Free HESI A2 practice test (18 questions)
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Question 1What is 2/3 + 3/4?
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Answer: D — 1 5/12.
Use the common denominator 12: 2/3 = 8/12 and 3/4 = 9/12, so the sum is 17/12 = 1 5/12. Adding tops and bottoms (5/7) is a common error.
Checked against: Elsevier HESI Admission Assessment overview — Basic Math Skills: Fractions
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Question 2What is 35% of 260?
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Answer: B — 91.
35% = 0.35, and 0.35 × 260 = 91.
Checked against: Elsevier HESI Admission Assessment overview — Basic Math Skills: Percentages
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Question 3A provider orders 500 mg of a drug. Each tablet contains 250 mg. How many tablets should be given?
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Answer: A — 2 tablets.
Divide the dose ordered by the dose per tablet: 500 ÷ 250 = 2 tablets.
Checked against: Elsevier HESI Admission Assessment overview — Basic Math Skills: Dosage-style word problems
Read the passage: The Quiet Work of Sleep
Many people treat sleep as time that could be spent more productively. Staying up late to finish a project or scrolling through a phone after midnight can feel harmless, especially when the next day seems manageable. Yet researchers who study sleep describe it as an active process rather than a pause. During the night, the brain cycles through several stages, and each stage appears to serve a different purpose.
In the lighter stages, heart rate slows and body temperature drops slightly. Deep sleep, which tends to occur more in the first half of the night, is linked to physical restoration: growth hormone is released and tissues are repaired. Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which becomes longer toward morning, is associated with vivid dreaming and appears to help the brain organize memories and process emotions.
When sleep is cut short, the stages that come later in the night are the ones most likely to be lost. A person who routinely wakes two hours early may therefore miss a large share of REM sleep. Over time, short sleep has been connected with slower reaction times, poorer concentration, irritability, and a weaker response to vaccines.
None of this means that a single restless night is cause for alarm. The body is resilient, and occasional poor sleep is a normal part of life. The concern is the pattern. Protecting a regular bedtime, keeping the bedroom dark and cool, and setting screens aside before bed are simple habits that allow each stage of sleep to do its work.
Question 4Which statement best expresses the main idea of the passage?
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Answer: D — Sleep is an active process whose stages serve different purposes, so regular, sufficient sleep matters..
The passage explains that each stage of sleep does different work and that a pattern of short sleep causes problems. The other choices are contradicted (one restless night is 'not cause for alarm') or too narrow.
Checked against: Elsevier HESI Admission Assessment overview — Reading Comprehension: Main idea
Same passage as above.
Question 5According to the passage, when does REM sleep become longer?
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Answer: A — Toward morning.
Paragraph 2 says REM sleep 'becomes longer toward morning.' It is deep sleep that occurs more in the first half of the night.
Checked against: Elsevier HESI Admission Assessment overview — Reading Comprehension: Supporting details
Same passage as above.
Question 6A person goes to bed on time but always wakes two hours early. Based on the passage, which type of sleep is this person most likely to lose?
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Answer: C — REM sleep.
The passage says the stages that come later in the night are lost first and gives this exact pattern as a way to miss REM sleep, which lengthens toward morning.
Checked against: Elsevier HESI Admission Assessment overview — Reading Comprehension: Inferences
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Question 7The nurse noticed that the patient was lethargic and hard to keep awake. In this sentence, lethargic most nearly means
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Answer: C — drowsy and sluggish.
Lethargic describes a state of drowsiness and lack of energy; the clue 'hard to keep awake' confirms it. Restlessness is the opposite of lethargy.
Checked against: HESI Admission Assessment Exam overview (Elsevier): English Language, Vocabulary and General Knowledge — Health care vocabulary
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Question 8All staff must adhere to the hand-washing policy. Adhere to means
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Answer: B — follow closely.
To adhere to a rule is to stick to it or follow it faithfully.
Checked against: HESI Admission Assessment Exam overview (Elsevier): English Language, Vocabulary and General Knowledge — General academic vocabulary
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Question 9The prefix brady-, as in bradycardia, means
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Answer: A — slow.
Brady- means slow, so bradycardia is a slow heart rate. The prefix for fast is tachy-, as in tachycardia.
Checked against: HESI Admission Assessment Exam overview (Elsevier): English Language, Vocabulary and General Knowledge — Word parts
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Question 10Choose the verb that correctly completes the sentence: 'Each of the nurses ___ a locker.'
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Answer: D — has.
The subject is each, which is singular; of the nurses is a prepositional phrase that does not change the subject. A singular subject takes has.
Checked against: HESI Admission Assessment Exam overview (Elsevier): English Language, Grammar — Subject-verb agreement
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Question 11Choose the verb that correctly completes the sentence: 'The patient's temperature has ___ since this morning.'
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Answer: C — risen.
Rise (to go up) takes no object; its past participle is risen. Raised is from raise, which needs an object, and rose is the simple past.
Checked against: HESI Admission Assessment Exam overview (Elsevier): English Language, Grammar — Verb tenses and forms
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Question 12Choose the word that correctly completes the sentence: 'She was not sure ___ to call the doctor or wait.'
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Answer: B — whether.
Whether introduces a choice between alternatives. Weather refers to atmospheric conditions such as rain or heat.
Checked against: HESI Admission Assessment Exam overview (Elsevier): English Language, Grammar — Commonly confused words
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Question 13Which directional term describes the elbow in relation to the wrist?
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Answer: C — Proximal.
Proximal means closer to the trunk or to the point where a limb attaches. The elbow is closer to the shoulder than the wrist is, so the elbow is proximal to the wrist (and the wrist is distal to the elbow).
Checked against: OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology 2e, 1.6 Anatomical Terminology
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Question 14Which valve prevents blood from flowing back from the right ventricle into the right atrium?
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Answer: D — Tricuspid valve.
The tricuspid valve is the atrioventricular valve on the right side of the heart, between the right atrium and right ventricle. The mitral valve plays the same role on the left side; the pulmonary and aortic valves guard the exits of the ventricles.
Checked against: OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology 2e, 19.1 Heart Anatomy
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Question 15Which organelle produces most of the ATP in a eukaryotic cell through cellular respiration?
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Answer: D — Mitochondrion.
Mitochondria carry out the citric acid cycle and oxidative phosphorylation, which make most of a cell's ATP. Ribosomes build proteins, the Golgi apparatus modifies and ships proteins, and lysosomes digest materials.
Checked against: OpenStax Biology 2e, 4.3 Eukaryotic Cells
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Question 16Two plants that are both heterozygous for a trait (Aa x Aa) are crossed. A is completely dominant. What phenotypic ratio is expected in the offspring?
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Answer: A — 3 dominant : 1 recessive.
The Punnett square gives 1 AA : 2 Aa : 1 aa. Because AA and Aa both show the dominant trait, 3 of every 4 offspring are expected to show the dominant phenotype and 1 the recessive one.
Checked against: OpenStax Biology 2e, 12.3 Laws of Inheritance
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Question 17An atom of chlorine-37 has an atomic number of 17. How many neutrons does it have?
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Answer: B — 20.
The mass number (37) is the number of protons plus neutrons. The atomic number (17) is the number of protons, so neutrons = 37 - 17 = 20.
Checked against: OpenStax Chemistry 2e, 2.3 Atomic Structure and Symbolism
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Question 18What coefficient must be placed in front of O2 to balance the equation CH4 + __ O2 -> CO2 + 2H2O?
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Answer: C — 2.
The products contain 2 oxygen atoms in CO2 and 2 in the two water molecules, 4 in all. Two O2 molecules supply 4 oxygen atoms; carbon (1) and hydrogen (4) are already balanced.
Checked against: OpenStax Chemistry 2e, 4.1 Writing and Balancing Chemical Equations
Official passing standard: No universal passing score. Elsevier reports a percentage score for each exam and a composite (the average of the exams you took); the score needed for admission is set by the program you apply to.
Want more? The Practice Pack for the HESI A2 has more practice tests in the same format, with every answer explained.
HESI A2 format
| Section | Questions | Scored | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Math Skills | 55 | 50 | 50 min |
| Reading Comprehension | 55 | 50 | 60 min |
| Vocabulary and General Knowledge | 55 | 50 | 50 min |
| Grammar | 55 | 50 | 50 min |
| Anatomy and Physiology | 30 | 25 | 25 min |
| Biology | 30 | 25 | 25 min |
| Chemistry | 30 | 25 | 25 min |
There is no single official length: your program chooses which exams you take and can change the time. The per-exam numbers are from Elsevier's published documents: scored items and estimated times from Elsevier's 2022 white paper; totals including 5 unscored pilot items per exam (55 and 30) from Elsevier's 2015 overview sheet, the most recent Elsevier document we found that states them. If all seven academic exams are given, that is 310 items (275 scored) and about 285 minutes.
| HESI A2 | Official rule |
|---|---|
| Academic exams | Seven: Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary and General Knowledge, Grammar, Basic Math Skills, Anatomy and Physiology, Biology, Chemistry. Programs give all seven or only the ones they choose source |
| Scored items per exam | 50 for each English exam and for Math; 25 for each science exam (Elsevier, 2022) source |
| Items including unscored pilot items | 55 per English and math exam and 30 per science exam, of which 5 are unscored pilot items (Elsevier overview sheet, 2015: the latest Elsevier document we found that states the totals) source |
| Estimated time | Reading 60 min; Vocabulary, Grammar and Math 50 min each; Anatomy and Physiology, Biology and Chemistry 25 min each (Elsevier's estimates, 2022; your program can change them) source |
| Who chooses the exams and timing | Your program selects the exam sections when it schedules the test; the estimated duration updates with the selection and can be adjusted manually source |
| Learner profile (not academic) | Learning Style (14 items, about 15 min) and Personality Profile (15 items, about 15 min), per Elsevier's 2015 overview sheet; not mentioned in Elsevier's 2022 description source |
| Calculator | On-screen calculator enabled or disabled by your program source |
| Versions | Version 1 for first-time testers, Version 2 for second-time testers source |
| Where you test | As your program arranges: on campus, or through Elsevier distance testing at a Prometric test center or remotely with Prometric's ProProctor source |
| ID (Prometric test center) | First and last name on your Evolve registration must match a non-expired government-issued photo ID with signature source |
| Fee | No public price from Elsevier: your program either pays or has students pay (student pay) source |
| Refunds (distance testing) | Full refund if you cancel 30+ days before; partial refund minus the reschedule/cancel fee 5-29 days before; none within 5 days source |
| Results | Elsevier says admission exam results should be available after 24 hours, in your Evolve account; your program decides when you can see them source |
| Scoring | Percentage score per exam and a composite score (average of the exams completed). Elsevier's scoring guide calls 90-100% excellent, 80-89% very good and 75-79% satisfactory for associate/baccalaureate applicants (70-79% for certificate programs); your program sets its own requirement source |
Checked on the official sources on September 30, 2026. Rules change: always confirm on the official site before test day.
Practice by section
HESI A2 Math practice test
10 free questions with explanations
HESI A2 Reading Comprehension practice test
10 free questions with explanations
HESI A2 Vocabulary practice test
10 free questions with explanations
HESI A2 Grammar practice test
10 free questions with explanations
HESI A2 Anatomy and Physiology practice test
10 free questions with explanations
HESI A2 Biology practice test
10 free questions with explanations
HESI A2 Chemistry practice test
10 free questions with explanations
What the HESI A2 is
The HESI Admission Assessment (A2) is an entrance exam from Elsevier that many nursing and health-profession programs ask applicants to take. It is proctored and taken on a computer. It checks how ready you are in three academic areas: English language, math and science. Elsevier's 2022 white paper describes seven separate academic exams, and programs "can elect to administer all seven A2 exams or customize the number of exams".
This matters more than anything else on this page: your program decides which exams you take, how long you get and what score you need. Before you start studying, ask the program or check its admissions page for the list of required sections.
The exams and their length
Elsevier does not publish one official length for the whole test, because it depends on the exams your program picks. The per-exam numbers below come from two Elsevier documents: the scored items and estimated times are in its 2022 white paper; the totals including 5 unscored pilot items per exam come from an Elsevier overview sheet dated 2015 (a copy hosted by a university), which is the most recent Elsevier document we found that states them. You cannot tell which items are pilot items.
| Exam | Items (scored + pilot) | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 55 (50 + 5) | 60 minutes |
| Vocabulary and General Knowledge | 55 (50 + 5) | 50 minutes |
| Grammar | 55 (50 + 5) | 50 minutes |
| Basic Math Skills | 55 (50 + 5) | 50 minutes |
| Biology | 30 (25 + 5) | 25 minutes |
| Chemistry | 30 (25 + 5) | 25 minutes |
| Anatomy and Physiology | 30 (25 + 5) | 25 minutes |
Sources: Elsevier white paper, 2022 (scored items, times); Elsevier overview sheet, 2015 (pilot items; it calls the times "suggested times only"). If your program gives all seven exams, that adds up to 310 items and about 285 minutes, but your program may give fewer. In the current HESI NG platform, the program picks the sections when it schedules the exam, and the estimated duration changes with that choice and "can be adjusted manually" (Elsevier HESI A2 Faculty Guide).
Physics appears in the 5th edition of Elsevier's review book but not in the 6th edition, and neither Elsevier document above gives an item count or time for it. Only study it if your program lists it.
Elsevier's 2015 sheet also lists an optional learner profile, not scored as knowledge: a Learning Style inventory (14 items, about 15 minutes) and a Personality Profile (15 items, about 15 minutes) (Elsevier overview). The 2022 white paper does not mention it, so ask your program whether it is included. Programs can also add a HESI Critical Thinking exam to the A2 (Faculty Guide).
What each exam covers
According to Elsevier's descriptions:
- Reading Comprehension: short reading scenarios. You find the main idea, work out the meaning of words in context, understand the passage and make logical inferences.
- Vocabulary and General Knowledge: words used in everyday English and in health care.
- Grammar: parts of speech, important terms and their uses, and common grammatical errors.
- Basic Math Skills: math for health care. It covers addition, subtraction, multiplication, fractions, decimals, ratio and proportion, household measures and general math facts.
- Biology: biology basics, water, biological molecules, metabolism, cells, cellular respiration and photosynthesis.
- Chemistry: matter, chemical equations and reactions, the periodic table, atomic structure, nuclear chemistry and chemical bonding.
- Anatomy and Physiology: general terminology and the body's structures and systems.
Calculator
The platform has an on-screen calculator, and your program switches it on or off when it schedules the exam (Faculty Guide; remote proctoring guide). Ask your program which setting it uses. If you can't be sure, practice working fractions, percentages and conversions by hand.
Scoring
Elsevier gives a percentage score for each exam and a composite score, which is the average of the exams you completed (Elsevier white paper). There is no single passing score. The white paper reports how Elsevier's scoring guide reads results: 90-100% excellent, 80-89% very good, and 75-79% satisfactory for applicants to associate or baccalaureate programs (70-79% for certificate programs such as practical nursing). The score you need, and which exams count toward it, are set by the program you apply to.
Elsevier's support center says admission exam results should be available after 24 hours in your Evolve account (Evolve Support). Your program decides whether you see your score on screen after each section, after all sections, or not at all, and when you can view your final results (Faculty Guide). After the exam you get personalized remediation study packets.
Registering, fees and ID
You register with the link your program gives you, using an Evolve account (HESI A2 Student Guide). Depending on your program, you test in one of three ways:
- at your school, in a lab or on your own device using the Elsevier secure browser;
- at a Prometric test center;
- remotely, through Prometric's ProProctor (Distance Testing Student Guide; Evolve Support) or through ProctorU if your program sets it up (remote proctoring guide).
Fee. Elsevier does not publish one price. Your program either pays or passes the cost to you ("student pay"), so check the amount with your program or testing site (Faculty Guide). For Prometric distance testing, Elsevier's refund rules depend on when you cancel (Distance Testing Student Guide):
- 30 or more days before: full refund;
- 5 to 29 days before: partial refund, minus the reschedule/cancel fee;
- within 5 days: no refund.
ID. At a Prometric test center, the name on your Evolve registration must match a non-expired, government-issued photo ID with a signature. A mismatch can cost you the appointment and the fees (Distance Testing Student Guide).
Accommodations must be approved before you book, and approval can take up to six weeks (same guide).
On test day
- Remote testing (ProProctor): run the system check beforehand and again just before the exam. You need a camera, microphone and speakers, a single monitor, a non-public room with covered windows, the door closed and no people or pets, and no VPN (Distance Testing Student Guide).
- Moving between exams: you pick which exam to start from a menu and can leave one to start another. The timer keeps running if you leave an exam unfinished (HESI A2 Student Guide).
Retakes
Elsevier offers two versions of the exam: Version 1 for first-time testers and Version 2 for second-time testers (Faculty Guide). Your program sets the rules on how often you may retest, how long you must wait and which score counts, so check its policy.
How to prepare
- Get the list of required exams and the minimum score from your program.
- Take a timed diagnostic in each required exam to see where you lose points.
- Math: practice by hand until fractions, decimals, percentages, proportions and unit conversions are automatic. Dosage-style word problems are just proportions.
- Reading: after each passage, state the main idea in one sentence. Before choosing an answer, find the line that supports it.
- Vocabulary and science: review a little every day rather than cramming. Anatomy and Physiology rewards knowing body systems and their terms.
- Finish with full-length timed practice that uses your program's section list, so the length feels normal on test day.
Elsevier publishes an official study book, the Admission Assessment Exam Review, 6th edition. Our practice packs contain original practice questions written from Elsevier's published exam descriptions, with science facts checked against the free OpenStax textbooks. They are not Elsevier material, and no practice resource can promise a particular score.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are on the HESI A2?
It depends on which exams your program selects. Per Elsevier's published overview, each English exam (Reading, Vocabulary, Grammar) and the Math exam has 55 items (50 scored, 5 unscored pilot) and each science exam (Biology, Chemistry, Anatomy and Physiology) has 30 items (25 scored, 5 pilot). That overview dates from 2015; Elsevier's 2022 white paper confirms the scored counts (50 and 25). Your program chooses the sections, so ask it which ones you take. Source
Can I use a calculator on the HESI A2?
Only if your program allows it. When scheduling the exam, the program switches the on-screen calculator on or off. Ask your program before test day. Source
What score do I need to pass?
There is no single passing score. Elsevier reports a percentage score for each exam and a composite score (the average of the exams you took). Its scoring guide describes 75-79% as satisfactory for associate or baccalaureate applicants and 80% or more as very good or excellent, but the score your application needs is set by the program you apply to. Source
Can I take the HESI A2 from home?
Only if your program offers remote testing. Elsevier's distance testing lets you test remotely through Prometric's ProProctor or in person at a Prometric test center. For remote testing you need a supported computer with a working camera, microphone and speakers, a single monitor, no VPN, and a non-public room with the door closed and no one else present. Source
How much does the HESI A2 cost?
Elsevier does not publish a single price. Your program either pays or has you pay (student pay), so check the fee with your program or testing site. Source
When will I get my results?
Elsevier's support center says admission exam results should be available after 24 hours. You view them, and your remediation study packets, in your Evolve account. Your program decides whether you see scores on screen during the exam and when you can view your final results. Source
What ID do I need?
At a Prometric test center, the first and last name on your Evolve registration must match a non-expired government-issued photo ID with signature, such as a driver's license or passport. A mismatch can mean losing the appointment and fees. Source
Sources
- Elsevier — HESI Admission Assessment Exam overview sheet (exams, item counts incl. pilot items, recommended times) — Elsevier (copy hosted by Georgia Southwestern State University) (checked September 30, 2026)
- 2022 Scientific Evidence for the HESI Admission Assessment (A2) for Nursing and Healthcare Education Programs (white paper, Table 1: exams, scored items, estimated times) — Elsevier (checked September 30, 2026)
- Anatomy and Physiology 2e — OpenStax (Rice University) (checked September 30, 2026)
- Biology 2e — OpenStax (Rice University) (checked September 30, 2026)
- Chemistry 2e — OpenStax (Rice University) (checked September 30, 2026)
- HESI A2 Exam Process Faculty Guide (HESI NG) — Elsevier (checked September 30, 2026)
- HESI A2 and A-la-carte Remote Proctoring Faculty Guide — Elsevier (checked September 30, 2026)
- HESI NG A2 Distance Testing Student Guide — Elsevier (checked September 30, 2026)
- HESI A2 Student Guide (HESI NG) — Elsevier (checked September 30, 2026)
- Where can I find my HESI exam scoring information? — Evolve Support Center — Elsevier (checked September 30, 2026)
- How do I locate a Prometric or Distance Testing Center? — Evolve Support Center — Elsevier (checked September 30, 2026)
- Admission Assessment Exam Review, 6th Edition (HESI) — Elsevier (checked September 30, 2026)
- Admission Assessment Exam Review, 5th Edition (HESI) — Elsevier (checked September 30, 2026)
HESI and HESI A2 are trademarks of Elsevier, which is not affiliated with and does not endorse passmock. Our questions are original practice questions written from the official test description and study materials; they are not questions from the real test.