HESI A2 Reading Comprehension Study Guide and Tips
The HESI A2 Reading Comprehension section measures how well you understand and interpret written passages. Questions may ask you to identify a passage’s main idea, recognize supporting details, determine an author’s purpose or tone, make logical inferences, or understand words in context.
Reading comprehension can feel subjective, but the correct answer must be supported by the passage. Your goal is to separate what the text states or implies from what you already know or believe.
Find the main idea
The main idea is the central point the author wants to communicate. It should account for the passage as a whole rather than one isolated detail.
Ask yourself:
- What is the passage mostly about?
- What point connects the major supporting details?
- What does the author want the reader to understand?
A title or opening sentence may offer a clue, but the main idea is not always stated directly. Read the entire passage before choosing an answer.
Separate supporting details from the central point
Supporting details explain, illustrate, or provide evidence for the main idea. A detail may be accurate without being broad enough to represent the entire passage.
When two options seem reasonable, ask which one summarizes the passage and which one describes only a single example.
Identify the author’s purpose
The author’s purpose explains why the passage was written. Common purposes include:
- To inform or explain
- To describe
- To persuade
- To compare or contrast
- To give instructions
- To entertain
Look at the passage’s structure and word choice. A passage filled with facts and definitions is likely informative, while a passage presenting a position and supporting arguments may be persuasive.
Recognize tone
Tone reflects the author’s attitude toward the subject. Tone may be objective, concerned, critical, optimistic, skeptical, humorous, or persuasive.
Pay attention to:
- Descriptive words and adjectives
- Positive or negative connotations
- Whether the author presents information neutrally
- Whether the author is trying to influence the reader
Base your answer on specific language in the passage, not on how the topic makes you feel.
Make evidence-based inferences
An inference is a conclusion supported by information in the passage, even if the author does not state it directly.
Before selecting an inference, ask:
- Which facts in the passage support this conclusion?
- Does the answer require an assumption the passage never provides?
- Is the wording stronger or broader than the evidence allows?
A reasonable-sounding answer is not necessarily correct. The best answer stays within the boundaries of the text.
Distinguish facts from opinions
A fact can be verified with evidence. An opinion expresses a belief, judgment, or preference.
Watch for words such as best, worst, should, unfair, or beautiful, which may indicate a judgment. However, do not assume every strongly worded sentence is an opinion; determine whether evidence could verify the statement.
Use context clues
When asked about an unfamiliar word, examine the sentences around it. Definitions, examples, contrasts, synonyms, and cause-and-effect relationships can reveal the intended meaning.
Substitute each answer option into the sentence and choose the meaning that best fits the passage.
HESI A2 reading strategies
- Read the question carefully and identify what it is asking.
- Return to the relevant portion of the passage.
- Predict the answer before reviewing the options.
- Eliminate choices contradicted by the passage.
- Reject answers that are too broad, too narrow, or based on outside knowledge.
- Select the answer with the strongest textual support.
Prepare with practice questions
Reading comprehension improves through repeated, focused practice. After each passage, explain why the correct answer is supported and why the other options are not.
Prepare for the HESI Admission Assessment with Pocket Prep. Practice passages and detailed answer explanations can help you strengthen the skills needed for the Reading Comprehension section.
