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100+ Free TEAS Reading Practice Questions

Pass your ATI TEAS 7 Reading Section exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

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A passage describes an experiment in which plants given fertilizer grew twice as tall as plants given none, while all other conditions stayed identical. What can the reader conclude?

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Key Facts: TEAS Reading Exam

TEAS Reading is the 45-question, 55-minute reading-comprehension section of the ATI TEAS 7 nursing entrance exam, split into Key Ideas and Details, Craft and Structure, and Integration of Knowledge and Ideas.

Sample TEAS Reading Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your TEAS Reading exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A patient brochure states: "Take one tablet by mouth twice daily with food. Do not exceed four tablets in any 24-hour period." A reader follows these directions. How many tablets would the reader take across a full day if following the instruction exactly?
A.Two tablets
B.One tablet
C.Four tablets
D.Three tablets
Explanation: "One tablet ... twice daily" means one tablet on two separate occasions, which equals two tablets per day. Comprehending written directions requires combining the dose (one tablet) with the frequency (twice daily). The four-tablet cap is a maximum limit, not the daily routine.
2Read the passage: "Regular handwashing remains one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of infection. Soap and running water remove germs from the skin, and the friction of scrubbing for at least twenty seconds loosens microbes that water alone cannot rinse away. When soap is unavailable, an alcohol-based sanitizer offers a useful substitute." Which sentence best states the main idea of this passage?
A.Alcohol-based sanitizer is always better than soap and water.
B.Handwashing is an effective way to prevent the spread of infection.
C.Scrubbing should last for exactly twenty seconds every time.
D.Germs can never be fully removed from human skin.
Explanation: The main idea is the central point the author develops, and every sentence supports the claim that handwashing prevents infection. The details about soap, friction, and sanitizer are supporting evidence for that broader point.
3A passage describes a nurse who arrives early for every shift, double-checks each medication against the order, and stays late to document carefully. The passage never uses the word "careful." What can the reader most reasonably infer about the nurse?
A.The nurse dislikes the job.
B.The nurse is frequently late.
C.The nurse is conscientious and detail-oriented.
D.The nurse rarely documents patient care.
Explanation: An inference is a conclusion drawn from evidence rather than direct statements. Arriving early, double-checking medications, and documenting carefully are all behaviors that point to a conscientious, detail-oriented person even though that label is never stated.
4Read this multi-paragraph summary task. A health article first explains what high blood pressure is, then lists its causes, then describes lifestyle changes that lower it, and finally notes when medication is needed. Which choice best summarizes the entire article?
A.High blood pressure is harmless and rarely needs attention.
B.Lifestyle changes never affect blood pressure.
C.Medication is the only effective treatment for high blood pressure.
D.The article explains what high blood pressure is, its causes, lifestyle changes to lower it, and when medication is needed.
Explanation: A good summary captures all the main parts of a text in proportion without adding opinion. This choice reflects the article's full structure: definition, causes, lifestyle changes, and medication.
5A recipe card lists these steps out of order: (1) Bake for 30 minutes. (2) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. (3) Mix the dry ingredients. (4) Pour the batter into the pan. Which step should be performed FIRST according to logical sequence?
A.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
B.Pour the batter into the pan.
C.Bake for 30 minutes.
D.Mix the dry ingredients.
Explanation: Interpreting events in a sequence requires identifying the logical order of actions. The oven must be preheating before baking can occur, and preheating can begin while ingredients are prepared, making it the sensible first step.
6A textbook index reads: "Diabetes, 142-148; complications, 145; diet and, 143; medications, 147." A student wants to find information specifically about diet for diabetes. Which page should the student turn to?
A.Page 145
B.Page 143
C.Page 147
D.Page 148
Explanation: Locating specific information in a text means using text features such as an index. The index lists "diet and, 143," so page 143 is the correct page for diet information.
7A passage states: "Although the new clinic opened with great fanfare, staffing shortages forced it to close its evening hours within three months." What can the reader conclude about the clinic's evening hours?
A.They were extended due to high demand.
B.They were never offered to begin with.
C.They were discontinued because of insufficient staff.
D.They were the most profitable part of the clinic.
Explanation: Drawing a conclusion means combining stated facts logically. The passage directly ties the closing of evening hours to staffing shortages, so the conclusion is that they ended because of insufficient staff.
8A passage reads: "The committee considered three sites for the new hospital. The first was too far from the highway. The second sat in a flood zone. The third, near the university, met every requirement and was chosen." What is the main idea of this passage?
A.The committee rejected every proposed site.
B.Flood zones are the safest place for hospitals.
C.The hospital will be built far from the highway.
D.The committee chose the third site because it met every requirement.
Explanation: The main idea ties the supporting details together. The first two sites are eliminated for clear reasons, leading to the central point that the committee chose the third site because it met every requirement.
9Directions on a lab form read: "Fast for 8 hours before the blood draw. Water is permitted. Do not consume coffee, juice, or food." A patient drinks black coffee two hours before the draw. Has the patient followed the directions?
A.No, because the directions prohibit coffee during the fast.
B.Yes, because coffee contains mostly water.
C.Yes, because only food was prohibited.
D.No, because water was not permitted.
Explanation: Comprehending written directions requires attention to each specified condition. The instructions explicitly forbid coffee, so drinking it breaks the fast even though water is allowed.
10A bar graph described in text shows clinic visits by month: January 200, February 250, March 400, April 350. Between which two consecutive months did visits increase the most?
A.January to February
B.February to March
C.March to April
D.April to May
Explanation: Interpreting data from a graph requires comparing the changes between points. February to March rises from 250 to 400, an increase of 150, which is larger than the 50-visit rise from January to February.

About the TEAS Reading Exam

The ATI TEAS 7 Reading section is one of four sections on the Test of Essential Academic Skills, the standardized admissions exam used by nursing and allied-health programs across the United States. The Reading section contains 45 multiple-choice and alternate-format questions, of which 39 are scored and 6 are unscored pretest items, all to be completed in 55 minutes. Questions are organized into three sub-content areas: Key Ideas and Details (15 scored items), Craft and Structure (9 scored items), and Integration of Knowledge and Ideas (15 scored items). Test-takers read short and multi-paragraph informational passages, follow written directions, interpret charts, graphs, and labels, and evaluate arguments and evidence. The content stays at a middle- and high-school reading level, so success depends on comprehension skill and careful pacing rather than specialized knowledge.

Questions

45 scored questions

Time Limit

55 minutes for the Reading section (the full TEAS 7 exam runs 209 minutes across four sections).

Passing Score

No universal passing score; each program sets its own minimum. Most require a Proficient overall level (about 58.7% to 65%), while competitive programs often require Advanced (around 80%). A Reading score near 75% is considered strong.

Exam Fee

About $120 for the full ATI TEAS at ATI or PSI; institution-administered fees vary. Reading is one section of the single exam fee. (Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI))

TEAS Reading Exam Content Outline

38%

Key Ideas and Details

Summarize multi-paragraph texts, make inferences and draw conclusions, comprehend written directions, locate specific information, interpret sequences, and read charts, graphs, and visuals.

23%

Craft and Structure

Determine word meaning in context, identify text structure, recognize the author's purpose and point of view, distinguish fact from opinion, and evaluate word choice and tone.

39%

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

Compare and contrast texts, evaluate arguments and evidence, use evidence to predict and infer, identify primary sources, and integrate data from multiple formats and sources.

How to Pass the TEAS Reading Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: No universal passing score; each program sets its own minimum. Most require a Proficient overall level (about 58.7% to 65%), while competitive programs often require Advanced (around 80%). A Reading score near 75% is considered strong.
  • Exam length: 45 questions
  • Time limit: 55 minutes for the Reading section (the full TEAS 7 exam runs 209 minutes across four sections).
  • Exam fee: About $120 for the full ATI TEAS at ATI or PSI; institution-administered fees vary. Reading is one section of the single exam fee.

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

TEAS Reading Study Tips from Top Performers

1Read the question before the passage so you know what information to hunt for, saving precious time within the 55-minute limit.
2Practice summarizing news and textbook paragraphs in one sentence to sharpen main-idea and summarizing skills for Key Ideas and Details.
3Drill graphic-interpretation items, reading charts, graphs, labels, and diagrams quickly and accurately for the Integration of Knowledge and Ideas area.
4Learn to separate fact from opinion and spot evaluative language to handle Craft and Structure fact-versus-opinion and author's-purpose questions.
5Build vocabulary-in-context skills by using surrounding sentences as clues rather than memorizing definitions in isolation.
6Take full-length timed Reading practice sets so you average roughly 70 to 75 seconds per question and avoid running out of time.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on the TEAS 7 Reading section and how long is it?

The Reading section has 45 questions to be answered in 55 minutes. Of those, 39 are scored and 6 are unscored pretest items that do not count toward your score.

What topics does the TEAS Reading section cover?

Reading covers three sub-content areas: Key Ideas and Details (15 scored items), Craft and Structure (9 scored items), and Integration of Knowledge and Ideas (15 scored items).

What kinds of questions appear on TEAS Reading?

You read short and multi-paragraph informational passages and answer multiple-choice and alternate-format questions on main ideas, inferences, word meaning, author's purpose, text structure, arguments, primary sources, and graphics such as charts and labels.

Is there a passing score for the TEAS Reading section?

There is no universal passing score. Each nursing or allied-health program sets its own minimum, often a Proficient overall level around 58.7% to 65%, with competitive programs requiring Advanced scores near 80%.

Can I use a calculator or go back to the Reading section later?

No calculator is used in Reading. Once you finish and close the Reading section to move on, you cannot return to it, so manage your 55 minutes carefully within the section.

How is the TEAS Reading section scored within the overall exam?

Reading is one of four scored sections. ATI reports an individual Reading subscore and academic-preparedness level along with your total scaled score, which schools use for admission decisions.