HESI A2 Entrance Exam 2026-2027: The
Ultimate
200-Question Practice Test with Correct
Answers, Detailed Rationales, and
Comprehensive
Coverage of Grammar, Vocabulary,
Math,
Biology, Chemistry, and Anatomy &
Physiology for Nursing School
Success
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to your comprehensive HESI A2 Entrance Exam 2026 study guide—a meticulously crafted
resource designed to propel you toward nursing school admission with confidence and competence.
This document contains 200 high-yield practice questions that mirror the exact format, difficulty level,
and content distribution of the official HESI A2 exam. Whether you are a first-time test-taker or
retaking the exam to improve your scores, this guide serves as your all-in-one preparation tool.
SECTION 1: GRAMMAR (40 Questions)
Focus: Parts of speech, subject-verb agreement, punctuation, and common errors.
1. Which sentence is grammatically correct?
A) The group of students are going to the library.
B) The group of students is going to the library.
C) The group of students were going to the library.
,D) The group of students have been going to the library.
Answer: B) The group of students is going to the library. Rationale: "Group" is a singular collective
noun, so it requires a singular verb ("is").
2. Select the word that makes the sentence correct: "The patient asked __________ the results."
A) about
B) for
C) at
D) to
Answer: A) about. Rationale: The correct preposition to use with "asked" when inquiring information
is "about."
3. Which word is an adjective in this sentence: "The tall nurse handed the heavy chart to the doctor."
A) Nurse
B) Handed
C) Chart
D) Tall
Answer: D) Tall. Rationale: An adjective modifies a noun. "Tall" modifies the noun "nurse."
4. Which sentence is punctuated correctly? A)
The patient's vitals were normal.
B) The patients' vitals were normal.
C) The patients vitals were normal.
D) The patient's vitals' were normal.
Answer: A) The patient's vitals were normal. Rationale: "Patient's" shows singular possession (one
patient).
5. Identify the verb in the following sentence: "She will administer the medication." A)
She
B) Will
C) Administer
D) Medication
Answer: C) Administer. Rationale: The main action is "administer." "Will" is a helping verb, but the
main verb is administer.
6. Which of the following is a run-on sentence? A)
I went to the store, I bought milk.
B) I went to the store and bought milk.
C) I went to the store; I bought milk.
D) Because I went to the store, I bought milk.
Answer: A) I went to the store, I bought milk. Rationale: This is a comma splice (two independent
clauses joined by a comma).
7. Choose the correct pronoun: "Everyone must bring __________ own stethoscope."
A) Their
B) His or her
,C) Its
D) Our
Answer: B) His or her. Rationale: "Everyone" is singular, so the pronoun must be singular. While
"their" is used conversationally, "his or her" is traditionally grammatically correct.
8. "The doctor, along with the nurses, __________ making rounds."
A) Are
B) Is
C) Were
D) Have been
Answer: B) Is. Rationale: The subject is "doctor" (singular). "Along with the nurses" is a prepositional
phrase and does not change the subject.
9. Which word is an adverb? "She spoke softly to the anxious patient."
A) Spoke
B) Softly
C) Anxious D) Patient
Answer: B) Softly. Rationale: Adverbs modify verbs. "Softly" modifies the verb "spoke."
10. Which sentence is in the passive voice? A)
The nurse administered the vaccine.
B) The vaccine was administered by the nurse.
C) The nurse will administer the vaccine.
D) The nurse administers the vaccine.
Answer: B) The vaccine was administered by the nurse. Rationale: The subject (vaccine) is receiving the
action.
11. Which sentence is correct? A)
I could of gone to the store.
B) I could have gone to the store.
C) I could off gone to the store.
D) I could have went to the store.
Answer: B) I could have gone to the store. Rationale: "Could have" is correct. "Could of" is a common
grammatical error.
12. Identify the predicate in: "The elderly patient fell."
A) The
B) Elderly patient
C) Patient fell D) Fell
Answer: D) Fell. Rationale: The predicate is the verb or action of the sentence. "Fell" is the simple
predicate.
13. What is the correct plural of "Shelf"?
A) Shelfs
B) Shelves
C) Shelfes
, D) Shelvies
Answer: B) Shelves. Rationale: Words ending in -f or -fe often change to -ves in the plural.
14. Which word correctly completes the sentence: "The medication had a __________ effect on the
patient." A) Affective
B) Effective
C) Effectual D) Efficient
Answer: B) Effective. Rationale: "Effective" means successful in producing a desired effect. "Affective"
relates to emotions.
15. Choose the correct sentence:
A) The patient laid in bed for three hours.
B) The patient lay in bed for three hours.
C) The patient lied in bed for three hours.
D) The patient lays in bed for three hours.
Answer: B) The patient lay in bed for three hours. Rationale: "Lay" is the past tense of "lie" (to recline).
"Laid" is the past tense of "lay" (to place something).
16. Which sentence uses the semicolon correctly?
A) I have one goal; to pass the HESI. B) I have one
goal to pass; the HESI.
C) I have one goal; to pass, the HESI.
D) I; have one goal to pass the HESI.
Answer: A) I have one goal; to pass the HESI. Rationale: Semicolons can be used to separate items in a
list or to connect independent clauses. Here it introduces a clarification.
17. What part of speech is "quickly"?
A) Noun
B) Verb
C) Adjective D) Adverb
Answer: D) Adverb. Rationale: It describes how an action is performed (modifies a verb).
18. "Neither the nurse nor the doctors __________ available."
A) Is
B) Am
C) Are
D) Was
Answer: C) Are. Rationale: With "neither/nor," the verb agrees with the subject closest to it ("doctors"
is plural).
19. Choose the best word: "The study will __________ the effects of the new drug." A)
Effect
B) Affect
C) Affection D) Effective
Answer: B) Affect. Rationale: "Affect" is usually a verb (to influence). "Effect" is usually a noun (result).
Ultimate
200-Question Practice Test with Correct
Answers, Detailed Rationales, and
Comprehensive
Coverage of Grammar, Vocabulary,
Math,
Biology, Chemistry, and Anatomy &
Physiology for Nursing School
Success
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to your comprehensive HESI A2 Entrance Exam 2026 study guide—a meticulously crafted
resource designed to propel you toward nursing school admission with confidence and competence.
This document contains 200 high-yield practice questions that mirror the exact format, difficulty level,
and content distribution of the official HESI A2 exam. Whether you are a first-time test-taker or
retaking the exam to improve your scores, this guide serves as your all-in-one preparation tool.
SECTION 1: GRAMMAR (40 Questions)
Focus: Parts of speech, subject-verb agreement, punctuation, and common errors.
1. Which sentence is grammatically correct?
A) The group of students are going to the library.
B) The group of students is going to the library.
C) The group of students were going to the library.
,D) The group of students have been going to the library.
Answer: B) The group of students is going to the library. Rationale: "Group" is a singular collective
noun, so it requires a singular verb ("is").
2. Select the word that makes the sentence correct: "The patient asked __________ the results."
A) about
B) for
C) at
D) to
Answer: A) about. Rationale: The correct preposition to use with "asked" when inquiring information
is "about."
3. Which word is an adjective in this sentence: "The tall nurse handed the heavy chart to the doctor."
A) Nurse
B) Handed
C) Chart
D) Tall
Answer: D) Tall. Rationale: An adjective modifies a noun. "Tall" modifies the noun "nurse."
4. Which sentence is punctuated correctly? A)
The patient's vitals were normal.
B) The patients' vitals were normal.
C) The patients vitals were normal.
D) The patient's vitals' were normal.
Answer: A) The patient's vitals were normal. Rationale: "Patient's" shows singular possession (one
patient).
5. Identify the verb in the following sentence: "She will administer the medication." A)
She
B) Will
C) Administer
D) Medication
Answer: C) Administer. Rationale: The main action is "administer." "Will" is a helping verb, but the
main verb is administer.
6. Which of the following is a run-on sentence? A)
I went to the store, I bought milk.
B) I went to the store and bought milk.
C) I went to the store; I bought milk.
D) Because I went to the store, I bought milk.
Answer: A) I went to the store, I bought milk. Rationale: This is a comma splice (two independent
clauses joined by a comma).
7. Choose the correct pronoun: "Everyone must bring __________ own stethoscope."
A) Their
B) His or her
,C) Its
D) Our
Answer: B) His or her. Rationale: "Everyone" is singular, so the pronoun must be singular. While
"their" is used conversationally, "his or her" is traditionally grammatically correct.
8. "The doctor, along with the nurses, __________ making rounds."
A) Are
B) Is
C) Were
D) Have been
Answer: B) Is. Rationale: The subject is "doctor" (singular). "Along with the nurses" is a prepositional
phrase and does not change the subject.
9. Which word is an adverb? "She spoke softly to the anxious patient."
A) Spoke
B) Softly
C) Anxious D) Patient
Answer: B) Softly. Rationale: Adverbs modify verbs. "Softly" modifies the verb "spoke."
10. Which sentence is in the passive voice? A)
The nurse administered the vaccine.
B) The vaccine was administered by the nurse.
C) The nurse will administer the vaccine.
D) The nurse administers the vaccine.
Answer: B) The vaccine was administered by the nurse. Rationale: The subject (vaccine) is receiving the
action.
11. Which sentence is correct? A)
I could of gone to the store.
B) I could have gone to the store.
C) I could off gone to the store.
D) I could have went to the store.
Answer: B) I could have gone to the store. Rationale: "Could have" is correct. "Could of" is a common
grammatical error.
12. Identify the predicate in: "The elderly patient fell."
A) The
B) Elderly patient
C) Patient fell D) Fell
Answer: D) Fell. Rationale: The predicate is the verb or action of the sentence. "Fell" is the simple
predicate.
13. What is the correct plural of "Shelf"?
A) Shelfs
B) Shelves
C) Shelfes
, D) Shelvies
Answer: B) Shelves. Rationale: Words ending in -f or -fe often change to -ves in the plural.
14. Which word correctly completes the sentence: "The medication had a __________ effect on the
patient." A) Affective
B) Effective
C) Effectual D) Efficient
Answer: B) Effective. Rationale: "Effective" means successful in producing a desired effect. "Affective"
relates to emotions.
15. Choose the correct sentence:
A) The patient laid in bed for three hours.
B) The patient lay in bed for three hours.
C) The patient lied in bed for three hours.
D) The patient lays in bed for three hours.
Answer: B) The patient lay in bed for three hours. Rationale: "Lay" is the past tense of "lie" (to recline).
"Laid" is the past tense of "lay" (to place something).
16. Which sentence uses the semicolon correctly?
A) I have one goal; to pass the HESI. B) I have one
goal to pass; the HESI.
C) I have one goal; to pass, the HESI.
D) I; have one goal to pass the HESI.
Answer: A) I have one goal; to pass the HESI. Rationale: Semicolons can be used to separate items in a
list or to connect independent clauses. Here it introduces a clarification.
17. What part of speech is "quickly"?
A) Noun
B) Verb
C) Adjective D) Adverb
Answer: D) Adverb. Rationale: It describes how an action is performed (modifies a verb).
18. "Neither the nurse nor the doctors __________ available."
A) Is
B) Am
C) Are
D) Was
Answer: C) Are. Rationale: With "neither/nor," the verb agrees with the subject closest to it ("doctors"
is plural).
19. Choose the best word: "The study will __________ the effects of the new drug." A)
Effect
B) Affect
C) Affection D) Effective
Answer: B) Affect. Rationale: "Affect" is usually a verb (to influence). "Effect" is usually a noun (result).
