October 2026 - Text Features Study Guide

What each feature is for

Index or table of contents?

This is the distinction the exam tests most often, and the rule is short. A table of contents is at the front, follows the order of the book, and lists broad sections. An index is at the back, is alphabetical, and lists specific terms.

So: to see whether a textbook covers the cardiovascular system at all and where that chapter starts, use the contents. To find the three pages that mention the mitral valve specifically, use the index.

Using features to read faster

• Read headings before body text. Four headings tell you the structure in five seconds.
• Read captions before studying a chart. The caption states what the visual is claiming.
• Treat bold terms as the author's own list of what matters.
• Check a footnote when a claim looks surprising — the source is often the answer to the question being asked about it.

Terms to know

Text feature

Any element outside the running prose that helps a reader navigate or understand it.

Table of contents

A front-of-book list of sections in order, with page numbers.

Index

A back-of-book alphabetical list of specific terms, with page numbers.

Glossary

An alphabetical list of specialist terms with definitions.

Caption

Text accompanying an image or chart that explains what it shows.

Footnote

A note at the foot of a page giving a source or an aside.

Sidebar

A boxed section beside the main text carrying related material.

What the TEAS asks most

The same core ideas appear in different wording. If you can answer these without stopping to think, you have what this section requires.

Key points

• Text features carry information about organisation, before you read any prose.
• Contents: front, in order, broad. Index: back, alphabetical, specific.
• A glossary defines terms; an index only locates them.
• Captions state what a visual shows and should be read first.
• These questions ask where to look, not what the answer is.