All Nursing Exams

TEAS reading section: what it tests and how to prepare

TEAS 7 reading has 45 questions (39 scored) in 55 minutes, testing key ideas, craft and structure, and integration of ideas.

Checked November 15, 2026
A student reading on a phone at a desk
Photo: Pexels

Short answer: The TEAS 7 reading section has 45 questions (39 scored and 6 unscored) with a 55-minute time limit, which is about 1.2 minutes per question. ATI tests three skill areas: key ideas and details (15 scored questions), craft and structure (9) and integration of knowledge and ideas (15).

Grid of 45 squares, one per reading question: 15 key ideas and details, 9 craft and structure, 15 integration of knowledge and ideas, and 6 unscored, with a 55-minute time limit.

Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI) writes the TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills). Facts on this page come from ATI's own pages, read on November 15, 2026. For the whole exam, see ATI TEAS 7: the full guide.

Reading section facts

Item Reading section
Questions 45
Unscored pretest questions 6
Scored questions 39 (26% of all scored questions)
Time 55 minutes
Time per question About 1.2 minutes
Position First section of the test

The 6 unscored questions look like all the others, so answer every one. There is no penalty for guessing.

What each skill area tests

ATI's TEAS 7 content outline lists these skills.

Key ideas and details (15 scored)

  • Summarize a text of several paragraphs.
  • Make inferences and draw conclusions about a text's purpose and meaning.
  • Follow written directions.
  • Find specific information in a text.
  • Use information from charts, graphs and other visuals.
  • Put events in sequence.

Craft and structure (9 scored)

  • Tell fact from opinion, and spot misconceptions and bias.
  • Work out the meaning of words and phrases from context.
  • Judge the author's purpose.
  • Judge the author's point of view.

Integration of knowledge and ideas (15 scored)

  • Use evidence from the text to predict, infer and conclude.
  • Compare and contrast themes across one or more texts.
  • Evaluate an argument.
  • Combine data from several sources and formats, including media.

So the reading section is more than passages. Expect charts, written directions and short texts side by side.

Practice passage and questions

The passage and both questions below are our own. They show the style only.

Example (written by All Nursing Exams): passage

Hand hygiene is one of the simplest ways to stop infections from spreading in a hospital. Yet staff do not always clean their hands when they should. Busy shifts, dry skin from frequent washing, and sinks placed far from the bedside are common reasons. Many hospitals now place alcohol-based hand rub at every bed. Some also invite patients to remind staff. These steps make the right action the easy action.

Question 1 (key ideas and details). Which statement best summarizes the passage?

A. Hospitals should build more sinks. B. Hand hygiene prevents infection, and hospitals use simple steps to make it easier for staff. C. Patients are responsible for infection control. D. Alcohol-based hand rub causes dry skin.

Answer: B. It covers the problem and the solutions. A and D take one detail too far, and C is not stated.

Question 2 (craft and structure). What is the author's main purpose?

A. To entertain the reader with a story B. To explain a problem and describe ways to solve it C. To persuade the reader to become a nurse D. To compare two hospitals

Answer: B. The passage names a problem, gives reasons for it, then lists solutions.

A study plan for reading

ATI recommends at least six weeks of TEAS study overall, and ATI notes that reading and science have the most questions. Use these steps inside your own weekly plan:

  1. Find your baseline. Take a timed practice test and note your reading score and the skills you missed.
  2. Drill one skill area at a time. Start with the area where you scored lowest. Use short passages, such as the one above, and write a one-sentence summary of each before you look at the questions.
  3. Practice charts and directions. Many students practice only passages. ATI's outline also tests graphs, visuals and written directions.
  4. Build speed. Work timed sets so you average about 1.2 minutes per question. If one question holds you up, flag it and move on, then return before you submit the section.
  5. Review every miss. For each wrong answer, name the skill it tested and why your choice was wrong.

To turn these steps into a calendar, use our TEAS study schedule. Reading skills also help in the TEAS English section, which tests vocabulary and the writing process.

What to do next

  1. Take a baseline practice test this week and record your reading score.
  2. Pick your weakest skill area and practice it first.
  3. Add one timed reading set to your weekly plan.

Common questions

Is reading the first section?

Yes. ATI always gives the sections in this order: reading, math, science, then English and language usage.

Can I go back to a reading question?

Yes, while the reading section is open. You can flag questions and return to them. Once you submit the section, you cannot go back.

Are there vocabulary questions in reading?

Yes. ATI's craft and structure skills include working out the meaning of words and phrases from context.

What if time runs out?

The section closes. Any unanswered question counts as incorrect, so answer every question before time ends.

Sources