HESI A2 Exam Grammar, Vocabulary,
Reading & Math 2026/2027 – Questions
& Answers with Detailed Rationales
Guaranteed Pass (GRADED A+)
1. Which sentence uses correct subject-verb agreement?
A. The group of students are studying.
B. The group of students were studying.
C. The group of students is studying.
D. The group of students have studied.
Answer: _C. The group of students is studying.**_
Rationale: The subject is “group,” which is singular, so it takes
the singular verb “is.” The phrase “of students” does not
change the number of the subject.
2. Which sentence is punctuated correctly?
A. Before the examination students reviewed their notes.
B. Before the examination, students reviewed their notes.
C. Before, the examination students reviewed their notes.
D. Before the examination students, reviewed their notes.
Answer: _B. Before the examination, students reviewed their
notes.**_
Rationale: A comma is appropriately used after the introductory
phrase “Before the examination.”
,3. Which word is closest in meaning to “abundant”?
A. Scarce
B. Limited
C. Plentiful
D. Empty
Answer: _C. Plentiful.**_
Rationale: “Abundant” means available in large quantities or
more than enough. “Plentiful” is its closest synonym.
4. Which word means “to lessen in intensity or severity”?
A. Intensify
B. Alleviate
C. Accelerate
D. Complicate
Answer: _B. Alleviate.**_
Rationale: To alleviate something means to make it less severe,
painful, or difficult.
5. Choose the correctly spelled word.
A. Occurence
B. Occurrance
C. Occurrence
D. Ocurrence
Answer: _C. Occurrence.**_
,Rationale: The correct spelling is “occurrence,” with double c
and double r.
6. Which sentence contains a pronoun-antecedent agreement
error?
A. Maria completed her assignment.
B. The nurses organized their supplies.
C. Each student submitted their examination.
D. The physician reviewed his notes.
Answer: _C. Each student submitted their examination.**_
Rationale: In traditional singular agreement exercises, “each
student” is singular and should be paired with a singular
pronoun such as “his or her.”
7. Which sentence uses “affect” correctly?
A. The medication may affect the patient's alertness.
B. The medication may effect the patient's alertness.
C. The patient's affect the medication.
D. The medication had an affect on alertness.
Answer: _A. The medication may affect the patient's
alertness.**_
Rationale: “Affect” is commonly used as a verb meaning to
influence. “Effect” is commonly used as a noun referring to a
result.
8. What is the meaning of “concise”?
, A. Confusing
B. Brief and clear
C. Extremely detailed
D. Repetitive
Answer: _B. Brief and clear.**_
Rationale: Concise writing communicates information clearly
using only the necessary words.
9. Which sentence is grammatically correct?
A. Neither the instructor nor the students was prepared.
B. Neither the instructor nor the students were prepared.
C. Neither the instructor or the students were prepared.
D. Neither instructor nor students was prepared.
Answer: _B. Neither the instructor nor the students were
prepared.**_
Rationale: With “neither…nor,” the verb generally agrees with
the noun closest to it. “Students” is plural, so “were” is
appropriate.
10. Which word is the best antonym for “rigid”?
A. Flexible
B. Firm
C. Strict
D. Stiff
Answer: _A. Flexible.**_
Reading & Math 2026/2027 – Questions
& Answers with Detailed Rationales
Guaranteed Pass (GRADED A+)
1. Which sentence uses correct subject-verb agreement?
A. The group of students are studying.
B. The group of students were studying.
C. The group of students is studying.
D. The group of students have studied.
Answer: _C. The group of students is studying.**_
Rationale: The subject is “group,” which is singular, so it takes
the singular verb “is.” The phrase “of students” does not
change the number of the subject.
2. Which sentence is punctuated correctly?
A. Before the examination students reviewed their notes.
B. Before the examination, students reviewed their notes.
C. Before, the examination students reviewed their notes.
D. Before the examination students, reviewed their notes.
Answer: _B. Before the examination, students reviewed their
notes.**_
Rationale: A comma is appropriately used after the introductory
phrase “Before the examination.”
,3. Which word is closest in meaning to “abundant”?
A. Scarce
B. Limited
C. Plentiful
D. Empty
Answer: _C. Plentiful.**_
Rationale: “Abundant” means available in large quantities or
more than enough. “Plentiful” is its closest synonym.
4. Which word means “to lessen in intensity or severity”?
A. Intensify
B. Alleviate
C. Accelerate
D. Complicate
Answer: _B. Alleviate.**_
Rationale: To alleviate something means to make it less severe,
painful, or difficult.
5. Choose the correctly spelled word.
A. Occurence
B. Occurrance
C. Occurrence
D. Ocurrence
Answer: _C. Occurrence.**_
,Rationale: The correct spelling is “occurrence,” with double c
and double r.
6. Which sentence contains a pronoun-antecedent agreement
error?
A. Maria completed her assignment.
B. The nurses organized their supplies.
C. Each student submitted their examination.
D. The physician reviewed his notes.
Answer: _C. Each student submitted their examination.**_
Rationale: In traditional singular agreement exercises, “each
student” is singular and should be paired with a singular
pronoun such as “his or her.”
7. Which sentence uses “affect” correctly?
A. The medication may affect the patient's alertness.
B. The medication may effect the patient's alertness.
C. The patient's affect the medication.
D. The medication had an affect on alertness.
Answer: _A. The medication may affect the patient's
alertness.**_
Rationale: “Affect” is commonly used as a verb meaning to
influence. “Effect” is commonly used as a noun referring to a
result.
8. What is the meaning of “concise”?
, A. Confusing
B. Brief and clear
C. Extremely detailed
D. Repetitive
Answer: _B. Brief and clear.**_
Rationale: Concise writing communicates information clearly
using only the necessary words.
9. Which sentence is grammatically correct?
A. Neither the instructor nor the students was prepared.
B. Neither the instructor nor the students were prepared.
C. Neither the instructor or the students were prepared.
D. Neither instructor nor students was prepared.
Answer: _B. Neither the instructor nor the students were
prepared.**_
Rationale: With “neither…nor,” the verb generally agrees with
the noun closest to it. “Students” is plural, so “were” is
appropriate.
10. Which word is the best antonym for “rigid”?
A. Flexible
B. Firm
C. Strict
D. Stiff
Answer: _A. Flexible.**_
