HESI A2
HESI A2 Grammar Practice Exam Questions
Question 1 of 5
Which word or phrase fits best in the following sentence? Cathy asked many questions the first time she ___________ at the hospital.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct word to use in this sentence is 'volunteered' as it indicates an action that Cathy did in the past. The sentence suggests that Cathy was engaging in volunteering at the hospital for the first time, so the past tense form 'volunteered' is the most appropriate choice. Choice B ('volunteering') is incorrect because it is the present participle form and does not fit the past tense context of the sentence. Choice C ('was volunteered') is passive voice and implies that someone else made Cathy volunteer, which is not the intended meaning. Choice D ('volunteer') is incorrect as it is the base form of the verb and does not match the past tense requirement of the sentence.
Question 2 of 5
Select the word that makes the following sentence grammatically correct. One of the students ___________ completed the course.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct word to use in this sentence is 'has' because 'One of the students' is singular, so it should be followed by a singular verb. The word 'has' is the correct singular form of the verb in this context. Choice A 'have' is plural, Choice C 'are' is also plural, and Choice D 'is' does not agree in number with the subject 'students'. Therefore, 'has' is the only correct choice here.
Question 3 of 5
What punctuation is needed in the following sentence to make it correct? The days seem long, but the nights seem even longer.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The sentence needs a comma before the conjunction 'but' to correctly join the two independent clauses 'The days seem long' and 'the nights seem even longer.' This comma helps to create a clear separation between the contrasting ideas in the sentence. Choice A (Period) is incorrect because a period would create two separate sentences rather than connecting them. Choice C (Colon) is incorrect as colons are used to introduce lists, explanations, or quotations. Choice D (Apostrophe) is incorrect as it is not needed in this sentence.
Question 4 of 5
What word is best to substitute for the underlined words in the following sentence? You can hear the nurses' laughter all the way down the hallway.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The phrase 'the nurses' laughter' indicates possession by the nurses, a plural subject. Therefore, the appropriate possessive pronoun to use in this context is 'their,' which correctly reflects possession by multiple nurses. Choice A ('his') is singular and refers to a male subject, not suitable for a group of nurses. Choice B ('hers') is singular and refers to a female subject, not suitable for a group of nurses. Choice C ('them') is a pronoun used for a group of people, but it doesn't indicate possession as required in the sentence.
Question 5 of 5
Which word is used incorrectly in the following sentence? Moving stealthily, the sneaky little boy reached for the cookie jar on the topmost shelf.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The word 'stealthy' is used incorrectly in the sentence. The correct adverb form of the word should be 'stealthily' to modify the verb 'moving.' Therefore, it should be 'Moving stealthily, the sneaky little boy reached for the cookie jar on the topmost shelf.' Choices B, C, and D are all used appropriately in the sentence. 'Sneaky' describes the boy, 'reached' is the action verb, and 'topmost' correctly describes the location of the cookie jar.