Folstein Language 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What must the patient spontaneously write in the MMSE writing task?
- Their own name
- A sentence of their choosing (Correct answer)
- The examiner's name
- The date
Correct answer: A sentence of their choosing
The patient must write any complete, meaningful sentence spontaneously — it must have a subject and a verb to be scored correctly.
Question 2: What is NOT required for a correct score on the MMSE writing task?
- A subject
- A verb
- Correct spelling (Correct answer)
- A complete thought
Correct answer: Correct spelling
Spelling errors do not disqualify the sentence; the writing task only requires a subject, verb, and a meaningful complete sentence.
Question 3: How many points is the MMSE naming task worth in total?
- 1
- 2 (Correct answer)
- 3
- 4
Correct answer: 2
The naming task presents two objects and awards one point for each correctly named, for a maximum of 2 points.
Question 4: Which phrase is used in the MMSE repetition subtest?
- She sells seashells by the seashore
- No ifs, ands, or buts (Correct answer)
- The quick brown fox
- All that glitters is not gold
Correct answer: No ifs, ands, or buts
'No ifs, ands, or buts' is the standard repetition phrase in the original Folstein MMSE.
Question 5: If a patient is physically unable to close their eyes due to paralysis, how should the examiner score the reading item?
- Score 0 automatically
- Mark as untestable and exclude from total (Correct answer)
- Score 1 if the patient can read the card aloud
- Substitute another reading task
Correct answer: Mark as untestable and exclude from total
Items that cannot be completed due to physical limitations should be marked as untestable rather than scored as failures.
Question 6: Which MMSE language item involves following a written instruction?
- Repetition
- Naming
- Reading comprehension (Correct answer)
- Three-stage command
Correct answer: Reading comprehension
The reading comprehension item requires the patient to read a written command ('CLOSE YOUR EYES') and act on it.
Folstein Language 2
What must the patient spontaneously write in the MMSE writing task?