Word Knowledge assesses synonyms, antonyms, frequently confused words, context clues, and Greek and Latin prefixes, suffixes, and roots, while Reading Comprehension uses five informational passages drawn from natural and social sciences, health, technology, and general topics. The NLN sets no passing score; results are reported as percent correct and percentile ranks against separate RN and LPN/VN national norming groups, and each nursing program decides how to use the scores.
Exam sponsor: National League for Nursing (NLN) Assessment Services Division. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.
Questions
58 questions
Time Limit
60 minutes for the Verbal Subject Test (part of the full 3-hour NEX).
Passing Score
No NLN-set pass mark; results are percent correct and a percentile rank versus 2024 RN and LPN/VN norms. About 70% correct meets the RN 50th percentile and about 62% the LPN/VN 50th percentile. Programs set their own minimums.
Exam / Certification Fees
Approximately $52.50 in person or $68.50 to $73.50 virtually for the full NEX, of which Verbal is one of three sections.
Exam sponsor websiteFees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.
Our practice resources: topics covered
We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.
Word Analysis
Deduce word meaning from context clues and Greek and Latin prefixes, suffixes, and roots.
Vocabulary Development
Correct word usage, synonyms, antonyms, and distinguishing frequently confused words.
Reading for Information
Identify key details and main ideas in informational passages.
Application
Apply passage information to new situations, analyze ideas, and read vocabulary in context.
Inference
Draw inferences and conclusions and identify the author's purpose, tone, and viewpoint.
Preparing for the NLN NEX Verbal Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: No NLN-set pass mark; results are percent correct and a percentile rank versus 2024 RN and LPN/VN norms. About 70% correct meets the RN 50th percentile and about 62% the LPN/VN 50th percentile. Programs set their own minimums.
- Exam length: 58 questions
- Time limit: 60 minutes for the Verbal Subject Test (part of the full 3-hour NEX).
- Exam / certification fees: Approximately $52.50 in person or $68.50 to $73.50 virtually for the full NEX, of which Verbal is one of three sections. Official sources
Using Our Practice Resources
- Work through all 100 available questions
- Review every answer and explanation
- Track weak areas and revisit them
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
NLN NEX Verbal: Suggested Study Strategy
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NLN NEX Verbal section?
It is one of three sections of the NLN Nursing Entrance Exam (NEX), which replaced the NLN PAX in 2025. The Verbal Subject Test measures vocabulary and reading comprehension at a high-school to early-college level and is taken as part of the full admission exam.
How many questions are on the NEX Verbal section and how long is it?
The Verbal Subject Test has 58 multiple-choice items, 50 scored and 8 unscored pilot items, completed in 60 minutes. The items split evenly into 25 Word Knowledge and 25 Reading Comprehension scored questions.
What topics does the NEX Verbal section cover?
Word Knowledge covers synonyms, antonyms, frequently confused words, context clues, and Greek and Latin prefixes, suffixes, and roots. Reading Comprehension covers main ideas, supporting details, applying information, inferences, and the author's purpose.
Is there a passing score on the NEX Verbal section?
The NLN does not set a pass or fail mark. Verbal results are reported as percent correct and a percentile rank against 2024 RN and LPN/VN norming groups, and each nursing program decides what level it requires for admission.
How is the NEX Verbal section scored?
Only the 50 operational items are scored, with no penalty for guessing; unanswered items count as incorrect. About 70 percent correct meets the 50th percentile for RN applicants and about 62 percent for LPN/VN applicants based on 2024 norms.
How does the NEX differ from the old NLN PAX?
The NEX replaced the PAX in 2025. It increased section time to 60 minutes to reduce time pressure, added unscored pilot items, reports separate RN and LPN/VN percentile norms, and removed physics from the science section, though the verbal content remains vocabulary and reading comprehension.