30 Grammar Practice Questions & Answers

Every Grammar practice question from the HESI A2 Practice Test, with the correct answer and a short explanation.

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1. In the sentence "The patient told the nurse that she feels well today," what part of speech is the word "well"?
- A.interjection
- B.adjective✓ Answer
- C.preposition
- D.adverb
"Feels" is a linking verb here, so the word after it describes the subject rather than the action. "Well" meaning "in good health" is a predicate adjective modifying "she"; it is an adverb only when it tells how an action is done ("she sings well").
Ref QB-EY6N9USource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Grammar: parts of speech (adjectives after linking verbs; good/well)Report a problem with this question
2. In the sentence "After the surgery, the patient slept for several hours," what part of speech is the word "After"?
- A.preposition✓ Answer
- B.adjective
- C.conjunction
- D.adverb
"After" is followed only by the noun phrase "the surgery," its object, with no subject and verb, so it is a preposition. It would be a subordinating conjunction only if a full clause followed it, as in "After the surgery ended."
Ref QB-YFQ52WSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Grammar: parts of speech (preposition vs subordinating conjunction)Report a problem with this question
3. In the sentence "The nurse's kindness comforted the frightened child," which word is an abstract noun?
- A.frightened
- B.nurse's
- C.kindness✓ Answer
- D.child
An abstract noun names an idea, quality or feeling that cannot be perceived with the five senses; "kindness" is a quality. "Child" is a concrete common noun, "nurse's" is a possessive noun naming a person, and "frightened" is an adjective (a participle) describing "child."
Ref QB-FYHYEVSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Grammar: parts of speech (noun types: abstract vs concrete)Report a problem with this question
4. In the sentence "Wow, the swelling has already gone down!" what part of speech is the word "Wow"?
- A.adverb
- B.preposition
- C.interjection✓ Answer
- D.conjunction
An interjection expresses sudden emotion and has no grammatical link to the rest of the sentence; it is set off by a comma or exclamation point. "Wow" does not join clauses, take an object or modify any word, so it is not a conjunction, preposition or adverb.
Ref QB-ZF3G7XSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Grammar: parts of speech (interjections)Report a problem with this question
5. In the sentence "The patient was tired, but she finished her exercises," the word "but" is a:
- A.conjunctive adverb
- B.correlative conjunction
- C.subordinating conjunction
- D.coordinating conjunction✓ Answer
"But" is one of the seven coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so), which join two equal independent clauses with a comma before the conjunction. Subordinating conjunctions (because, although) make a clause dependent, correlatives come in pairs (either/or), and conjunctive adverbs (however) need a semicolon.
Ref QB-GYVAMWSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Grammar: parts of speech (coordinating conjunctions, FANBOYS)Report a problem with this question
6. In the sentence "The patient who called this morning needs a refill," the word "who" is a:
- A.reflexive pronoun
- B.relative pronoun✓ Answer
- C.interrogative pronoun
- D.personal pronoun
"Who" introduces the dependent clause "who called this morning" and refers back to "patient," which is the job of a relative pronoun. It would be interrogative only if it asked a question ("Who called?"); reflexive pronouns end in -self, and personal pronouns are words like he or she.
Ref QB-2GETCYSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Grammar: parts of speech (relative pronouns)Report a problem with this question
7. In the sentence "The patient seems anxious about tomorrow's procedure," the word "seems" is a(n):
- A.transitive verb
- B.helping verb
- C.linking verb✓ Answer
- D.action verb
A linking verb connects the subject to a word that describes or renames it; here "seems" links "patient" to the predicate adjective "anxious." A quick test is to replace it with "is": "The patient is anxious" keeps the meaning. It shows no action, helps no main verb, and takes no direct object.
Ref QB-HY8NSXSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Grammar: parts of speech (linking, action and helping verbs)Report a problem with this question
8. In the sentence "The pharmacist gave the patient a pamphlet," which word is the direct object?
- A.gave
- B.patient
- C.pharmacist
- D.pamphlet✓ Answer
The direct object receives the action of the verb and answers "gave what?": a pamphlet. "Patient" is the indirect object because it answers "to whom?" the pamphlet was given, "pharmacist" is the subject, and "gave" is the verb.
Ref QB-3GS5JZSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Grammar: important terms (direct object vs indirect object)Report a problem with this question
9. In the sentence "The new charge nurse is my sister," the word "sister" functions as a:
- A.predicate nominative✓ Answer
- B.predicate adjective
- C.indirect object
- D.direct object
A noun that follows a linking verb and renames the subject is a predicate nominative; "sister" renames "charge nurse" after the linking verb "is." Linking verbs do not take direct or indirect objects, and a predicate adjective would describe the subject ("is tired") rather than rename it with a noun.
Ref QB-JYKYXYSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Grammar: important terms (predicate nominative after a linking verb)Report a problem with this question
10. Which of these English word groups is a dependent (subordinate) clause?
- A.the lab closed early today
- B.the lab closed and reopened
- C.because the lab closed early✓ Answer
- D.close the lab early today
A dependent clause has a subject and verb but begins with a subordinator such as "because," so it cannot stand alone as a sentence. "The lab closed early today" and "the lab closed and reopened" are independent clauses, and "close the lab early today" is a complete imperative sentence with an understood subject "you."
Ref QB-USWD7TSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Grammar: important terms (independent vs dependent clause)Report a problem with this question
11. What is the purpose of this English sentence? "Please wash your hands before you enter the room."
- A.imperative✓ Answer
- B.interrogative
- C.declarative
- D.exclamatory
An imperative sentence gives a command or request, usually with the understood subject "you" and ending in a period. It does not simply state a fact (declarative), ask a question (interrogative), or express strong feeling with an exclamation point (exclamatory).
Ref QB-CA4KSTSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Grammar: important terms (sentence purposes)Report a problem with this question
12. How is the verb in this English sentence best described? "The blood sample was labeled by the technician."
- A.active voice, past tense
- B.passive voice, past tense✓ Answer
- C.passive voice, present tense
- D.active voice, present tense
In passive voice the subject receives the action, formed with a form of "be" plus a past participle; here "sample" receives the labeling and the doer appears in a "by" phrase. The helping verb "was" is past tense. The active version would be "The technician labeled the blood sample."
Ref QB-VS9RCUSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Grammar: important terms (tense and voice, active vs passive)Report a problem with this question
13. In the sentence "Walking after surgery lowers the risk of blood clots," how does the word "Walking" function?
- A.a gerund serving as the subject✓ Answer
- B.an adverb modifying lowers
- C.the main verb of the sentence
- D.a participle modifying surgery
A gerund is an -ing verb form used as a noun. "Walking after surgery" answers "What lowers the risk?", so it is the subject of the sentence. The main verb is "lowers," and "walking" does not describe "surgery" the way a participle would.
Ref QB-DAFWXUSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Grammar: important terms (gerunds as nouns)Report a problem with this question
14. In the sentence "The supplies in the locked cabinet have expired," which word group is a prepositional phrase?
- A.cabinet have expired
- B.the locked cabinet
- C.the supplies in the
- D.in the locked cabinet✓ Answer
A prepositional phrase starts with a preposition and ends with its object plus any modifiers: "in" + "the locked cabinet." "The locked cabinet" alone lacks the preposition. Because "cabinet" sits inside the phrase, it is not the subject; the verb "have" agrees with "supplies."
Ref QB-WSM3JVSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Grammar: important terms (prepositional phrases)Report a problem with this question
15. Which word correctly completes this English sentence? "Neither the residents nor the attending physician ______ available for the consult."
- A.have been
- B.were
- C.is✓ Answer
- D.are
With neither/nor and either/or, the verb agrees with the subject closer to it. The nearer subject is the singular "physician," so the singular "is" is required; "are," "were" and "have been" are plural forms that wrongly agree with "residents."
Ref QB-EAT85WSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Grammar: common errors (subject-verb agreement with neither/nor, proximity rule)Report a problem with this question
16. Which word correctly completes this English sentence? "There ______ several patients waiting in the lobby for flu shots."
- A.was
- B.is
- C.has been
- D.are✓ Answer
In a sentence beginning with "There," the word "there" is not the subject; the real subject follows the verb. Here the subject is the plural "patients," so the plural verb "are" is needed. "Is," "was" and "has been" are singular.
Ref QB-XSYDQWSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Grammar: common errors (subject-verb agreement in inverted there is/are sentences)Report a problem with this question
17. Which word correctly completes this English sentence? "The charge nurse said the schedule change will stay between you and ______."
- A.me✓ Answer
- B.we
- C.I
- D.myself
"Between" is a preposition, and pronouns that are objects of a preposition must be in the objective case: me, him, her, us, them. "I" and "we" are subjective forms, and the reflexive "myself" is used only when the subject "I" appears earlier in the same clause.
Ref QB-FA6KAXSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Grammar: common errors (pronoun case after prepositions, between you and me)Report a problem with this question
18. Which word correctly completes this English sentence? "Sarah and ______ completed the infection-control training yesterday."
- A.me
- B.myself
- C.her
- D.I✓ Answer
The blank is part of a compound subject, so it needs the subjective case. Drop "Sarah and" to test it: "I completed the training" is correct, while "Me completed" and "Her completed" are clearly wrong. "Myself" cannot act as a subject.
Ref QB-YSBRVXSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Grammar: common errors (pronoun case in compound subjects)Report a problem with this question
19. Which word correctly completes this English sentence in formal written English? "The patient ______ the nurse admitted last night is asking for water."
- A.whose
- B.which
- C.whom✓ Answer
- D.who
Inside the clause, "the nurse" is the subject and the blank is the object of "admitted": the nurse admitted him or her. Objects take "whom," while "who" would answer with he or she. "Whose" shows possession, and "which" is not used for people.
Ref QB-GAHWFYSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Grammar: common errors (who vs whom in clauses)Report a problem with this question
20. In this English sentence, the words in brackets are underlined. Which underlined word contains an error? "The box of sterile gloves [are] stored [near] the sink, [and] the nurse [restocks] it daily."
- A.near
- B.are✓ Answer
- C.restocks
- D.and
The subject is the singular "box"; "of sterile gloves" is a prepositional phrase that comes between the subject and the verb and does not change the number. The verb should be "is stored." The comma plus "and" correctly joins two independent clauses, and "restocks" agrees with "nurse."
Ref QB-73N9SJSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Grammar: common errors (subject-verb agreement with intervening phrases)Report a problem with this question
21. Which English sentence avoids a double negative?
- A.The patient could hardly breathe after climbing the stairs.✓ Answer
- B.The patient couldn't barely breathe after climbing the stairs.
- C.The patient couldn't hardly breathe after climbing the stairs.
- D.The patient could not scarcely breathe after climbing the stairs.
"Hardly," "barely" and "scarcely" are already negative in meaning, so pairing them with "not" or "n't" creates a double negative. Only "could hardly breathe" uses a single negative word.
Ref QB-PJF47JSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Grammar: common errors (double negatives with hardly, barely, scarcely)Report a problem with this question
22. Which word correctly completes this English sentence? "The patient felt ______ about missing her physical therapy appointment."
- A.bad✓ Answer
- B.badly
- C.more bad
- D.worser
"Felt" is used here as a linking verb describing the patient's emotional state, so it takes a predicate adjective, "bad." "Badly" is an adverb and would describe how she performed the act of feeling. "Worser" and "more bad" are nonstandard comparative forms.
Ref QB-83ZKXKSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Grammar: common errors (adjective vs adverb after linking verbs, bad/badly)Report a problem with this question
23. Which word correctly completes this English sentence? "The nurse should ______ called the pharmacy before the shift ended."
- A.has
- B.have✓ Answer
- C.of
- D.had
A modal verb such as "should" is followed by the base form "have" plus a past participle ("should have called"). "Should of" comes from mishearing the contraction "should've"; "of" is a preposition, not a verb. "Had" and "has" cannot follow a modal.
Ref QB-QJTECKSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Grammar: common errors (verb forms, should have vs should of)Report a problem with this question
24. Which word correctly completes this English sentence? "The new nurse manager hopes to ______ lasting change in how the unit handles shift handoffs."
- A.affects
- B.effect✓ Answer
- C.affect
- D.effects
As a verb, "effect" means "to bring about"; the manager wants to bring about change. "Affect" means "to influence," which does not fit "lasting change" as the thing created. After "to," the base form is required, so "effects" and "affects" are wrong.
Ref QB-93CX4NSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Grammar: troublesome word pairs (affect/effect; effect as a verb meaning to bring about)Report a problem with this question
25. Which word correctly completes this English sentence? "The patient has ______ in bed since noon without changing position."
- A.layed
- B.lain✓ Answer
- C.lay
- D.laid
"Lie" (to recline) takes no object, and its principal parts are lie, lay, lain; after "has," the past participle "lain" is needed. "Laid" belongs to "lay" (to place something), which needs an object. As a form of lie, "lay" is only the simple past, not the past participle, and "layed" is not a standard word.
Ref QB-RJ6SHMSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Grammar: troublesome word pairs (lie/lay principal parts)Report a problem with this question
26. Which word correctly completes this English sentence? "The nurse asked the patient to ______ his left arm above his head."
- A.rise
- B.arise
- C.raise✓ Answer
- D.rose
"Raise" means to lift something and takes a direct object, here "his left arm." "Rise" and "arise" take no object (the sun rises), and "rose" is the past tense of rise, which cannot follow "to."
Ref QB-A3Q9APSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Grammar: troublesome word pairs (rise/raise, transitive vs intransitive)Report a problem with this question
27. Which word correctly completes this English sentence? "The unit reported ______ patient falls this quarter than last quarter."
- A.lower
- B.less
- C.lesser
- D.fewer✓ Answer
Use "fewer" with plural nouns you can count and "less" with amounts you cannot count (less pain, less time). Falls can be counted one by one, so "fewer" is correct. "Lesser" means smaller in importance, and "lower" describes level or height, not a count.
Ref QB-SJH4QNSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Grammar: troublesome word pairs (fewer/less, count vs noncount nouns)Report a problem with this question
28. Which pair of words correctly completes this English sentence? "The supervisor split the morning duties ______ the two aides and the leftover supplies ______ the five clinics."
- A.between ... among✓ Answer
- B.between ... between
- C.among ... among
- D.among ... between
"Between" is used for two people or things, and "among" for three or more. The duties go to two aides, so "between" is correct there; the supplies go to five clinics, so "among" is correct there.
Ref QB-338X3ESource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Grammar: troublesome word pairs (among/between)Report a problem with this question
29. A nurse at the nurses' station says to an aide: "Please ______ these blood samples down to the lab in the basement." Which word correctly completes this English sentence?
- A.bring
- B.brought
- C.brung
- D.take✓ Answer
"Bring" describes movement toward the speaker, and "take" describes movement away from the speaker. The samples are going from the nurse's station to a lab elsewhere, so "take" is correct. "Brung" is nonstandard, and "brought" is a past form that cannot follow "Please" in a request.
Ref QB-JJ2SGDSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Grammar: troublesome word pairs (bring/take)Report a problem with this question
30. Which word correctly completes this English sentence? "All visitors ______ immediate family members must leave the unit by 8 p.m."
- A.exempt
- B.except✓ Answer
- C.expect
- D.accept
"Except" is a preposition meaning "other than" or "excluding," which is the meaning here: everyone but immediate family must leave. "Accept" is a verb meaning to receive or agree to, "expect" means to anticipate, and "exempt" is an adjective or verb that cannot introduce this phrase.
Ref QB-4ZM49FSource: Elsevier HESI A2 — Grammar: troublesome word pairs (accept/except)Report a problem with this question

30 Grammar Practice Questions & Answers

1. In the sentence "The patient told the nurse that she feels well today," what part of speech is the word "well"?

2. In the sentence "After the surgery, the patient slept for several hours," what part of speech is the word "After"?

3. In the sentence "The nurse's kindness comforted the frightened child," which word is an abstract noun?

4. In the sentence "Wow, the swelling has already gone down!" what part of speech is the word "Wow"?

5. In the sentence "The patient was tired, but she finished her exercises," the word "but" is a:

6. In the sentence "The patient who called this morning needs a refill," the word "who" is a:

7. In the sentence "The patient seems anxious about tomorrow's procedure," the word "seems" is a(n):

8. In the sentence "The pharmacist gave the patient a pamphlet," which word is the direct object?

9. In the sentence "The new charge nurse is my sister," the word "sister" functions as a:

10. Which of these English word groups is a dependent (subordinate) clause?

11. What is the purpose of this English sentence? "Please wash your hands before you enter the room."

12. How is the verb in this English sentence best described? "The blood sample was labeled by the technician."

13. In the sentence "Walking after surgery lowers the risk of blood clots," how does the word "Walking" function?

14. In the sentence "The supplies in the locked cabinet have expired," which word group is a prepositional phrase?

15. Which word correctly completes this English sentence? "Neither the residents nor the attending physician ______ available for the consult."

16. Which word correctly completes this English sentence? "There ______ several patients waiting in the lobby for flu shots."

17. Which word correctly completes this English sentence? "The charge nurse said the schedule change will stay between you and ______."

18. Which word correctly completes this English sentence? "Sarah and ______ completed the infection-control training yesterday."

19. Which word correctly completes this English sentence in formal written English? "The patient ______ the nurse admitted last night is asking for water."

20. In this English sentence, the words in brackets are underlined. Which underlined word contains an error? "The box of sterile gloves [are] stored [near] the sink, [and] the nurse [restocks] it daily."

21. Which English sentence avoids a double negative?

22. Which word correctly completes this English sentence? "The patient felt ______ about missing her physical therapy appointment."

23. Which word correctly completes this English sentence? "The nurse should ______ called the pharmacy before the shift ended."

24. Which word correctly completes this English sentence? "The new nurse manager hopes to ______ lasting change in how the unit handles shift handoffs."

25. Which word correctly completes this English sentence? "The patient has ______ in bed since noon without changing position."

26. Which word correctly completes this English sentence? "The nurse asked the patient to ______ his left arm above his head."

27. Which word correctly completes this English sentence? "The unit reported ______ patient falls this quarter than last quarter."

28. Which pair of words correctly completes this English sentence? "The supervisor split the morning duties the two aides and the leftover supplies the five clinics."

29. A nurse at the nurses' station says to an aide: "Please ______ these blood samples down to the lab in the basement." Which word correctly completes this English sentence?

30. Which word correctly completes this English sentence? "All visitors ______ immediate family members must leave the unit by 8 p.m."

Other topics in this exam

1. In the sentence "The patient told the nurse that she feels well today," what part of speech is the word "well"?

2. In the sentence "After the surgery, the patient slept for several hours," what part of speech is the word "After"?

3. In the sentence "The nurse's kindness comforted the frightened child," which word is an abstract noun?

4. In the sentence "Wow, the swelling has already gone down!" what part of speech is the word "Wow"?

5. In the sentence "The patient was tired, but she finished her exercises," the word "but" is a:

6. In the sentence "The patient who called this morning needs a refill," the word "who" is a:

7. In the sentence "The patient seems anxious about tomorrow's procedure," the word "seems" is a(n):

8. In the sentence "The pharmacist gave the patient a pamphlet," which word is the direct object?

9. In the sentence "The new charge nurse is my sister," the word "sister" functions as a:

10. Which of these English word groups is a dependent (subordinate) clause?

11. What is the purpose of this English sentence? "Please wash your hands before you enter the room."

12. How is the verb in this English sentence best described? "The blood sample was labeled by the technician."

13. In the sentence "Walking after surgery lowers the risk of blood clots," how does the word "Walking" function?

14. In the sentence "The supplies in the locked cabinet have expired," which word group is a prepositional phrase?

15. Which word correctly completes this English sentence? "Neither the residents nor the attending physician ______ available for the consult."

16. Which word correctly completes this English sentence? "There ______ several patients waiting in the lobby for flu shots."

17. Which word correctly completes this English sentence? "The charge nurse said the schedule change will stay between you and ______."

18. Which word correctly completes this English sentence? "Sarah and ______ completed the infection-control training yesterday."

19. Which word correctly completes this English sentence in formal written English? "The patient ______ the nurse admitted last night is asking for water."

20. In this English sentence, the words in brackets are underlined. Which underlined word contains an error? "The box of sterile gloves [are] stored [near] the sink, [and] the nurse [restocks] it daily."

21. Which English sentence avoids a double negative?

22. Which word correctly completes this English sentence? "The patient felt ______ about missing her physical therapy appointment."

23. Which word correctly completes this English sentence? "The nurse should ______ called the pharmacy before the shift ended."

24. Which word correctly completes this English sentence? "The new nurse manager hopes to ______ lasting change in how the unit handles shift handoffs."

25. Which word correctly completes this English sentence? "The patient has ______ in bed since noon without changing position."

26. Which word correctly completes this English sentence? "The nurse asked the patient to ______ his left arm above his head."

27. Which word correctly completes this English sentence? "The unit reported ______ patient falls this quarter than last quarter."

28. Which pair of words correctly completes this English sentence? "The supervisor split the morning duties ______ the two aides and the leftover supplies ______ the five clinics."

29. A nurse at the nurses' station says to an aide: "Please ______ these blood samples down to the lab in the basement." Which word correctly completes this English sentence?

30. Which word correctly completes this English sentence? "All visitors ______ immediate family members must leave the unit by 8 p.m."

Other topics in this exam

28. Which pair of words correctly completes this English sentence? "The supervisor split the morning duties the two aides and the leftover supplies the five clinics."