12 word parts that decode a science term you have never seen

You are not expected to know every term. You are expected to take one apart.

The TEAS puts unfamiliar vocabulary in Science questions on purpose — it is testing whether you can break a word into parts. These twelve cover a large share of what appears.

1 hypo– / hyper–under / over. Hypokalemia is low potassium; hypertension is high pressure.

2 –emiain the blood. Anemia, hyperglycemia, bacteremia.

3 cardi–heart. Cardiomyopathy, tachycardia, myocardium.

4 –itisinflammation. Appendicitis, nephritis, dermatitis.

5 nephr– / ren–kidney. Nephron, renal artery, nephrectomy.

6 hepat–liver. Hepatitis, hepatic portal vein.

7 –ectomy / –otomyremoval / cutting into. Appendectomy removes; tracheotomy opens.

8 brady– / tachy–slow / fast. Bradycardia under 60, tachycardia over 100.

9 osteo–bone. Osteoporosis, osteocyte, osteoarthritis.

10 –osisa condition or process, usually abnormal. Acidosis, thrombosis.

11 endo– / exo–inside / outside. Endocrine secretes inward; exocrine through a duct.

12 –cytecell. Erythrocyte, leukocyte, osteocyte.

Split the word, translate each half, then read the options again. Most distractors fail on the prefix alone.

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