ATI TEAS English And Language Usage Review

The fourth section of the TEAS covers English and Language Usage and features 24 scored items. There are three categories of English and Language Usage objectives for the TEAS. The test items are divided among the English and Language Usage objectives as follows:

E.1 CONVENTIONS OF STANDARD ENGLISH — 9 QUESTIONS
E.1.1 Use conventions of standard English spelling.
E.1.2. Use conventions of standard English punctuation.
E.1.3 Analyze various sentence structures.

E.2 KNOWLEDGE OF LANGUAGE — 9 QUESTIONS
E.2.1 Use
grammar to enhance clarity in writing.
E.2.2 Distinguish between formal and informal language.
E.2.3 Apply basic knowledge of the elements of the writing process.
E.2.4 Develop a well-organized paragraph.

E.3 VOCABULARY ACQUISITION — 6 QUESTIONS
E.3.1 Use context clues to determine the meaning of words or phrases.
E.3.2 Determine the meaning of words by analyzing word parts.

In addition, the TEAS English and Language Usage section features four unscored items as a pretest. These items can address objectives from any of the above categories.

E.1 CONVENTIONS OF STANDARD ENGLISH
E.1.1 USE CONVENTIONS OF STANDARD ENGLISH SPELLING
Spelling can play an important part in a clinic or doctor’s office. For example, a nurse must recognize medical homonyms — words that sound the same but are spelled differently, such as plural (more than one) and pleural (having to do with the lung). On the English and Language Usage portion of the TEAS exam, you must be able to use the conventions of standard English spelling.

Look for homophones, or words that sound alike but are spelled differently and have different meanings. Words like there — their — they’re are easily confused in spelling.
Remember spelling rules like “i before e except after c or when sounded as a as in neighbor or weigh.” Be aware of exceptions to this rule, such as caffeine and heir.
Be aware of similar words that are often confused, such as advice — advise or conscious — conscience.
Use reference works such as a dictionary or thesaurus to check spelling. When using word-processing software, remember that a spell-check feature cannot catch mistakes when you type a wrong word that is spelled correctly, such as one instead of ore.
Note these examples of common homophones that often lead to spelling mistakes.

Words - Form - Sentence
it’s (contraction) - it + is - It’s raining outside.
its (possessive) - My car lost its pep.
who’s (contraction) - who + is - Who’s hungry?
whose (interrogative) - Whose shoes are these?
you’re (contraction) - you + are - You’re a happy dog.
your (possessive) - This is your dog.
they’re (contraction) - they + are - They’re eating lunch.
their (possessive) - This is their lunch.
there (adverb) - There is your lunch.


This table shows other words that are commonly confused and misspelled.
 

Words - Common Form - Sentence
to - preposition - I am going to the store.
too - adverb - I have too many shoes.
two - number - She has two sisters.
affect - verb - Treatment affects recovery.
effect - noun - Treatment has a major effect on recovery.
accept - verb - I accept your nomination to be president.
except - preposition - We got it all done—except the cleanup.
than - preposition - Mars is smaller than Earth.
then - adverb - The play began, and then the lights went out.
already - adverb - I already finished my homework.
all ready - adjective - The appetizers are all ready.
stationary - adjective - The fixture was stationary.
stationery - noun - He wrote me a note on his stationery.
allusion - noun - The movie included an allusion to Tarantino.
illusion - noun - Promises of quick money often turn out to be an illusion.
principle - noun - I live by a simple principle: Be nice. -
principal - noun - The principal of the school was fired.
break - verb - Two big shots break the game open.
brake - noun - The railroad engineer pulled the emergency brake hard to avoid an accident.
complement - noun - Crackers are the perfect complement to soup.
compliment - verb - I compliment you on your restraint.
advise - verb - “I advise you to remain silent,” the lawyer said.
advice - noun - Megan’s advice was to look for a new job.
steal - verb - Employees steal pens from work frequently.
steel - noun - The bike frame was made of super-light steel.
hear - verb - You can hear the geese flying overhead.
here - adverb - The best jobs are here in Columbus.
conscious - adjective - Evan was conscious of Al’s decision to quit the firm.
conscience - noun - My conscience won’t let me cheat.
device - noun - The iPad was a device that few anticipated.
devise - verb - My boss can devise a plan for saving money.
eminent - adjective - Hugh Scott is an eminent scholar.
imminent - adjective - The budget showdown is imminent.

Here are some other commonly misspelled words.
accommodate
aggravate
aging
aisle
allot
arctic
attendance
believable
believe
calendar
column
committee
conceivable
conscience
conscientious
conscious
coolly
curiosity
deceive
desirable
eligible
environment
exercise
exhaust
existence
fascinate
forfeit
grievous
government
guidance
incidentally
irresistible
library
maintenance
marriage
miniature
muscle
necessary
obedience
occasion
occurrence
persistent
possession
preference
propeller
psychiatrist
receivable
rechargeable
recommend
relieve
religious
repetition
representative
restaurant
surprise
symmetry
temperament
tendency
unnecessary

To use conventions of standard English spelling, learn the common spelling rules and the exceptions to those rules. Become familiar with spelling resources available online and in print.

E.1.1 PROBLEM
Which sentence is correct?
(A)Each device was rechargable, accept for the toy car.
(B)Each device was rechargeable, except for the toy car.
(C)Each devise was rechargeable, except for the toy car.
(D)Each defies was rechargeable, except for the toy car.

STRATEGY
Remember the conventions of standard English spelling, including common spelling rules and exceptions to the rules.

THINK
- Check each answer sentence to see if it contains a word or words that are misspelled. Check for correct use of homonyms.
- Answer (A) is incorrect because rechargeable is misspelled and accept is used for except.
- Answer (C) is incorrect because the verb devise is used instead of the noun device.
- Answer (D) is incorrect because the verb defies is used instead of the noun device.
- Answer (B) uses the correct spelling of the words device, rechargeable, and except. Therefore, (B) is the correct response.

E.1.2 USE CONVENTIONS OF STANDARD ENGLISH PUNCTUATION
Punctuation guides the reader through a text, making it easier to understand an author’s meaning. Punctuation marks placed incorrectly in a sentence, however, can be confusing for a reader. On the TEAS exam, you must demonstrate knowledge of correct punctuation that follows the rules of standard English.

A period is used to end declarative sentences. Periods are also used for many abbreviations, like the following:

Periods are placed inside of quotation marks and parentheses if the parentheses enclose a full sentence. If parentheses do not enclose a full sentence, the period is placed outside of the parentheses.
We heard no barking. (The dog was asleep.)
The recipe called for lots of healthy ingredients (and butter and sugar).

Commas are used in a variety of situations following these general rules:
- Series of three or more: Use commas to separate items. This is actually optional, but is generally preferred.
The patient had no money, identification, or insurance.
We are improving our performance with respect to response time for patients, overall hospital infection rate, and family-patient interaction satisfaction.

- After an introductory word group: Use commas after phrases or clauses that come before the subject.
In addition to all her other accomplishments, Marta was the first one in her family to attend college.
Although she was trained at elite universities, Gwen was the first one in her family to attend college.
 

- Before a coordinating conjunction (and, so, but, for, or, nor, yet): Use a comma along with a coordinating conjunction to connect independent clauses.
Tupac Shakur was clearly a troubled individual, but he was also clearly a hip-hop genius.
Beyoncé was worried that something would go wrong, so she lip-synched her performance during the Super Bowl.
 

- To mark interruptions within a sentence: Use two commas to set off the interruption.
The Dallas Cowboys, although widely despised, are also perhaps the most popular team in the NFL.

Use an apostrophe in the following ways:
- To show letters that have been left out in a contraction:



When you use conventions of standard English punctuation, you employ punctuation marks to clarify meaning, set off quotations or parenthetical material, and indicate possession or conjunctions.

Note these tricky examples of apostrophe usage that often cause mistakes.
 

Form - Sentence
it’s (contraction) - it + is - It’s raining outside.
its (possessive) - My car lost its pep.
who’s (contraction) - who + is - Who’s hungry?
whose (interrogative) - Whose shoes are these?
you’re (contraction) - you + are - You’re a happy dog.
your (possessive) - This is your dog.
they’re (contraction) - they + are - They’re eating lunch.
their (possessive) - This is their lunch.
there (adverb) - There is your lunch.

- To show possession:
Hal’s bicycle        Lina’s       job Francis’s district
Adam and Franco’s restaurant (belongs to both)
the members’ decision (decision of more than one member)
the United States’ legacy

- Possessive pronouns do not take apostrophes.



- In acronyms and other unusual forms, use apostrophes only when necessary to avoid confusion.



Use quotation marks to identify a person’s exact words.
Bonnie said, “Where have all the flowers gone?”
“My friend Marcus is a whiz with tools,” Sally told us.
“Only five districts have voted!” Karl cried.
“The die is cast,” Churchill lamented, “and it looks like there will be war.”

Use quotation marks to set off titles of songs, poems, and articles (but not book titles or titles of larger works or publications):
The Beatles’ song “Taxman” on the album Revolver
Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken” in Great American Poems
The article “Stocks Rise for the Week” in The Wall Street Journal

Use a colon to introduce a list, an extended quotation, an example, or a conclusion.
Todd instructed me to purchase these items: bread, flour, yeast, cinnamon, sugar, and milk. (list)
John F. Kennedy famously stated: “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.” (extended quotation)
Brad had one big thing working against him: his rather abrasive personality. (example)
The obesity data made one thing clear: Drinking soda is not good for you. (conclusion)

Use a semicolon with conjunctive adverbs such as however, still, thus, nevertheless, and therefore to separate independent clauses.
A small 1 percent of the population pays almost 40 percent of all federal taxes; however, this segment also owns a sizeable percentage of the nation’s wealth.

Use a semicolon to separate listed items that also include commas.
I’ve applied to: The University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin; The University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma; The University of North Carolina in Greensboro, North Carolina; and Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Use a hyphen to combine two words to create a compound modifier.
Nora’s last-second shot tied the score.

Use a dash to set off an important fact or amplification of a fact.
The legendary 396-cubic-inch Chevrolet engine — which got less than 16 miles per gallon — was symbolic of a time when gasoline was cheap and environmental concerns were nonexistent.

Use parentheses to set off nonessential or explanatory words.
Elvis Costello (real name: Declan Patrick McManus) has proved to be one of the most versatile and imaginative songwriters of his generation.

E.1.2 PROBLEM
Which sentence is punctuated correctly?
(A)Dave, an insightful and talented therapist, is nevertheless prone to jumping to conclusions.
(B)Dave is an insightful and talented therapist but, he is nevertheless prone to jumping to conclusions.
(C)Although Dave, is an insightful and talented therapist, he is nevertheless prone to jumping to conclusions.
(D)Dave an insightful and talented therapist, is nevertheless prone to jumping to conclusions.

STRATEGY
Use the rules of standard English punctuation to evaluate the sentences.

THINK
- Answer (B) fails to precede the coordinating conjunction but with a comma, so it is incorrect.
- Answer (C) incorrectly places a comma between Dave and is, the subject and verb in the introductory dependent clause.
- Answer (D) does not place a comma after Dave to separate it from the appositive phrase an insightful and talented therapist, so it is incorrect.
- Answer (A) sets off the appositive properly. Therefore, (A) is correct.

E.1.3 ANALYZE VARIOUS SENTENCE STRUCTURES
A sentence can be built in many different ways. It can be simple, with only the most basic parts, or incredibly complex. By analyzing sentence structure, you can see how an author puts together a sentence to create meaning. On the English and Language Usage portion of the TEAS exam, you must demonstrate knowledge of sentence structure and the parts that make up a sentence.
- To analyze the structure of a sentence, identify its pattern: simple, compound, complex, or compound-complex.
- Identify clauses and phrases and see how they are combined in the sentence.
- Identify the eight parts of speech — noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction, and interjection — and see which ones are used in the sentence and how they are used.
- Diagram the sentence to show how the various parts fit together.

There are four types of sentences: declarative (a statement), imperative (a command), interrogative (a question), and exclamatory (an exclamation or emotional statement).

The four sentence patterns are as follows:

Simple: Contains only a subject and predicate.
The inquisitive kitten crept up to the stuffed animal on the floor.
The simple subject is the noun kitten, and the simple predicate is the verb crept. The complete subject is The inquisitive kitten. The complete predicate is crept up to the stuffed animal on the floor.

Compound: Contains two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction. A good mnemonic device for coordinating conjunctions is FANBOYS (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so).

The home team played well, but the visitors prevailed in the end.
The home team played well is one independent clause, and the visitors prevailed in the end is another independent clause. The two clauses are connected by the coordinating conjunction but.

Complex: Contains an independent clause and a (dependent) subordinate clause.
Since her art students are studying impressionism, Miss Watanabe took them on a field trip to an exhibit of Monet paintings at the local museum.
The independent clause in this sentence is Miss Watanabe took them on a field trip to an exhibit of Monet paintings at the local museum. The dependent subordinate clause is Since her art students are studying impressionism.

Compound-Complex: Contains two independent clauses and a dependent (subordinate) clause.
Although Ebony had sold several of her paintings, she apparently lost the desire to paint, for she concentrated instead on her gardening business.

The two independent clauses in this sentence are she apparently lost the desire to paint and she concentrated instead on her gardening business. The dependent subordinate clause is Although Ebony had sold several of her paintings.

To analyze various sentence structures, become familiar with the eight parts of speech and the four main sentence patterns. Identify clauses and phrases. Practice with sentence structure by diagramming sentences.

As you analyze sentences, it is important to recognize clauses and phrases. A clause has both a subject and a verb. A phrase may lack one or both of these. A phrase is a group of words (usually part of a clause) that form a conceptual unit. Look at the sentence below.
When Bethany grabbed the steering wheel, the boat began to veer wildly in every direction.
When Bethany grabbed the steering wheel is a dependent clause, and the boat began to veer wildly in every direction is an independent clause. The phrase in every direction is a prepositional phrase.

The eight parts of speech are as follows:

Noun: a word for a person, place, thing, or idea.
Frank believed in America, democracy, and the ballot box.

Verb: a word that shows action or a state of being.
The dog barked and howled, but Hannah was so tired that she did not awaken.

Pronoun: a word that takes the place of a noun. Here the pronoun she refers to the noun Maude.
Maude read the newspaper while she ate breakfast.

Adjective: a word that modifies a noun or pronoun.
I got the red scissors from the bureau drawer to clip the beautiful photo.

Adverb: a word that modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. Here the adverb very modifies the adverb carefully; the adverb carefully modifies the verb lifted; and the adverb bright modifies the adjective yellow.
Walter very carefully lifted the lid off the bright yellow coffee cup.

Preposition: a word that defines the relationship between other words and phrases in a sentence.
Dakota walked around the block and into the restaurant.

Conjunction: a word that joins together words, phrases, or clauses.
Zooey and Sim arrived late, but we still had a great time with them.

Interjection: a word, phrase, or short clause that expresses strong emotion.
Rats! The Broncos beat my favorite team in the Super Bowl.

To see how sentence parts fit together, it helps to diagram a sentence. Compare this sentence to its diagram below.
The timbers of the ancient ship groaned and creaked in the rising waves.



E.1.3 PROBLEM
Which of the following statements about this sentence is true?
Although Senator Simpson is now obsessed with budgetary deficits, when he was in power, he saw nothing wrong with running a large deficit.
(A)Although Senator Simpson is now obsessed with budgetary deficits is an independent clause.
(B)Although Senator Simpson is now obsessed with budgetary deficits is a dependent clause.
(C)When he was in power is an independent clause.
(D)He saw nothing wrong with running a large deficit is a dependent clause.

STRATEGY
Use your knowledge about the four main sentence structures and the difference between independent and dependent clauses.

THINK
- An independent clause must be able to stand on its own as a sentence. Although Senator Simpson is now obsessed with budgetary deficits and When he was in power cannot stand on their own, so neither clause is independent. Answers (A) and (C) are incorrect.
- He saw nothing wrong with running a large deficit can stand on its own, so it is independent, not dependent. Answer (D) is incorrect.
- As already stated, Although Senator Simpson is now obsessed with budgetary deficits cannot stand on its own, so it is a dependent clause. Answer (B) is correct.

E.2 KNOWLEDGE OF LANGUAGE
E.2.1 USE GRAMMAR TO ENHANCE CLARITY IN WRITING
Good grammar and thoughtful word choice are tools a writer uses to create sentences with precision. They enable a writer to deliver a message with force and clarity. On the TEAS exam, you must demonstrate how to use grammar to write with greater clarity.
- Look for complete sentences in a piece of writing. Make sure there are no run-on sentences or sentence fragments.
- Make sure past, present, and future tense are used consistently throughout.
- Look for subject-verb agreement and pronoun-antecedent agreement.
- Look for transition words that connect ideas and clarify their relationship for the reader.
- Look for examples of ambiguous language and replace it with precise wording.
- Choose words that express the exact shade of meaning you intend to convey.

Avoid run-on sentences, sentences with a comma splice, and sentence fragments.
Questions remain about the budget the mayor has raised several concerns.

(Run-on sentence: Two independent clauses are incorrectly joined with no punctuation.)
Transportation presents a number of problems, a new railway is being planned.

(Comma splice: Two independent clauses are incorrectly joined with a comma.)
The city council, by addressing this issue.

(Sentence fragment: The sentence is incorrect because it lacks a predicate.)
Subject and verbs should always agree in number. A singular subject requires a singular verb. A plural subject requires a plural verb.

The player runs laps around the field after practice.
(The singular subject, player, takes a singular verb, laps.)
The players run laps around the field after practice.
(The plural subject, players, takes a plural verb, run.)

Pronouns and antecedents should always agree. Subjective personal pronouns include I, you, he, she, we, and they. Objective personal pronouns include me, you, him, us, her, and them.
He and Laurie both graduated the same year.
(He, a subjective pronoun, is used as a subject.)
The doctor gave a compliment to Meryl and me.
(Me, an objective pronoun, is used as an object.)

To use grammar to enhance clarity in writing, focus on wording that is precise not ambiguous and follow grammar rules consistently.
The use of tense (past, present, future) should be consistent throughout.

Incorrect: The mayor gave a speech that will describe his plan to fight poverty.
(Past tense verb gave is used with future tense will describe.)
Correct: The mayor gave a speech that described his plan to fight poverty.
(Past tense verb gave is used with past tense described.)

Transition words signal a connection between ideas.
Jazz bandleader Duke Ellington brought a new sophistication to jazz composition. Moreover, he maintained this high standard for decades.
(Moreover indicates the information is added to that of the first sentence.)
Louis Armstrong was born into a bleak setting of poverty and crime in New Orleans. Nonetheless, he rose to become one of the greatest jazz instrumentalists in history.
(Nonetheless indicates Armstrong rose despite his humble origins.)
Vague and ambiguous language should be replaced with precise wording.

Vague: The stuff they say on TV is hard to believe. Better: The claims made for certain products on TV commercials are wildly exaggerated.
Ambiguous: Visiting relatives can make a person weary and irritable.
(Are the relatives visiting or is the person visiting the relatives?)

Better: Visiting one’s relatives can be wearisome and irritating.
Word choices should be made carefully to get the proper shade of meaning.
Our halfback darted into the end zone as time expired.
(Darted indicates moving rapidly in a straight line.)
Our halfback strolled into the end zone as time expired.
(Strolled indicates moving with ease and confidence.)
Our halfback dodged into the end zone as time expired.
(Dodged indicates moving to avoid tacklers in a swarm.)

E.2.1 PROBLEM
Which sentence is correct?
(A)Both Eric and me ask that you give him and me your support.
(B)Both Eric and me ask that you give he and I your support.
(C)Both Eric and I ask that you give him and I your support.
(D)Both Eric and I ask that you give him and me your support.

STRATEGY
Use your knowledge about correct use of subjective and objective pronouns.

THINK
- Check to see that the correct subjective and objective pronouns are used.
- The subjective Eric and I must be used as the subject of the sentence, not the objective Eric and me, so answer (A) and answer (B) are both incorrect.
- The objective form him and me must be used as indirect object. Therefore, answer (C) is incorrect.
- In answer (D), the correct forms of the pronouns are used. The correct response is answer (D).

E.2.2 DISTINGUISH BETWEEN FORMAL AND INFORMAL LANGUAGE
Authors write in a style that is suited to their intended audience. For example, a historian might write in a formal style for a professional journal and in a more relaxed style for a book aimed at general readers. A student writes differently for a book report than for a text message to a friend. On the TEAS exam, you must distinguish between formal and informal language and evaluate if language is appropriate for its audience.

First, determine the purpose for a piece of writing and its intended audience. Next, decide if the author’s style is appropriate for that purpose and audience. Finally, identify examples of formal language or informal language (slang, colloquialisms, etc.).
A writer’s style is accomplished through tone, diction, and word choice. One way to think of style is as the voice of the writer. Look at the difference in style of the two examples below.

Formal: Claudia was aware that pizza is excessively high in fat and calories.
Informal: Claudia was like, pizza is so fattening, you know?

A formal style is appropriate for a public speech, research report, scholarly article, business letter, or historical essay. Readers expect these modes of writing to have correct diction, a formal tone, and precise word choices. The author can use more sophisticated syntax to achieve the desired shades of meaning.

In evaluating formal and informal language, see if the style of writing is appropriate for the genre and intended audience.

An informal style is more appropriate for casual writing or entertainment purposes, such as a comical essay, a blog post, or a personal letter. The tone of this mode of writing is usually light and breezy. Often the writer will address the reader in the second person, as you. Look at these two examples of how to treat a science topic.

Formal: This week presents an excellent opportunity to view the Orionid meteor shower, the second of two spectacular showers that take place each year due to our planet passing through dust emitted by Halley’s Comet.

Informal: With Earth whooshing through the tail of old Halley’s Comet, you’re about to get one whale of a nighttime show meteor-wise.
Authors also vary their style with slang, colloquial expressions, and idioms. These elements can help a writer establish a bond with the reader by using casual, everyday language that expresses honesty or a “down-home” feel.

Slang is informal language that is nonstandard and usually not appropriate in formal writing. It includes the trendy words of the day, such as bling (shiny jewelry), buzz (gossip), chill (relax), crib (home), and sweet (good). Certain professions have their own slang. Musicians might employ the words gig (show) and jam (play with other musicians). A baseball player might refer to a heater (fastball), a hook (curveball), or a dinger (home run).

Colloquialisms are expressions or figures of speech that are associated with a region and/or time period. Instead of a soft drink, a person in New York might drink a soda, while a Midwesterner would have a pop. During World War II, a dancer might have cut a rug, while in the 1980s he or she might have boogied down.

Idioms are colloquial metaphors, such as the following.
raining cats and dogs - (raining hard)
hit the hay - (go to bed)
paint the town red - (have a wild night out)
a piece of cake - (easy to do)
a drop in the bucket - (an action with little overall effect)

E.2.2 PROBLEM
Read the passage. Then answer the question.
In Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, the title character confronts a situation that seemingly leaves him paralyzed and unable to act decisively. At night on the battlements of Elsinore Castle, Hamlet is visited by his father’s ghost, one of literature’s great spirits with an axe to grind. The ghost solemnly explains how he was murdered by his own brother, the man who now sits on his throne, wears his crown, and has married his widow. Hamlet is charged by his father’s spirit with the awesome task of bloody revenge.

Which of the following is not appropriate to the overall tone of this passage?
(A)seemingly leaves him paralyzed
(B)At night, on the battlements of Elsinore
(C)with an axe to grind
(D)with the awesome task of bloody revenge

STRATEGY
Refer to the rules about the use of formal and informal language.

THINK
- Note that this piece of writing is a formal literary essay on Hamlet. Thus the tone and diction should be formal throughout.
- The colloquial expression with an axe to grind, meaning to have a grievance against someone, is more suitable to informal writing. Answer (C) is correct.

E.2.3 APPLY BASIC KNOWLEDGE OF THE ELEMENTS OF THE WRITING PROCESS
The writing process includes each step of creating a piece of writing, from planning to final revision. Every writer has her or his own approach to the writing process. The procedure may change according to what kind of writing is required for a project.
The steps involved in prewriting, writing, and revision often blend into each other as the writer proceeds. On the English and Language Usage section of the TEAS exam, you will demonstrate knowledge of the basic writing process.

In the prewriting stage, you should do everything necessary to prepare to write. This can include making a schedule for writing, deciding on a plan or purpose for writing, brainstorming ideas about the topic, doing research about the topic, and making an outline to organize your research.

In the writing stage, you should draft the piece of writing and compile the sources you need as references. A draft is a version of a piece of writing that is unfinished.

In the revision stage, you should check your draft to see that the material is organized properly and to edit your writing for clarity. You should also look for errors in grammar and punctuation.

Prewriting (planning/preparation/outline)
Decide on a topic and focus the topic into a thesis statement. Think about your audience for this piece of writing. Try to write a thesis statement that will capture the reader’s interest.

Topic: The U.S. National Parks System

Thesis Statement: Creating a national parks system was a radical idea that sought to give all Americans the chance to enjoy their country’s natural beauty.
After researching the topic, you might create an outline to organize your information.
I.The Beginnings of a U.S. National Parks System
A.Discovery of Yosemite in 1851
B.Expeditions to Yosemite by James Mason Hutchings and others
C.Congress sets aside Yosemite as a park to be administered by California
D.Yosemite becomes a national park in 1890
II.Establishing the U.S. National Parks System
A.President Grant signs the bill creating Yellowstone Park, the first national park
a.Yellowstone stretches over 2 million acres
b.Attendance increased five-fold in the first year
B.Sequoia National Park and General Grant National Park are also created
C.In 1916 President Woodrow Wilson signs the act for the National Park Service

Writing (drafting/compiling sources)
Use your research notes and outline to draft your essay. Follow the plan in your outline to organize your essay. Concentrate on creating a strong opening that introduces the topic and a strong closing that sums up your research. You might adapt your thesis statement to create your topic sentence in the first paragraph.

Compile your sources into the proper format for a bibliography, or list of sources. Make sure you identify sources used for direct quotes.
Jen A. Huntley, The Making of Yosemite: James Mason Hutchings and the Origin of America’s Most Popular Park, University of Kansas Press, 2011.

Revision (organization/clarity/grammar)
Check your draft for its organization. See if a sentence or section works better in another location. For example, you might decide that the description of how Yosemite became a national park in 1890 (item D in Section I) would be more appropriate moved between items A and B in Section II, on Establishing the U.S. National Parks System.

Next, reread your draft carefully to see if certain words, phrases, or sentences need to be rewritten for clarity. You should also check for any errors in grammar or punctuation.

To apply the elements of the writing process, demonstrate knowledge of prewriting, writing, and revision

E.2.3 PROBLEM
Creating a focused thesis statement should be done in which stage of the writing process?
(A)Prewriting
(B)Prewriting or Revision
(C)Writing
(D)Revision

STRATEGY
Think about what happens at each stage of the writing process.

THINK
- A focused thesis statement helps direct a writer’s research on a topic.
- The thesis statement must be created at the first stage of the writing process, which is Prewriting. Answer (A) is correct.

E.2.4 DEVELOP A WELL-ORGANIZED PARAGRAPH
Paragraphs are the building blocks of a piece of writing. Each paragraph adds an important idea to the overall topic. A paragraph can be short and punchy or long and very detailed. It is important that each paragraph be organized logically and written with clarity and focus. On the English and Language Usage section of the TEAS exam, you must demonstrate knowledge of how to develop a well-organized paragraph.

- First, write a topic sentence that sets out the idea you intend to explore in the paragraph.
- Next, add supporting details that provide more information about the topic sentence. Check to see that all the details belong in the paragraph.
- Finally, end the paragraph with a conclusion or transition. A good concluding sentence either wraps up the main idea in the paragraph or connects it to an important idea in the following paragraph.

Notice how this writer created a well-organized paragraph on the tennis-playing sisters Venus and Serena Williams.

The topic sentence presents the main idea of the paragraph:
In discussing athletes who revolutionized their sport, one can’t ignore the Williams sisters, Venus and Serena, who brought a new aggressiveness and athletic style to professional tennis.

Supporting details add important information to the topic sentence. The facts should be organized and presented logically. They might be written in time order, in order of importance, according to cause and effect, or by some other pattern. The supporting details below are arranged in chronological order.

Growing up in the tough neighborhoods of Compton in Los Angeles, Venus and Serena learned to play tennis on the public courts. In 2000, Venus electrified the tennis world by winning the singles title at both Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. Two years later Serena defeated Venus in the Wimbledon final and replaced her as the world’s top-ranked player.

A concluding or transition sentence sums up the main idea of the paragraph or connects it to the next paragraph. The sentence below is a transition to the following paragraph.
Longtime tennis fans marveled at the Williams sisters’ early success, but Venus and Serena were just getting started.

To write a well-organized paragraph, see that you have a topic sentence, supporting details, and a strong conclusion or clear transition to the next paragraph. Make sure there are no unnecessary details in the paragraph.

E.2.4 PROBLEM
Read the following topic sentence. Then answer the question.
The 2010 explosion of the Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling rig sent millions of gallons of oil pouring into the Gulf of Mexico, presenting engineers with an enormous clean-up problem.

Which of the following would be the best supporting detail for a paragraph organized by problem/solution?
(A)There were several reasons why the Deepwater Horizon oil spill threatened to become one of the worst environmental disasters in history.
(B)One method for dealing with the disaster involved dumping chemicals into the ocean to break up the heavy oil much like dishwashing detergents dissolve grease.
(C)Immediately experts began to debate about who was most responsible for the environmental catastrophe.
(D)Experts warned that the spill would have a major impact on the environment in the Gulf area, including wildlife and vegetation.

STRATEGY
Use your knowledge about how to organize a paragraph logically.

THINK
- The correct answer should be a sentence that provides a possible solution to the problem presented in the topic sentence.
- Answer (A) is incorrect because it introduces reasons why the oil spill threatened to be so serious, but not possible solutions to the problem.
- Answer (C) focuses on the debate about who was most responsible, so it is incorrect.
- Answer (D) focuses on a cause-and-effect organization, so it is incorrect.
- Answer (B) presents a method for dealing with the disaster, which is a possible solution to the problem. Answer (B) is correct.

E.3 VOCABULARY ACQUISITION
E.3.1 USE CONTEXT CLUES TO DETERMINE THE MEANING OF WORDS OR PHRASES
Context clues are hints to the meaning of a word or phrase that are found in the surrounding text. They include synonyms and antonyms, explanatory words or definitions, and words that establish a tone that hints at the correct meaning. On the TEAS exam, you will use context clues to determine the meaning of words or phrases.

When you encounter an unfamiliar word, examine how it is used in the sentence. Think about what part of speech it is. See if there is a definition or explanation of the word in the surrounding text.
Look for synonyms or antonyms of the unfamiliar word. These can lead you to guess the meaning.
Think about the mood or tone of the sentence or passage in which the unfamiliar word appears. What is the overall mood of the sentence? Is the word used sarcastically or humorously?
When you encounter an unfamiliar phrase, decide if it is an idiom. This is a phrase in which the actual meaning is different from the meaning of the individual words, as in hold your tongue.

To use context clues to determine meaning, look at the words surrounding the unfamiliar word or phrase, think of synonyms for words with multiple meanings, and note the mood or tone of the passage.

Types of Context Clues

Definition: Political prisoners in the Soviet Union were sent to the gulag, a network of prison camps in the arctic north.
The word gulag is followed by the definition a network of prison camps in the arctic north.

Synonym: Her success on the pop charts was transitory, a fleeting moment that she would never experience again.
The word fleeting has a very similar meaning to transitory — something that does not last.

Antonym: The crowd’s raucous antics contrasted sharply with their usual subdued behavior.
The word subdued is contrasted with raucous as its opposite or antonym.
Choose from among multiple meanings: The break the investigators were seeking came as they were discussing the case during their break.
The first break means an opening or breakthrough, while the second break means a pause during the workday.

Mood or tone: Jubilation overtook the crowd as the band struck up a lively tune and an abundance of colorful balloons filled the sky.
The details of the sentence (the band playing a lively tune, the balloons filling the sky) indicate that jubilation means joyfulness.

Idiom: I tried to keep the surprise party for Mrs. Hoople a secret, but Harvey slipped up and let the cat out of the bag.
The context clues indicate that the idiom let the cat out of the bag means to reveal a secret.

E.3.1 PROBLEM
Read the following sentence. Then answer the question.
The sight of his broken coffee mug incensed Mr. Sacks, but we soon managed to pacify him by explaining it was an accident.

Which of the following words is an antonym that provides a clue to the meaning of incensed?
(A)broken
(B)pacify
(C)explaining
(D)accident

STRATEGY
Use context clues to analyze the meaning of words in a sentence.

THINK
- Context clues can include synonyms or antonyms of an unfamiliar word.
- The word pacify is an antonym of the word incensed. Mr. Sacks is incensed, or very angry, about his broken mug, but then calms down when he learns the explanation. Answer (B) is correct.

E.3.2 DETERMINE THE MEANING OF WORDS BY ANALYZING WORD PARTS
Sometimes you can figure out the meaning of a word by examining its parts. Prefixes and suffixes change the meaning of a word’s stem or root. Knowing how affixes alter a root word’s meaning is especially helpful for nurses dealing with words like hypoglycemic. (The suffix hypo- means low; hypoglycemic means low blood sugar levels.) On the TEAS exam, you must demonstrate the ability to find a word’s meaning by analyzing its word parts.

- Analyze an unfamiliar word to identify its root.
- Determine if the word contains a prefix or suffix. A prefix is added to the beginning of a root word to change its meaning. A suffix is added to the end of a word to change its meaning.
- Figure out the meaning of the word by combining the meanings of the root and the prefix and/or suffix.

Find lists of prefixes and suffixes in books on English usage or on the Internet. Here is a chart of words related to the medical field with roots and prefixes or suffixes.





To determine the meaning of words by analyzing word parts, look for prefixes or suffixes that modify the meaning of the root.

E.3.2 PROBLEM
Which prefix could be added to the word cover to form a word with the opposite meaning?
(A)anti-
(B)dis-
(C)re-
(D)un-

STRATEGY
Use your knowledge about how prefixes and suffixes change the meaning of a root word.

THINK
- Think about the meaning of each word formed by adding the prefix to the word cover. To cover is to protect or conceal something.
- Answer (A) is incorrect because anticover is not a word.
- Answer (B) is incorrect because discover means to find something, which is not quite the opposite meaning of cover.
- Answer (C) is incorrect because recover means to get something back or recuperate, neither of which is the opposite meaning of cover.
- The word uncover means to remove the cover or reveal something, which is the opposite meaning of cover. Answer (D) is correct.