1
HESI A2 Grammar Exam Bank: Master
Common Patient Instruction Errors
for Nursing Success
Table of Contents
Subtopic 1: Misuse of Homophones in Medical Instructions............................2
Subtopic 2: Subject-Verb Agreement in Clinical Contexts..............................10
Subtopic 3: Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement in Health-Related Instructions. 18
Subtopic 4: Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers in Patient Instructions...........26
Subtopic 5: Common Confusing Word Pairs in Patient Instructions................34
Subtopic 6: Correct Use of Tenses in Patient Instructions..............................42
Subtopic 7: Subject-Verb Agreement in Patient Instructions..........................50
Subtopic 8: Proper Use of Pronouns in Patient Instructions............................58
Subtopic 9: Clarity and Conciseness in Patient Instructions...........................66
Subtopic 10: Common Punctuation Errors in Patient Instructions..................74
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Subtopic 1: Misuse of Homophones in Medical
Instructions
Question 1
Which sentence contains a correct use of the homophone?
A. Please lie down and take you're medication.
B. Take your medicine every four hours.
C. Make sure to bring there prescription.
D. The nurse will advise you to eat to much salt.
Correct Answer: B. Take your medicine every four hours.
Rationale: “Your” is correctly used as a possessive pronoun. Other options
confuse “you’re/your,” “there/their,” and “to/too.”
Question 2
Which sentence contains a homophone error?
A. The patient should bare weight after surgery.
B. The incision is healing well.
C. You will need a follow-up appointment.
D. Avoid lifting heavy items post-surgery.
Correct Answer: A. The patient should bare weight after surgery.
Rationale: “Bare” means naked. The correct word is “bear,” meaning to
support.
Question 3
Choose the correctly written instruction.
, 3
A. Their going to prescribe you a new medication.
B. Make sure to take your pills before bed.
C. You’re medicine is on the shelf.
D. The nurse said its time for a refill.
Correct Answer: B. Make sure to take your pills before bed.
Rationale: All other options misuse “their/they’re,” “your/you’re,” and
“its/it’s.”
Question 4
Identify the sentence with incorrect homophone usage.
A. The patient will know how to use the inhaler.
B. The wound was wrapped with gauze.
C. She will be aloud to shower in 2 days.
D. Take this tablet once a day with food.
Correct Answer: C. She will be aloud to shower in 2 days.
Rationale: “Aloud” refers to sound. The correct word is “allowed.”
Question 5
Which option uses the correct form of "their/there/they’re"?
A. Their going to the pharmacy now.
B. They're going to the pharmacy now.
C. There going to the pharmacy now.
D. Their all ready for the procedure.
Correct Answer: B. They're going to the pharmacy now.
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Rationale: “They’re” is the contraction for “they are,” which fits the
sentence.
Question 6
Select the correct sentence regarding medication timing.
A. Take you’re medication with water.
B. The pills should be taken two times a day.
C. There dose is lower than yours.
D. Its a good idea to eat before the pill.
Correct Answer: B. The pills should be taken two times a day.
Rationale: Other options misuse homophones: “you’re/your,” “there/their,”
“its/it’s.”
Question 7
Choose the grammatically correct instruction.
A. Your going to feel tired after the procedure.
B. Please ensure you’re clothes are clean.
C. Be sure to keep your bandage dry.
D. It’s edges are beginning to close.
Correct Answer: C. Be sure to keep your bandage dry.
Rationale: Correct use of “your” as possessive; others misuse contractions
and possessives.
Question 8
Which sentence is incorrect due to homophone misuse?
A. Take your medication daily.
HESI A2 Grammar Exam Bank: Master
Common Patient Instruction Errors
for Nursing Success
Table of Contents
Subtopic 1: Misuse of Homophones in Medical Instructions............................2
Subtopic 2: Subject-Verb Agreement in Clinical Contexts..............................10
Subtopic 3: Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement in Health-Related Instructions. 18
Subtopic 4: Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers in Patient Instructions...........26
Subtopic 5: Common Confusing Word Pairs in Patient Instructions................34
Subtopic 6: Correct Use of Tenses in Patient Instructions..............................42
Subtopic 7: Subject-Verb Agreement in Patient Instructions..........................50
Subtopic 8: Proper Use of Pronouns in Patient Instructions............................58
Subtopic 9: Clarity and Conciseness in Patient Instructions...........................66
Subtopic 10: Common Punctuation Errors in Patient Instructions..................74
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Subtopic 1: Misuse of Homophones in Medical
Instructions
Question 1
Which sentence contains a correct use of the homophone?
A. Please lie down and take you're medication.
B. Take your medicine every four hours.
C. Make sure to bring there prescription.
D. The nurse will advise you to eat to much salt.
Correct Answer: B. Take your medicine every four hours.
Rationale: “Your” is correctly used as a possessive pronoun. Other options
confuse “you’re/your,” “there/their,” and “to/too.”
Question 2
Which sentence contains a homophone error?
A. The patient should bare weight after surgery.
B. The incision is healing well.
C. You will need a follow-up appointment.
D. Avoid lifting heavy items post-surgery.
Correct Answer: A. The patient should bare weight after surgery.
Rationale: “Bare” means naked. The correct word is “bear,” meaning to
support.
Question 3
Choose the correctly written instruction.
, 3
A. Their going to prescribe you a new medication.
B. Make sure to take your pills before bed.
C. You’re medicine is on the shelf.
D. The nurse said its time for a refill.
Correct Answer: B. Make sure to take your pills before bed.
Rationale: All other options misuse “their/they’re,” “your/you’re,” and
“its/it’s.”
Question 4
Identify the sentence with incorrect homophone usage.
A. The patient will know how to use the inhaler.
B. The wound was wrapped with gauze.
C. She will be aloud to shower in 2 days.
D. Take this tablet once a day with food.
Correct Answer: C. She will be aloud to shower in 2 days.
Rationale: “Aloud” refers to sound. The correct word is “allowed.”
Question 5
Which option uses the correct form of "their/there/they’re"?
A. Their going to the pharmacy now.
B. They're going to the pharmacy now.
C. There going to the pharmacy now.
D. Their all ready for the procedure.
Correct Answer: B. They're going to the pharmacy now.
, 4
Rationale: “They’re” is the contraction for “they are,” which fits the
sentence.
Question 6
Select the correct sentence regarding medication timing.
A. Take you’re medication with water.
B. The pills should be taken two times a day.
C. There dose is lower than yours.
D. Its a good idea to eat before the pill.
Correct Answer: B. The pills should be taken two times a day.
Rationale: Other options misuse homophones: “you’re/your,” “there/their,”
“its/it’s.”
Question 7
Choose the grammatically correct instruction.
A. Your going to feel tired after the procedure.
B. Please ensure you’re clothes are clean.
C. Be sure to keep your bandage dry.
D. It’s edges are beginning to close.
Correct Answer: C. Be sure to keep your bandage dry.
Rationale: Correct use of “your” as possessive; others misuse contractions
and possessives.
Question 8
Which sentence is incorrect due to homophone misuse?
A. Take your medication daily.
