The ATI TEAS has 170 total questions spread across four sections. Of those, 150 are scored and 20 are unscored pretest items that don’t affect your final score. You won’t know which questions are unscored, so you need to treat every question as if it counts.
Questions Per Section
The 170 questions break down across four subject areas:
- Reading: 45 questions (39 scored, 6 unscored)
- Mathematics: 38 questions (34 scored, 4 unscored)
- Science: 50 questions (44 scored, 6 unscored)
- English and Language Usage: 37 questions (33 scored, 4 unscored)
Science has the most questions overall, while English and Language Usage has the fewest. The unscored items are mixed in randomly throughout each section. ATI uses them to evaluate question quality and difficulty for future exams, but they have zero impact on your score.
What the Questions Look Like
About 80% of the TEAS is traditional multiple choice, where you pick one correct answer from four options. Some of these include charts, graphics, or exhibits you need to interpret before answering.
The remaining 20% uses alternate question formats:
- Multiple select: A list of four or more answer options where more than one can be correct. These are labeled “select all that apply.” You must choose every correct answer to get credit.
- Supply answer: Fill-in-the-blank questions where you type a text or numerical response with no options to choose from.
- Hot spot: An image with two to five clickable areas. You click the area that answers the question.
- Ordered response: You drag four to six items into the correct sequence. Every item must be in the right order to receive credit.
None of these alternate formats offer partial credit. A multiple-select question where you pick three of four correct answers is scored as wrong, the same as if you’d missed them all. The same goes for ordered response: one item out of place means zero points.
How Scoring Works
Your TEAS score is based only on the 150 scored questions. Each scored question is worth the same amount, whether it’s a straightforward multiple-choice item or a more complex ordered-response question. There’s no penalty for guessing, so you should answer every question even if you’re unsure.
Because the 20 unscored items are invisible to you during the exam, the best strategy is to pace yourself as though all 170 questions matter. Skipping or rushing through questions you suspect are unscored is a gamble that can backfire.
Time Limits by Section
Each section is timed separately, and you must finish one before moving to the next. The total testing time is 209 minutes (about three and a half hours). That averages out to roughly one minute and 13 seconds per question across all sections, though the per-section pace varies since some sections have more questions than others. Math questions, for instance, tend to require more time per item because of calculations, while reading passages take time to absorb before you can answer.
You cannot go back to a previous section once you’ve moved on, so use all the time allotted for each part rather than finishing early and advancing.
Preparing for 170 Questions
Knowing the structure helps you build a realistic study plan. Science deserves the most attention simply because it carries the highest question count at 50. Reading is next at 45, and both sections test your ability to interpret information quickly, whether that’s a written passage or a data table.
Math has fewer questions but often feels more time-pressured because each problem involves computation. Practice working through problems without a standard calculator, since the TEAS provides only a basic four-function calculator on screen. English and Language Usage, with 37 questions, covers grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structure. It’s the shortest section, but small gains there still move your composite score.
ATI sells official practice assessments that mirror the real exam’s question count and format. Taking at least one full-length practice test under timed conditions gives you a feel for the pacing across all 170 questions before test day.