TEAS 7 Select-All-That-Apply (SATA): How to Answer Correctly
By Dr. James Okafor, Ph.D. · Updated March 11, 2026
Utilize the True/False Isolation Method. Cover up all the answers, evaluate Option A independently, and select it if true. Forget about Option A, and evaluate Option B independently. Trust your initial instinct without second-guessing.
Select-All-That-Apply (SATA) questions are one of the trickiest formats on the TEAS 7 — and they appear across all four sections. Unlike regular multiple choice, you must identify every correct option to get full credit. Here's how to approach them strategically.
How SATA Questions Work
A SATA question looks like a standard multiple-choice question, but the instructions tell you to "select all that apply." Instead of picking one correct answer from four options, there may be 2, 3, 4, or even 5 correct answers out of 5–6 options.
The challenge: partial credit is limited or nonexistent. If a question has 3 correct answers and you select only 2, you may receive zero credit. You must identify all correct options and avoid selecting incorrect ones.
Where SATA Questions Appear
- Science: "Which of the following are functions of the respiratory system?" (select all that apply)
- English: "Which sentences contain a grammatical error?" (select all that apply)
- Reading: "Which statements are supported by the passage?" (select all that apply)
- Math: Less common, but may appear in data interpretation questions
6 Proven SATA Strategies
1. Evaluate Each Option Independently
The biggest mistake students make is trying to compare options against each other. Instead, treat each option as a standalone true/false question. Ask yourself: "Is this option correct on its own?" If yes, select it. If no, leave it.
2. Don't Look for Patterns
There is no "trick" number of correct answers. Sometimes 2 options are correct; sometimes 5 are. Don't assume "it's probably 3" or "it can't be all of them." Each question is different.
3. Read Every Option Completely
SATA options often include subtle qualifiers like "always," "never," "only," or "sometimes." An option that seems correct at first glance may be wrong because of one qualifying word. Read each option to the very last word.
4. Eliminate Definitively Wrong Options First
Start by crossing out any options you know are absolutely incorrect. This narrows your focus to the remaining options and reduces cognitive load.
5. When Unsure, Lean Toward Including
If you're genuinely torn on whether an option is correct, the penalty for over-selecting is generally lower than for under-selecting (since you need all correct answers for full credit). When in doubt between including or excluding a borderline option, consider including it.
6. Flag and Return
SATA questions take longer than standard multiple choice. If a SATA question is taking more than 2 minutes, flag it and move on. Come back to it after you've finished the easier questions in the section. Don't let one SATA question eat the time you need for five multiple-choice questions.
🪑 From the Tutor's Desk
Last semester, a student named Priya was consistently scoring 70% on her SATA practice sets. When I watched her work through a question, I saw the problem immediately: she was reading all five options, picking the one that "felt most correct," and then looking for one more to add. She was treating it like "pick the best two" instead of evaluating each option independently. Once she switched to the true/false mindset — covering the other options with her hand and asking "is THIS one correct on its own?" — her SATA accuracy jumped to 90% within a week. The technique sounds almost too simple, but that mental habit of comparing options is deeply ingrained from years of regular multiple choice.
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