Here are some examples of questions you might encounter in the English usage section of the TEAS 6 exam:
Q1: Choose the sentence that is grammatically correct.
- A) Neither the teacher nor the students was ready for the test.
- B) Neither the teacher nor the students were ready for the test.
- C) Neither the teacher or the students were ready for the test.
- D) Neither the teacher or the students was ready for the test.
Answer: B) Neither the teacher nor the students were ready for the test.
Explanation: When using “neither…nor,” the verb should agree with the noun closest to it. Here, “students” is plural, so the correct verb is “were.”
Q2: Identify the sentence with the correct punctuation.
- A) The cat, which was sleeping on the windowsill, was startled by the loud noise.
- B) The cat which was sleeping on the windowsill was startled by the loud noise.
- C) The cat, which was sleeping on the windowsill was startled by the loud noise.
- D) The cat which, was sleeping on the windowsill, was startled by the loud noise.
Answer: A) The cat, which was sleeping on the windowsill, was startled by the loud noise.
Explanation: Non-restrictive clauses, like “which was sleeping on the windowsill,” should be set off by commas.
Q3: Select the word that best completes the sentence: “The committee is scheduled to _ next Tuesday.”
- A) meat
- B) meet
- C) mete
- D) met
Answer: B) meet
Explanation: “Meet” is the correct verb meaning to come together for a discussion or activity. “Meat” refers to animal flesh, “mete” means to distribute, and “met” is the past tense of “meet.”
Q4: Which of the following sentences uses the correct form of the word?
- A) She was affected by the movie’s affect.
- B) She was effected by the movie’s affect.
- C) She was affected by the movie’s effect.
- D) She was effected by the movie’s effect.
Answer: C) She was affected by the movie’s effect.
Explanation: “Affected” is the correct verb form meaning influenced, and “effect” is the noun form meaning the result or outcome.