How many questions are in the HESI A2 Reading Comprehension component?

There is no universal answer. Elsevier publishes eight academic components and each nursing program selects and configures which ones its applicants sit, so the length depends on your program.

Will my program require the Reading Comprehension component?

That is set by the program. Ask for the required component list in writing before you build a study plan.

Is this the official HESI A2?

No. These are original practice questions written for study. The official exam is administered by Elsevier.

HESI A2 Reading Comprehension practice test

Health-flavoured passages and what they do and do not say.

The HESI A2 has no fixed length. Elsevier publishes eight academic components and each nursing program picks which ones its applicants sit, so the question count and time limit for this component depend on your program — here is what to ask them.

HESI A2 — Reading Comprehension Question 1 of 10

Wash your hands. Put on clean gloves. Check the label against the chart, including the strength and the expiration date. If anything on the label does not match, stop and check with the prescriber before going further.

The primary purpose of this passage is to:

What this section asks

Same skill as the TEAS reading section with a different accent: HESI passages tend to be health-related, so you are reading about hydration or wound care while being tested on main idea, inference and tone. Content knowledge is not the point and can actively mislead you — answer from the passage.

Main idea and supporting detailInferenceAuthor’s tone and purposeVocabulary in contextLogical conclusionsSummarising a passage

Frequently asked

How many questions are in the HESI A2 Reading Comprehension component?: There is no universal answer. Elsevier publishes eight academic components and each nursing program selects and configures which ones its applicants sit, so the length depends on your program.
Will my program require the Reading Comprehension component?: That is set by the program. Ask for the required component list in writing before you build a study plan.
Is this the official HESI A2?: No. These are original practice questions written for study. The official exam is administered by Elsevier.

Other HESI A2 sections

Mixed practice test Mathematics Vocabulary and General Knowledge Grammar Anatomy and Physiology

Sources

Every figure on this page comes from one of the documents below, with the date it was read. Requirements change; if a source has moved on since that date, the source is right and this page is out of date.

Elsevier / Evolve — HESI Admission Assessment (A2) exam components Read August 22, 2026

Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or authorized by ATI (Assessment Technologies Institute), Elsevier, or any nursing program. TEAS® and HESI® are trademarks of their respective owners. Practice questions here are original study material, not the official exams.