HESI A2
Grammar for HESI A2 Questions
Question 1 of 9
Select the phrase or clause that is misplaced in the following sentence. With torn pages, I returned the book I'd just bought to the store.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The phrase 'With torn pages' is misplaced in the sentence because it disrupts the flow of the sentence. Placing it at the beginning creates an awkward structure. It would be clearer to present the main action first before adding the detail about the torn pages. In this case, rearranging the sentence to 'I returned the book I'd just bought to the store with torn pages' would improve the sentence's coherence and readability. Choices B, C, and D are not misplaced in the sentence as they follow a logical order of action and description.
Question 2 of 9
Select the correct word for the blank in the following sentence. Without ___________ , I never would have finished my degree.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: In this sentence, 'she' is the correct word to use. The sentence implies that someone (a female) helped the speaker finish their degree. The pronoun 'she' is used to refer to a female person. Without this person's help, the speaker would not have completed their degree. Therefore, the correct word for the blank is 'she.' Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because they do not match the context of the sentence, which specifically mentions the need for help from a female individual.
Question 3 of 9
Select the word that will make the following sentence grammatically correct. The patients are resting comfortably; ___________, bed checks should still be done every half hour.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The word 'otherwise' is used to indicate that although the patients are resting comfortably, under different circumstances, bed checks should still be done every half hour. This maintains the correct logic and flow of the sentence, making it grammatically correct. Choice A, 'despite,' would imply a contrasting situation that is not the intended meaning in this context. Choice B, 'however,' also implies a contrast rather than the intended conditional relationship. Choice D, 'afterward,' indicates a time sequence that does not fit the context of the sentence.
Question 4 of 9
Select the word that makes the following sentence grammatically correct. The committee finished _______ report in time for the annual review.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: In this sentence, "committee" is a singular noun, so the correct pronoun to use is "its." The possessive pronoun "its" indicates that the committee is taking ownership of the report it finished. Choice B, "their," is incorrect as it is a plural pronoun and does not agree with the singular noun "committee." Choices C and D are also incorrect as they represent contractions ("it's" for "it is" and "they're" for "they are"), which do not fit in the context of showing possession of the report by the committee.
Question 5 of 9
Select the word that makes the following sentence grammatically correct. The girls have apparently ___________ curfew at least twice this week.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is 'D: broken.' In this sentence, the word 'broken' is the past participle form of the verb 'break' and is needed to complete the present perfect tense. The correct sentence should be 'The girls have apparently broken curfew at least twice this week.' Choices A, B, and C do not fit grammatically in the sentence because 'broke' is the simple past tense, 'break' is the base form, and 'breaking' is the present participle, whereas the sentence requires the past participle 'broken' for the present perfect tense.
Question 6 of 9
Which word is used incorrectly in the following sentence? Her mentor's advice was bound to affect her final decision.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: In the given sentence, the word 'effect' is used incorrectly. In this context, the word 'affect' should be used instead of 'effect.' 'Affect' is a verb that means to influence or have an impact on something, while 'effect' is a noun that represents the result or outcome of an action. Therefore, to convey the intended meaning that her mentor's advice was bound to influence or impact her final decision, the correct word should be 'affect,' not 'effect.' The other options ('mentor's,' 'advice,' 'decision') are used appropriately in the sentence and do not contain any errors.
Question 7 of 9
Select the phrase in the following sentence that is not used correctly. Having completed the coursework that was required, Jorge now prepares for exam week.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The phrase 'Having completed' is not used correctly in the sentence. The correct form should be 'Having completed' to show that the action of completing the coursework has already been done. The use of 'complete' is incorrect as it should be 'completed' to maintain the correct verb form in the past participle. Choice B, 'was required,' is used correctly as it is in the passive voice and fits the sentence structure. Choice C, 'now prepares,' is also correct as it shows the current action of Jorge preparing for exam week. Choice D, 'prepared for,' is not the phrase in question and is used correctly in the sentence to indicate the action Jorge took in the past to get ready for exam week.
Question 8 of 9
Which word is not spelled correctly in the context of the following sentence? The ingenious foxes managed to lever open one side of the coop.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The word 'ingenious' is not spelled correctly in the context of the sentence. The intended word should be 'ingenious,' which means clever or resourceful, while 'ingenuous' means innocent or naive. The other choices ('foxes,' 'lever,' 'coop') are spelled correctly and are relevant to the sentence.
Question 9 of 9
Select the word or phrase that makes the following sentence grammatically correct: I was extremely surprised ___________ of her dismissal from the staff.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct phrase to use with 'surprised' in this sentence is 'to learn.' In this context, 'to learn' functions as an infinitive to indicate the purpose or reason for the surprise. 'Learning' (Choice A) is incorrect as it doesn't serve as an infinitive in this sentence. 'Of learning' (Choice C) is incorrect as it doesn't provide the correct structure needed in the sentence. 'Have learned' (Choice D) is incorrect because the verb tense does not match the context of the sentence.