HESI A2 GRAMMAR Practice Test - ANSWERS
1. She sat on the bed with her favorite cat and its head gently.
a. petted
b. patted
c. pet
d. pat
The correct answer is a. Choice b is not correct because “patted” indicates a tapping motion, rather than
a "gentle" stroking motion, indicated by the adverb at the end of the sentence. Choices c and d are not
correct because the sentence requires the word “pet in the past tense and as a past participle.
2. Last Friday night, my best friend was in a horrible car accident that left him hurt .
a. bad
b. baddest
c. worst
d. badly
The correct answer is d. This is an adverb and is describing the verb, “hurt.” Choice b and c are wrong
because these forms are used for comparison which this sentence is not doing. Choice a is wrong
because it is an adjective and would be describing the noun, “accident.” Since we are looking to find the
word that is actively describing the verb, “hurt,” then choice d is the only correct answer.
3. As the class watched a documentary on cheetahs, one student commented, “Wow, that cheetah runs
!”
a. quick
b. quicker
c. quickest
d. quickly
The correct answer is d. Adverbs answer the questions how, why, when, and where. The adverb in this
sentence answers the question how, describing how the cheetah runs. Choice a is wrong because it is an
adjective. Choices b and c are wrong because these forms are used for comparisons which this sentence
is not doing.
, 4. I think that you will get the job you interviewed for yesterday. You seemed very .
a. preparing
b. unprepared
c. prepare
d. prepared
The correct answer is d. This sentence requires an adjective and choice d fits the sentence best. Choice b
in not correct in the context provided by the first sentence that indicates a job well done. Choices a and c
are verbs, not adjectives.
5. She learned to play a new song on the piano and it sounds .
a. beautifully
b. lovely
c. more beautiful
d. loveliest
The correct answer is b. Choice a is an adverb and choices c and d are making a comparison, which is not
required by this sentence.
6. She has been running for five years now. Last time I watched her run, she ran more than I had
ever seen her run before.
a. quick
b. fast
c. quickly
d. faster
The correct answer is c. Quickly is used as an adverb in this sentence. Choices a, b, and d are wrong
because they are not grammatically correct.
7. After forgetting to water Leah’s flowers while she was out of town, Toni felt .
, a. badly
b. worst
c. worse
d. bad
The correct answer is d. In this sentence, we are looking to find the word that is an adjective describing
the pronoun Toni, thus the choice d is correct. Choice a is wrong because it is an adverb. Choices b and c
are wrong because these forms are used for comparison which this sentence is not doing.
8. Despite the extra practices, my sister’s soccer team played at the tournament than they
did last year.
a. badly
b. worst
c. worse
d. bad
The correct answer is c. Worse is being used to compare how the team played in the current tournament
versus the one last year.
9. ! I can’t believe you won the lottery! We should plan a trip to the Caribbean with your
winnings.
a. Yay
b. Oh no
c. Darn it
d. No
The correct answer is a. An interjection is word or phrase that is used to show emotion and is often
followed by an exclamation point. Choices b, c, and d are wrong because they are negative interjections,
but this sentence identifies excitement, so a positive interjection is needed.
10. Your dog is making too much noise. Can you please tell him to go down in his bed.
, a. lie
b. lay
c. layed
d. laid
The correct answer is a. Lie means “to rest” and does not require a direct object. Choice b is wrong because
the sentence lacks a direct object which lay requires. Choice c isn’t a word, and choice d is in the past tense.
11. The teacher asked her a question, but he could barely hear her because she answered the
question so .
a. loudly
b. quiet
c. quietly
d. loud
The correct answer is c. Adverbs answer the question “how?” Choice a is wrong because it does not
make sense if the teacher could barely hear the student. Choices b and d are wrong because they do not
grammatically or accurately complete the sentence.
12. The is flying the kite that she recently received for her 7th birthday.
a. children
b. boy
c. girl
d. woman
The correct answer is c. The verb is is singular. Therefore, the subject should be singular as well. Choices
a is wrong because it is plural. Choice b doesn’t match the gender indicated by the use of “her” and
choice d is incorrect because a woman would not be celebrating her 7th birthday.
1. She sat on the bed with her favorite cat and its head gently.
a. petted
b. patted
c. pet
d. pat
The correct answer is a. Choice b is not correct because “patted” indicates a tapping motion, rather than
a "gentle" stroking motion, indicated by the adverb at the end of the sentence. Choices c and d are not
correct because the sentence requires the word “pet in the past tense and as a past participle.
2. Last Friday night, my best friend was in a horrible car accident that left him hurt .
a. bad
b. baddest
c. worst
d. badly
The correct answer is d. This is an adverb and is describing the verb, “hurt.” Choice b and c are wrong
because these forms are used for comparison which this sentence is not doing. Choice a is wrong
because it is an adjective and would be describing the noun, “accident.” Since we are looking to find the
word that is actively describing the verb, “hurt,” then choice d is the only correct answer.
3. As the class watched a documentary on cheetahs, one student commented, “Wow, that cheetah runs
!”
a. quick
b. quicker
c. quickest
d. quickly
The correct answer is d. Adverbs answer the questions how, why, when, and where. The adverb in this
sentence answers the question how, describing how the cheetah runs. Choice a is wrong because it is an
adjective. Choices b and c are wrong because these forms are used for comparisons which this sentence
is not doing.
, 4. I think that you will get the job you interviewed for yesterday. You seemed very .
a. preparing
b. unprepared
c. prepare
d. prepared
The correct answer is d. This sentence requires an adjective and choice d fits the sentence best. Choice b
in not correct in the context provided by the first sentence that indicates a job well done. Choices a and c
are verbs, not adjectives.
5. She learned to play a new song on the piano and it sounds .
a. beautifully
b. lovely
c. more beautiful
d. loveliest
The correct answer is b. Choice a is an adverb and choices c and d are making a comparison, which is not
required by this sentence.
6. She has been running for five years now. Last time I watched her run, she ran more than I had
ever seen her run before.
a. quick
b. fast
c. quickly
d. faster
The correct answer is c. Quickly is used as an adverb in this sentence. Choices a, b, and d are wrong
because they are not grammatically correct.
7. After forgetting to water Leah’s flowers while she was out of town, Toni felt .
, a. badly
b. worst
c. worse
d. bad
The correct answer is d. In this sentence, we are looking to find the word that is an adjective describing
the pronoun Toni, thus the choice d is correct. Choice a is wrong because it is an adverb. Choices b and c
are wrong because these forms are used for comparison which this sentence is not doing.
8. Despite the extra practices, my sister’s soccer team played at the tournament than they
did last year.
a. badly
b. worst
c. worse
d. bad
The correct answer is c. Worse is being used to compare how the team played in the current tournament
versus the one last year.
9. ! I can’t believe you won the lottery! We should plan a trip to the Caribbean with your
winnings.
a. Yay
b. Oh no
c. Darn it
d. No
The correct answer is a. An interjection is word or phrase that is used to show emotion and is often
followed by an exclamation point. Choices b, c, and d are wrong because they are negative interjections,
but this sentence identifies excitement, so a positive interjection is needed.
10. Your dog is making too much noise. Can you please tell him to go down in his bed.
, a. lie
b. lay
c. layed
d. laid
The correct answer is a. Lie means “to rest” and does not require a direct object. Choice b is wrong because
the sentence lacks a direct object which lay requires. Choice c isn’t a word, and choice d is in the past tense.
11. The teacher asked her a question, but he could barely hear her because she answered the
question so .
a. loudly
b. quiet
c. quietly
d. loud
The correct answer is c. Adverbs answer the question “how?” Choice a is wrong because it does not
make sense if the teacher could barely hear the student. Choices b and d are wrong because they do not
grammatically or accurately complete the sentence.
12. The is flying the kite that she recently received for her 7th birthday.
a. children
b. boy
c. girl
d. woman
The correct answer is c. The verb is is singular. Therefore, the subject should be singular as well. Choices
a is wrong because it is plural. Choice b doesn’t match the gender indicated by the use of “her” and
choice d is incorrect because a woman would not be celebrating her 7th birthday.
