The three reporting areas of the TEAS Reading section: pulling out key ideas and details, analyzing craft and structure, and integrating knowledge across sources. Read each concept, study the worked example, then test yourself.
How to use this guide
Each area below gives the core skills, a worked example, and two practice questions. The answers follow each practice set, so cover them and try the questions first. A 10-question mixed set at the end blends all three areas like the real exam, with a full answer key.
Areas covered: Key Ideas & Details · Craft & Structure · Integration of Knowledge & Ideas · 16 practice questions
1. Key Ideas & Details
main idea · summary · inference · sequence
Key concepts
The main idea is what a whole passage is mostly about; supporting details are the facts and examples that back it up.
A theme is the deeper message or lesson (like “perseverance pays off”), while the topic is just the subject in a word or two.
An objective summary restates the main points briefly and includes no personal opinion.
Inferences are conclusions you draw using clues in the text plus logic — they must be supported by evidence.
Quick reference
Main idea = “What is the author mostly saying?” Detail = one supporting fact.
Summary: cover the main points, stay neutral, keep it short.
Sequence words — first, next, then, finally — signal the order of events.
Worked example
Passage: “Regular exercise strengthens the heart, improves mood, and helps with sleep. Even a short daily walk makes a difference.” Which is the main idea?
Ask what the whole passage is about — the benefits of regular exercise.
“Improves mood” and “helps with sleep” are supporting details, not the overall point.
The last sentence is an example, not the main idea.
Main idea: Regular exercise has several health benefits.
💡 Memory hook: Umbrella & raindrops. The main idea is the umbrella that covers the whole passage; the details are the raindrops underneath. If an answer choice only catches one raindrop, it’s a supporting detail — not the main idea.
Practice: Key Ideas & Details
The old lighthouse had guided ships safely for a century. When the town voted to tear it down, hundreds of residents signed a petition to save it, calling it the heart of their harbor.
1. Which of the following best states the main idea of the passage?
A. The lighthouse is 100 years old.
B. The town held a vote.
C. The community values the lighthouse and wants to preserve it.
D. Ships need lighthouses to be safe.
2. Based on that same passage, which conclusion can be inferred?
A. The lighthouse will definitely be destroyed.
B. The lighthouse no longer works.
C. The residents feel a strong emotional connection to the lighthouse.
D. Most residents want the lighthouse gone.
Answers and working
1 → C. The passage centers on residents rallying to save a lighthouse they treasure; the others are supporting details.
2 → C. Calling it “the heart of their harbor” and petitioning to save it implies a strong emotional attachment.
2. Craft & Structure
author's purpose · text structure · tone · word meaning
Key concepts
Author's purpose is usually to inform, persuade, entertain, or express feelings — ask what the author wants the reader to do or feel.
Text structure organizes ideas: sequence, cause & effect, compare & contrast, problem & solution, or description.
Point of view (first, second, third person) and tone (the author's attitude — hopeful, critical, sarcastic) shape how a text feels.
Denotation is a word's dictionary meaning; connotation is the feeling attached to it. Use context clues for unfamiliar words.
Quick reference
Signal words reveal structure: because/so (cause-effect), however/whereas (contrast), first/next (sequence).
Persuasive texts use opinions and calls to action; informational texts stick to facts.
Figurative language (simile, metaphor) is not meant literally.
Worked example
“The bridge was closed because floodwaters had weakened its supports; as a result, drivers had to take a longer route.” What text structure is used?
Look for signal words: “because” and “as a result.”
These words connect a reason to an outcome.
Structure: cause and effect.
💡 Memory hook: Every author serves PIE. An author’s purpose is almost always to Persuade, Inform, or Entertain. Decide which slice you’re being served and the purpose question answers itself.
Practice: Craft & Structure
1. An article ends, “Contact your senator today and demand cleaner air for our children.” What is the author's primary purpose?
A. To inform readers about air quality
B. To entertain readers with a story
C. To describe a senator's daily routine
D. To persuade readers to take action
After the long drought, the farmers watched the first rain with parched hope.
2. As used in the sentence, the word “parched” most nearly means:
A. Dried out and thirsty
B. Overflowing
C. Frozen
D. Colorful
Answers and working
1 → D. A direct call to action (“Contact… demand…”) signals a persuasive purpose.
2 → A. “Parched” means extremely dry or thirsty; the drought context confirms it.
3. Integration of Knowledge & Ideas
fact vs opinion · evaluating sources · text features
Key concepts
A fact can be proven true or false; an opinion expresses a belief or judgment (watch for “best,” “should,” “most”).
Evaluate an argument by checking its claim, its evidence, and whether the reasoning is logical — and watch for bias.
Judge a source's credibility by the author's expertise and use of verifiable evidence, not popularity or emotion.
Text features help you find information: an index lists page numbers, a glossary defines terms, and headings show organization.
Quick reference
Fact vs opinion: numbers, dates, and events = fact; value words = opinion.
Primary source = firsthand (a diary, a photo); secondary source = analysis of it (a textbook).
To find a definition fast, use the glossary; to find a topic's page, use the index.
Worked example
Which statement is an opinion? (a) “The library opens at 9 a.m.” (b) “The library is the best building in town.”
Statement (a) can be checked against posted hours — a fact.
Statement (b) uses the judgment word “best” — it can't be proven.
The opinion is (b): “The library is the best building in town.”
💡 Memory hook: Facts have figures; opinions have feelings. If you can measure it or look it up, it’s a fact. If it judges — best, should, most, worst — it’s an opinion.
Practice: Integration of Knowledge & Ideas
1. Which of the following statements is an opinion?
A. Water boils at 100°C at sea level.
B. The Pacific is the largest ocean.
C. Summer is the most enjoyable season.
D. A triangle has three sides.
2. A student wants to quickly find the definition of a term used in a textbook. Which text feature should they use?
A. The glossary
B. The index
C. The title page
D. The bibliography
Answers and working
1 → C. “Most enjoyable” is a judgment that cannot be proven; the others are verifiable facts.
2 → A. A glossary lists terms with their definitions; the index only gives page numbers.
★ Mixed practice: 10 TEAS-style questions
All three areas, like the real exam. Answer every question before checking the key below.
Sea turtles travel thousands of miles to return to the very beach where they hatched. Scientists believe they navigate using Earth's magnetic field.
1. Which of the following best states the main idea? (Key Ideas)
A. Sea turtles travel thousands of miles.
B. Scientists study sea turtles.
C. Beaches are important to turtles.
D. Sea turtles return to their birth beach, likely using Earth's magnetic field to navigate.
2. A pamphlet reads, “Recycling is easy, saves money, and protects wildlife — start today!” The author's purpose is to: (Craft)
A. Persuade readers to recycle
B. Entertain readers with a wildlife story
C. Describe how recycling plants work
D. Compare recycling to composting
3. Which of the following statements is a fact? (Integration)
A. Cats make better pets than dogs.
B. Winter is too cold.
C. The human heart has four chambers.
D. Everyone should learn to swim.
The hikers were elated when they finally reached the summit after the grueling climb.
4. As used above, the word “elated” most nearly means: (Craft)
A. Exhausted
B. Overjoyed
C. Nervous
D. Confused
Maria set three alarms, laid out her clothes the night before, and arrived at the interview twenty minutes early.
5. What can be inferred about Maria? (Key Ideas)
A. She is careless.
B. She is well prepared and takes the interview seriously.
C. She dislikes her job.
D. She overslept.
First, gather your materials. Next, measure and cut the fabric. Then, sew the pieces together. Finally, add the buttons.
6. Which text structure does this paragraph use? (Craft)
A. Sequence / chronological order
B. Compare and contrast
C. Cause and effect
D. Problem and solution
7. Which source is most credible for information about a new medication's side effects? (Integration)
A. A social-media post from a stranger
B. An advertisement for the medication
C. A celebrity's personal blog
D. A peer-reviewed medical journal
Another Monday, another mountain of forms to fill out. Wonderful.
8. The tone of this passage is best described as: (Craft)
A. Sincere and cheerful
B. Formal and neutral
C. Fearful
D. Sarcastic
9. Which of the following is a primary source about a historical battle? (Integration)
A. A textbook chapter about the battle
B. A soldier's letter written during the battle
C. An encyclopedia entry
D. A documentary made 50 years later
The recipe first has you cream butter and sugar, then beat in the eggs, then fold in the flour, and finally bake for 20 minutes.
10. Which is the best objective summary? (Key Ideas)
A. This is the best cookie recipe ever.
B. The recipe combines the ingredients in order and then bakes them.
C. Baking takes 20 minutes.
D. Butter and sugar are creamed first.
Answer key and explanations
# | Answer | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
1 | D | The passage as a whole explains that turtles return to their hatching beach and how they navigate; the others are single details. |
2 | A · Persuade | “Start today!” is a call to action, the mark of persuasion. |
3 | C | A four-chambered heart is verifiable; the rest are opinions. |
4 | B · Overjoyed | Reaching the summit after a hard climb signals joy; “elated” = overjoyed. |
5 | B | Setting alarms and arriving early imply careful preparation. |
6 | A · Sequence | “First… Next… Then… Finally” signal chronological order. |
7 | D | A peer-reviewed journal has expert review and verifiable evidence. |
8 | D · Sarcastic | “Wonderful” after complaining is verbal irony — a sarcastic tone. |
9 | B | A firsthand letter from the event is a primary source; the others analyze it later. |
10 | B | A good summary neutrally captures the ordered steps, without opinion or a single detail. |
Test yourself: free Reading quiz
Take these 16 questions as a timed quiz. You get a score at the end and a written explanation for every answer. The quiz is free; you just need a free Aspire account.
No account yet? Sign up free or log in first. Want full-length timed practice? See the ATI TEAS 7 Reading question bank.
Original Aspire Career Consultants study material for the ATI TEAS 7.