TEAS test tips and tricks that actually save points

Never leave a question blank

ATI's help center states that when time expires, any unanswered questions are scored as incorrect and that there is no penalty for guessing. So a blank and a wrong answer cost you exactly the same, while a guess has some chance of earning the point. On a four-option item a blind guess is right about one time in four.

The practical rule: when a section timer gets low, stop polishing one hard item and put an answer on every remaining question first. Then use whatever time is left to go back to the items you flagged. Eliminating even one clearly wrong option before guessing improves your odds further.

Flag, then review before you submit

You can move back and forth among questions in an open section and mark items with the Flag button. Once you submit a section, ATI says it is closed and you cannot return to it. Review your flagged items before you submit.

Use that screen every time. A common mistake is treating the flag as a reminder for later in the exam, but later never comes once the section is submitted. Keep flags for items you can realistically fix in a minute, not for every question that felt uncomfortable.

Pace each section by its own clock

As of November 2026, ATI lists 170 questions in 209 minutes: Reading has 45 questions in 55 minutes, Mathematics 38 in 57, Science 50 in 60, and English and Language Usage 37 in 37. That works out to roughly 73 seconds per reading question, 90 seconds per math question, 72 seconds per science question, and 60 seconds per English question.

So one pace does not fit the whole test. English is the tightest section, which means you should answer grammar items on first read and move on. Math gives the most time per item, so it is the place to write out a conversion or set up a proportion on scratch paper rather than doing it in your head.

Do not panic over a strange question

ATI states that 150 of the 170 questions are scored and 20 are unscored pretest items mixed into the sections. ATI also says plainly that you cannot tell which ones they are. An item that looks unfamiliar or oddly worded may not count at all, or it may, so give it a reasonable answer and keep your pace.

The tip here is emotional as much as tactical. Spending three minutes on one confusing item steals time from questions you know how to answer. Treat every item as if it counts, but never let a single one wreck the section clock.

Know the tools and the break before test day

A four-function calculator is built into the exam and personal calculators are not allowed. ATI's exam day page allows one blank 8.5 by 11 sheet or a small whiteboard plus two writing instruments. Practice your math with a basic calculator so you are not reaching for square root or memory keys that will not be there.

You get one optional 10-minute break, after the math section, and ATI says it does not reduce your remaining testing time. Plan to take it. Reading and math are behind you at that point, and science, the longest section at 60 minutes, comes next.

Sources

ATI: TEAS sections, timing, and going back. Section order and timing, flagging, no return after submitting, unanswered items scored incorrect, no guessing penalty, 10-minute break (checked November 2026)

ATI: Unscored items on the ATI TEAS. 150 scored and 20 unscored items, which cannot be identified

ATI TEAS exam details. 170 questions, 209 minutes, questions and minutes per section

ATI: TEAS exam day requirements and expectations. Built-in calculator, scratch paper or whiteboard rules, break timing

ATI TEAS exam FAQs. No universal passing score; each school sets its own minimum