Health Education Systems Inc (HESI) A2 Exam Quiz: Sentence Boundary Errors
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Sentence Boundary ErrorsQuestion 1 of 20

Read the following sentence: 'The patient needed to remain NPO after midnight, however, he accidentally drank some water.' What type of error does this sentence demonstrate?

Fused sentence
Sentence fragment
Comma splice
Incorrect verb tense
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Health Education Systems Inc (HESI) A2 Exam Quiz

Health Education Systems Inc (HESI) A2 Exam Quiz: Sentence Boundary Errors

Practice Sentence Boundary Errors in Health Education Systems Inc (HESI) A2 Exam with focused quiz questions that help you check what you know, review explanations, and build confidence with test-style prompts.

What this quiz covers

This quiz focuses on Sentence Boundary Errors, giving you a quick way to practice the rules, question types, and explanations that matter most for Health Education Systems Inc (HESI) A2 Exam.

How to use this quiz

Try each quiz question before looking at the correct answer. Use the explanations to review missed ideas, then come back to similar questions until the pattern feels familiar.

All questions

Question 1

Read the following sentence: 'The patient needed to remain NPO after midnight, however, he accidentally drank some water.' What type of error does this sentence demonstrate?

  1. Fused sentence
  2. Sentence fragment
  3. Comma splice (correct answer)
  4. Incorrect verb tense
Explanation: When you encounter grammar questions on the HESI exam, look for structural problems in how sentences are connected. This question tests your ability to identify common sentence construction errors. The sentence "The patient needed to remain NPO after midnight, however, he accidentally drank some water" demonstrates a comma splice. A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses (complete thoughts that could stand alone as sentences) are incorrectly joined with only a comma. Here, "The patient needed to remain NPO after midnight" is one complete thought, and "he accidentally drank some water" is another complete thought. The word "however" is a conjunctive adverb, not a coordinating conjunction, so it cannot join independent clauses with just a comma. Let's examine why the other options are incorrect. Option A, a fused sentence (also called a run-on), would occur if the two independent clauses were joined with no punctuation at all. Option B, a sentence fragment, would be an incomplete thought missing a subject, verb, or complete idea—but both parts of this sentence are complete. Option D, incorrect verb tense, doesn't apply here since "needed" and "drank" are appropriately in past tense. To fix this comma splice, you could use a semicolon ("midnight; however, he"), a period to create two sentences, or add a coordinating conjunction after the comma ("midnight, but he"). Remember: conjunctive adverbs like "however," "therefore," and "moreover" need stronger punctuation (semicolons) when joining independent clauses, not just commas.

Question 2

Which group of words forms a complete sentence?

  1. The patient in the emergency room with chest pain.
  2. Was triaged immediately by the charge nurse.
  3. The patient with chest pain was triaged immediately. (correct answer)
  4. Because the patient presented with acute chest pain.
Explanation: Grammar questions on the HESI often test your ability to identify complete sentences versus sentence fragments. A complete sentence must have both a subject (who or what) and a predicate (what the subject does), and it must express a complete thought that can stand alone. Option C is correct because it contains all the essential elements of a complete sentence. "The patient with chest pain" serves as the complete subject, "was triaged" is the verb (predicate), and "immediately" provides additional detail. This sentence expresses a complete thought that makes sense on its own. Option A presents a sentence fragment because it lacks a predicate. While "the patient in the emergency room with chest pain" is a detailed subject, there's no verb to tell us what happened to this patient. Option B is also a fragment—it has a predicate "was triaged immediately by the charge nurse" but no subject to tell us who or what was triaged. Option D creates a dependent clause fragment because it starts with "because," which makes the entire phrase incomplete. Even though it has a subject ("the patient") and verb ("presented"), the word "because" makes it dependent on another clause to complete the meaning. When identifying complete sentences on the HESI, look for both a subject and predicate, then check whether the sentence expresses a complete thought. Watch out for fragments that begin with subordinating conjunctions like "because," "when," or "although"—these create dependent clauses that cannot stand alone as complete sentences.

Question 3

Which sentence contains a boundary error that could be corrected by either separating into two sentences or adding appropriate punctuation?

  1. The patient tolerated the procedure well, vital signs remained stable throughout the intervention. (correct answer)
  2. When the laboratory results become available, the physician will determine the appropriate treatment plan.
  3. The nursing assessment included evaluation of pain levels, mobility status, and cognitive function.
  4. Despite initial concerns about the patient's condition, recovery progressed better than expected.
Explanation: Choice A contains a comma splice—two independent clauses ('The patient tolerated the procedure well' and 'vital signs remained stable throughout the intervention') incorrectly joined with only a comma. This could be corrected by using a semicolon, period, or adding a coordinating conjunction. Choice B correctly uses a comma after a dependent clause. Choice C properly lists items in a series. Choice D correctly uses a comma after an introductory prepositional phrase.

Question 4

Which of the following is a fused (run-on) sentence?

  1. The physical therapist developed a new exercise regimen the patient's mobility increased. (correct answer)
  2. After the therapist developed a new regimen, the patient's mobility increased significantly.
  3. The new exercise regimen was successful; therefore, the patient's mobility increased.
  4. The patient's mobility increased because the physical therapist developed a new regimen.
Explanation: When you encounter grammar questions on the HESI, you need to identify sentence structure errors, particularly run-on sentences. A fused sentence (run-on) occurs when two independent clauses are joined without proper punctuation or connecting words. Option A demonstrates a classic fused sentence: "The physical therapist developed a new exercise regimen the patient's mobility increased." This contains two complete thoughts that could stand alone as sentences, but they're incorrectly joined without any punctuation or conjunction. You can identify this by reading each part separately: "The physical therapist developed a new exercise regimen" (complete thought) and "the patient's mobility increased" (complete thought). Since they're simply placed together without connection, this creates a run-on sentence. Option B correctly uses a subordinating conjunction "After" and proper comma placement to connect the clauses. Option C properly joins two independent clauses with a semicolon and transitional phrase "therefore," following correct punctuation rules. Option D uses the subordinating conjunction "because" to create a complex sentence with one independent and one dependent clause. The key difference is that options B, C, and D all use proper grammatical devices (subordinating conjunctions, semicolons, or transitional phrases) to connect their ideas, while option A simply smashes two complete sentences together without any connecting element. For HESI grammar questions, always read each clause separately to determine if it could stand alone as a sentence. If you find two independent clauses joined without proper punctuation or conjunctions, you've found your run-on sentence.

Question 5

Which of the following correctly revises this sentence fragment? 'To properly document the patient's fluid intake and output.'

  1. Properly documenting the patient's fluid intake and output.
  2. The nurse's goal was to properly document the patient's fluid intake and output. (correct answer)
  3. For example, to properly document the patient's fluid intake and output.
  4. Proper documentation of the patient's fluid intake and output is essential.
Explanation: When you encounter sentence fragments on the HESI exam, you need to identify what's missing to make a complete sentence. A sentence fragment lacks either a subject, a main verb, or a complete thought. The original fragment "To properly document the patient's fluid intake and output" is an infinitive phrase that begins a thought but never completes it. It tells us an action but doesn't tell us who is performing it or why. Option B correctly transforms this fragment into a complete sentence by providing both a subject ("The nurse's goal") and a main verb ("was"), making "to properly document..." function as a predicate nominative that completes the thought. This creates a grammatically sound sentence with a clear subject-verb relationship. Option A simply changes the infinitive to a gerund phrase ("Properly documenting...") but still lacks a main verb and subject, remaining a fragment. Option C adds a transitional phrase ("For example") but doesn't solve the fundamental problem—there's still no main clause with a subject and verb. Option D completely restructures the sentence and, while grammatically correct, doesn't actually revise the original fragment; instead, it creates an entirely new sentence about the importance of documentation. Remember that fixing sentence fragments requires adding the missing grammatical elements—usually a subject, main verb, or both. Look for answer choices that preserve the original meaning while completing the grammatical structure, rather than those that simply rearrange words or change the sentence's focus entirely.

Question 6

Which of the following is a sentence fragment?

  1. Turn the patient every two hours to prevent pressure ulcers.
  2. The patient, who was at high risk for pressure ulcers. (correct answer)
  3. Turning the patient regularly is a key nursing intervention.
  4. The nurse turned the patient according to the care plan.
Explanation: When you encounter questions about sentence structure, you need to identify whether each option expresses a complete thought with both a subject and a predicate (verb). Option B is correct because "The patient, who was at high risk for pressure ulcers" is a sentence fragment. This construction begins with a subject ("The patient") followed by a dependent clause ("who was at high risk for pressure ulcers"), but it never provides a main verb to complete the thought. The sentence leaves you hanging, wondering what happened to this patient or what action was taken. Let's examine why the other options are complete sentences: Option A ("Turn the patient every two hours to prevent pressure ulcers") is a complete imperative sentence with an understood subject "you" and the verb "turn." Option C ("Turning the patient regularly is a key nursing intervention") has a clear subject ("Turning the patient regularly") and predicate ("is a key nursing intervention"). Option D ("The nurse turned the patient according to the care plan") contains a subject ("The nurse") and a complete predicate ("turned the patient according to the care plan"). To identify sentence fragments on the HESI, look for incomplete thoughts that lack either a subject or a main verb, or that consist entirely of dependent clauses. Fragments often begin with subordinating words like "who," "which," "because," or "when" without a main clause to complete the idea. Practice reading each option aloud—fragments will sound unfinished and leave you expecting more information.

Question 7

How should the following sentence be corrected? 'Auscultating lung sounds is a key assessment skill the nurse performed it on all patients.'

  1. Auscultating lung sounds is a key assessment skill, the nurse performed it on all patients.
  2. Auscultating lung sounds is a key assessment skill that the nurse performed on all patients. (correct answer)
  3. Auscultating lung sounds, a key assessment skill, and the nurse performed it on all patients.
  4. Auscultating lung sounds is a key assessment skill; and the nurse performed it on all patients.
Explanation: When you encounter sentence correction questions on the HESI, you're being tested on your ability to identify and fix run-on sentences, which are common errors in professional healthcare writing. The original sentence contains a run-on error: two independent clauses ("Auscultating lung sounds is a key assessment skill" and "the nurse performed it on all patients") are incorrectly joined without proper punctuation or connecting words. This creates confusion about the relationship between the ideas. Option B correctly fixes this by using "that" as a relative pronoun to connect the clauses. The word "that" transforms the second clause into a dependent clause that modifies "assessment skill," creating one smooth, grammatically correct sentence that clearly shows the nurse performed the skill on patients. Option A fails because it uses only a comma to join two independent clauses, creating a comma splice—still a run-on sentence. Option C introduces unnecessary confusion with "and," creating an awkward construction that doesn't clearly connect the ideas. The phrase "a key assessment skill, and the nurse performed it" is grammatically incorrect. Option D incorrectly uses a semicolon followed by "and." Semicolons should join independent clauses on their own, without coordinating conjunctions. For HESI grammar questions, remember that clear, concise sentences are always preferred in healthcare communication. When you see two complete thoughts jammed together, look for answer choices that use relative pronouns (that, which, who) or proper punctuation to create logical relationships between ideas.

Question 8

Identify the option that correctly addresses the boundary error in this sentence: 'The patient was scheduled for surgery at 7:00 AM, however, complications during the previous procedure delayed the start time.'

  1. The patient was scheduled for surgery at 7:00 AM; however, complications during the previous procedure delayed the start time. (correct answer)
  2. The patient was scheduled for surgery at 7:00 AM, but however, complications during the previous procedure delayed the start time.
  3. The patient was scheduled for surgery at 7:00 AM however complications during the previous procedure delayed the start time.
  4. The patient was scheduled for surgery at 7:00 AM, and however, complications during the previous procedure delayed the start time.
Explanation: The original sentence contains a comma splice with the conjunctive adverb 'however.' Choice A correctly replaces the comma with a semicolon before 'however,' which is the proper way to join independent clauses with conjunctive adverbs. Choice B incorrectly combines a coordinating conjunction 'but' with the conjunctive adverb 'however.' Choice C removes all punctuation, creating a run-on sentence. Choice D incorrectly uses 'and' with 'however,' creating redundancy and improper structure.

Question 9

Which of the following represents a complete sentence that could stand alone in professional healthcare documentation?

  1. Because the patient's blood pressure remained elevated despite medication adjustments and lifestyle modifications.
  2. The comprehensive discharge planning session that included the patient, family members, and the interdisciplinary care team.
  3. After carefully reviewing the patient's medical history, current symptoms, and diagnostic test results.
  4. The physical therapy evaluation revealed significant improvements in the patient's range of motion and strength. (correct answer)
Explanation: Choice D is the only complete sentence with a subject ('The physical therapy evaluation'), a verb ('revealed'), and a complete thought. Choice A is a fragment beginning with the subordinating conjunction 'because' and lacks an independent clause. Choice B is a fragment with a subject ('session') but no main verb—'included' is part of a relative clause. Choice C is a fragment beginning with 'After' and containing only a dependent clause without a main clause.

Question 10

Which revision best eliminates the sentence boundary error while maintaining the original meaning: 'The infection control team implemented new protocols, these measures significantly reduced hospital-acquired infections'?

  1. The infection control team implemented new protocols, and these measures significantly reduced hospital-acquired infections.
  2. The infection control team implemented new protocols; these measures significantly reduced hospital-acquired infections.
  3. The infection control team implemented new protocols. These measures significantly reduced hospital-acquired infections.
  4. All of the above corrections are equally appropriate and maintain the original meaning. (correct answer)
Explanation: The original sentence contains a comma splice error. All three revisions (A, B, and C) correctly address this boundary error while preserving the meaning. Choice A adds a coordinating conjunction after the comma. Choice B replaces the comma with a semicolon to properly connect the related independent clauses. Choice C separates the clauses into two distinct sentences. Each method is grammatically correct and stylistically appropriate for professional healthcare writing.

Question 11

Identify the sentence that demonstrates proper boundary structure when combining related medical information:

  1. The laboratory results indicated elevated glucose levels the endocrinologist recommended immediate dietary modifications.
  2. After reviewing the X-rays, which showed clear signs of pneumonia in the lower right lobe.
  3. The surgical procedure lasted three hours; consequently, the patient required extended recovery time. (correct answer)
  4. Blood pressure readings were consistently high, this prompted the cardiologist to adjust the medication dosage.
Explanation: Choice C correctly uses a semicolon before the conjunctive adverb 'consequently' to join two related independent clauses. Choice A is a run-on sentence with two independent clauses joined without proper punctuation. Choice B is a sentence fragment—a dependent clause that lacks an independent clause to complete the thought. Choice D contains a comma splice, incorrectly using only a comma to join two independent clauses.

Question 12

Which revision would best correct the boundary error in the following sentence: 'The patient complained of chest pain, therefore the emergency team was called immediately'?

  1. The patient complained of chest pain, and therefore the emergency team was called immediately.
  2. The patient complained of chest pain; therefore, the emergency team was called immediately. (correct answer)
  3. The patient complained of chest pain, so therefore the emergency team was called immediately.
  4. The patient complained of chest pain, because therefore the emergency team was called immediately.
Explanation: The original sentence contains a comma splice—two independent clauses joined only by a comma before the conjunctive adverb 'therefore.' Choice B correctly uses a semicolon before 'therefore' and adds a comma after it, which is the proper punctuation for conjunctive adverbs. Choice A incorrectly uses a coordinating conjunction with a conjunctive adverb. Choice C creates redundancy with 'so therefore.' Choice D incorrectly combines a subordinating conjunction with a conjunctive adverb.

Question 13

Which of the following contains a run-on sentence (either fused or comma splice)?

  1. The symptoms were consistent with pneumonia; however, the chest X-ray was clear.
  2. Although the symptoms were consistent with pneumonia, the chest X-ray was clear.
  3. The symptoms were consistent with pneumonia, the chest X-ray, however, was clear. (correct answer)
  4. The symptoms were consistent with pneumonia, but the chest X-ray was clear.
Explanation: When you encounter grammar questions about run-on sentences, you're being tested on your ability to identify improperly connected independent clauses. A run-on sentence occurs when two complete thoughts are either fused together without punctuation (fused sentence) or incorrectly joined with only a comma (comma splice). Option C contains a comma splice: "The symptoms were consistent with pneumonia, the chest X-ray, however, was clear." This connects two independent clauses ("The symptoms were consistent with pneumonia" and "the chest X-ray was clear") with only a comma. The word "however" doesn't change the fact that you need stronger punctuation between these complete thoughts. Option A correctly uses a semicolon before the conjunctive adverb "however," which is the proper way to connect two independent clauses with this type of transition word. Option B uses a dependent clause ("Although the symptoms were consistent with pneumonia") connected to an independent clause, which is grammatically correct since only one independent clause exists. Option D properly connects two independent clauses using a comma plus the coordinating conjunction "but," following the standard rule for compound sentences. The key trap here is recognizing that transitional words like "however," "therefore," and "nevertheless" cannot join independent clauses with just a comma—they need a semicolon before them or should be part of a new sentence. Remember: when you see two complete thoughts in one sentence, check that they're joined with either a semicolon, a comma plus coordinating conjunction, or separated into distinct sentences.

Question 14

Identify the sentence that is grammatically correct and free of boundary errors.

  1. The IV pump began to beep, the nurse checked the line for occlusions.
  2. Checking the IV line for occlusions after the pump began to beep.
  3. The IV pump began to beep the nurse immediately checked the line for occlusions.
  4. When the IV pump began to beep, the nurse checked the line for occlusions. (correct answer)
Explanation: When you encounter grammar questions on the HESI exam, focus on identifying complete sentences and proper sentence boundaries. These questions test your ability to recognize correct punctuation and sentence structure in healthcare communication. Option D is correct because it uses a dependent clause ("When the IV pump began to beep") properly connected to an independent clause ("the nurse checked the line for occlusions") with appropriate comma placement. This creates a complete, grammatically sound sentence that clearly shows the cause-and-effect relationship between events. Option A demonstrates a comma splice error—two independent clauses incorrectly joined by only a comma. The phrases "The IV pump began to beep" and "the nurse checked the line for occlusions" are both complete thoughts that need stronger punctuation (semicolon or period) or a coordinating conjunction to connect them properly. Option B is a sentence fragment containing only a dependent phrase with no main clause. "Checking the IV line for occlusions after the pump began to beep" leaves the reader waiting for the complete thought—who was checking and what happened? Option C creates a run-on sentence by fusing two independent clauses together without any punctuation. This boundary error makes the sentence difficult to read and understand, as there's no clear separation between the two complete thoughts. Remember: Complete sentences need a subject and predicate, and when combining multiple clauses, pay careful attention to punctuation. On the HESI, clear communication is essential in healthcare settings, so grammar questions often feature medical scenarios to test your professional writing skills.

Question 15

Which sentence correctly joins two independent clauses?

  1. The patient's blood pressure was elevated, his heart rate was also high.
  2. The patient's blood pressure was elevated his heart rate was also high.
  3. The patient's blood pressure was elevated; his heart rate was also high. (correct answer)
  4. The patient's blood pressure being elevated and his heart rate being high.
Explanation: When you encounter questions about joining independent clauses, you're being tested on fundamental sentence structure and punctuation rules. An independent clause contains a subject and verb and can stand alone as a complete sentence. Option C correctly joins the two independent clauses with a semicolon. Since both "The patient's blood pressure was elevated" and "his heart rate was also high" are complete thoughts that could stand as separate sentences, a semicolon is the perfect punctuation mark to connect them while showing their relationship. Option A creates a comma splice error. While it attempts to join the clauses, a comma alone cannot connect two independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction (like "and," "but," or "so"). This is one of the most common punctuation mistakes in academic writing. Option B creates a run-on sentence by placing two independent clauses together with no punctuation whatsoever. This makes the sentence difficult to read and grammatically incorrect. Option D doesn't contain two independent clauses at all. The phrases "the patient's blood pressure being elevated" and "his heart rate being high" are both dependent constructions that cannot stand alone. This creates a sentence fragment rather than properly joined independent clauses. For HESI success, remember the three correct ways to join independent clauses: use a semicolon alone, use a comma plus a coordinating conjunction, or separate them into two sentences. Watch for comma splice traps—they appear frequently on standardized tests because they're such common errors in student writing.

Question 16

Identify the fused sentence.

  1. Proper hand hygiene is the single most effective way to prevent infection it should be practiced diligently. (correct answer)
  2. To prevent infection, healthcare workers should practice proper hand hygiene diligently.
  3. Because proper hand hygiene prevents infection, it should be practiced diligently by all staff.
  4. Proper hand hygiene, the most effective way to prevent infection, should be practiced diligently.
Explanation: When you encounter grammar questions about sentence structure, you need to identify common errors like run-on sentences, fragments, and fused sentences. A fused sentence occurs when two complete independent clauses are joined together without any punctuation or connecting words between them. Looking at option A, you can see two complete thoughts: "Proper hand hygiene is the single most effective way to prevent infection" and "it should be practiced diligently." These are both independent clauses that can stand alone as sentences, but they're incorrectly fused together without a comma, semicolon, or coordinating conjunction. This creates a fused sentence. Option B is correct because it uses a prepositional phrase "To prevent infection" followed by one independent clause, creating a properly structured sentence. Option C works because it uses the subordinating conjunction "Because" to create a dependent clause followed by an independent clause, which is grammatically correct. Option D is also proper because it uses commas to set off the appositive phrase "the most effective way to prevent infection" within a single independent clause. The key difference is that A combines two independent clauses incorrectly, while B, C, and D each contain only one independent clause or properly connect clauses with appropriate conjunctions and punctuation. For grammar questions on the HESI, always check if a sentence contains multiple independent clauses and verify they're properly connected with coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, so) plus commas, or separated by semicolons.

Question 17

Identify the sentence that contains a comma splice.

  1. The wound was cleaned thoroughly, then a sterile dressing was applied. (correct answer)
  2. After cleaning the wound, the nurse applied a sterile dressing.
  3. The nurse cleaned the wound and applied a sterile dressing.
  4. The wound, which had been cleaned, was covered with a dressing.
Explanation: When you encounter grammar questions on the HESI exam, comma splices are a common error pattern to recognize. A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses (complete sentences that could stand alone) are incorrectly joined by only a comma. Option A contains a comma splice: "The wound was cleaned thoroughly, then a sterile dressing was applied." Both parts before and after the comma are complete sentences. "The wound was cleaned thoroughly" is independent, and "then a sterile dressing was applied" is also independent. You cannot join two independent clauses with just a comma—this creates the comma splice error. Option B is correct because "After cleaning the wound" is a dependent clause (it cannot stand alone), followed by the independent clause "the nurse applied a sterile dressing." No comma splice exists here. Option C uses a compound predicate structure: "The nurse cleaned the wound and applied a sterile dressing." This is one sentence with two actions performed by the same subject, properly connected with "and." Option D contains a relative clause: "The wound, which had been cleaned, was covered with a dressing." The phrase "which had been cleaned" is a dependent clause providing additional information about the wound, correctly set off by commas. To fix comma splices, you can use a semicolon, add a coordinating conjunction after the comma (and, but, or, etc.), or separate the clauses into two sentences. Remember: if you can put a period where the comma is and create two complete sentences, you've found a comma splice.

Question 18

Which of the following sentences has a boundary error?

  1. The patient was prescribed a diuretic; therefore, his urine output was monitored closely.
  2. The patient was prescribed a diuretic, therefore, his urine output was monitored closely. (correct answer)
  3. Because the patient was prescribed a diuretic, his urine output was monitored closely.
  4. The patient's urine output was monitored closely because he was prescribed a diuretic.
Explanation: When you encounter punctuation questions on the HESI, focus on how independent clauses are connected. A boundary error occurs when two complete sentences are improperly joined, creating confusion about where one thought ends and another begins. Option B contains a boundary error because it uses a comma to separate two independent clauses with the transitional word "therefore." The sentence "The patient was prescribed a diuretic" is complete, and "therefore, his urine output was monitored closely" is also complete. When connecting independent clauses with transitional words like "therefore," "however," or "consequently," you need either a semicolon before the transition or a period to separate the clauses entirely. Option A correctly uses a semicolon before "therefore," properly linking the two independent clauses. This creates a clear boundary while showing the logical relationship between the ideas. Option C correctly uses a dependent clause structure with "Because," making the first part incomplete without the second clause. Since there's only one independent clause, no boundary issues exist. Option D simply reverses the order while maintaining proper sentence structure with one independent clause and one dependent clause connected by "because." The key strategy for HESI punctuation questions is identifying independent versus dependent clauses. Independent clauses can stand alone as sentences, while dependent clauses cannot. When you see transitional words connecting two complete thoughts, check whether they're properly separated with semicolons or periods rather than just commas.

Question 19

Identify the sentence fragment.

  1. Before administering any medication to a patient. (correct answer)
  2. Always check the patient's identity before administering medication.
  3. The nurse checked the patient's identity, and then she administered the medication.
  4. Checking a patient's identity is a critical step before administering medication.
Explanation: When you encounter grammar questions on the HESI, you need to distinguish between complete sentences and sentence fragments. A complete sentence must have both a subject and a predicate (verb) and express a complete thought. Option A is correct because "Before administering any medication to a patient" is a dependent clause that begins with the subordinating conjunction "before." This creates an incomplete thought that leaves you waiting for the main clause. It has no independent subject performing a complete action, making it a classic sentence fragment. Let's examine why the other options are complete sentences: Option B contains a subject ("you" implied in the imperative) and a complete predicate ("check"), expressing a full command. Option C is a compound sentence with two independent clauses properly joined by "and" - "The nurse checked the patient's identity" and "she administered the medication." Both parts have subjects and predicates. Option D uses a gerund phrase "Checking a patient's identity" as the subject, followed by the predicate "is a critical step," creating a complete thought about the importance of this nursing action. The key trap here is that fragments often sound professional or formal, especially those beginning with subordinating conjunctions like "before," "after," "while," or "because." These create dependent clauses that need main clauses to complete the thought. Remember: On HESI grammar questions, always check that each sentence has both a subject and predicate and can stand alone as a complete thought. Beware of dependent clauses masquerading as complete sentences.

Question 20

Which of the following options contains a sentence fragment?

  1. The nursing student practiced inserting a catheter. A difficult but necessary skill for clinical rotations. (correct answer)
  2. Learning to insert a catheter is a difficult but necessary skill for all nursing students in clinicals.
  3. The nursing student found catheter insertion to be difficult, yet it was a necessary skill.
  4. Practice is required to master difficult skills, such as inserting a catheter for the first time.
Explanation: When you encounter questions about sentence fragments, you're being tested on your ability to identify incomplete sentences that lack either a subject, a predicate, or don't express a complete thought. Option A contains a sentence fragment. The first sentence "The nursing student practiced inserting a catheter" is complete, but "A difficult but necessary skill for clinical rotations" is a fragment. This phrase lacks a verb and doesn't express a complete thought—it's a noun phrase that describes the catheter insertion but can't stand alone as a sentence. Let's examine why the other options are incorrect. Option B presents a complete sentence with a subject ("Learning to insert a catheter"), verb ("is"), and complete predicate that expresses a full thought. Option C is a compound sentence properly connecting two independent clauses with "yet"—both parts have subjects and verbs forming complete thoughts. Option D is also a complete sentence with a subject ("Practice"), verb ("is required"), and includes additional detail with the prepositional phrase "such as inserting a catheter for the first time." The fragment in option A could be corrected by either combining it with the first sentence using a comma ("The nursing student practiced inserting a catheter, a difficult but necessary skill") or by adding a verb to make it complete ("It is a difficult but necessary skill"). For HESI success, remember that sentence fragments often appear as descriptive phrases following complete sentences. Look for groups of words missing either a subject, verb, or complete thought—these signal fragments you need to identify.