11+ verbal reasoning
Verbal reasoning asks a child to think with words and letters: patterns in the alphabet, codes, hidden words and what words mean. Here are the 21 kinds of question it’s usually taught as, each worked through, with free practice marked straight away.
What verbal reasoning is
Verbal reasoning questions test how a child works with language rather than what they’ve learned at school. They find a letter that fits two words, crack a code, spot the word that means the same, or put clues in order. None of it is taught as a school subject, so a child who knows the kinds of question, and a reliable way to answer each, has a real head start.
Most questions are multiple choice, set in runs of the same kind with one instruction above them. Some tests ask for the answer to be written instead.
Who sets it
Many 11+ tests set by GL Assessment include verbal reasoning, alongside English, maths and non-verbal reasoning, and so does the ISEB Common Pre-Test that many independent schools use. So do Quest Assessments’ tests for Bexley and Wirral, and Kent’s from September 2027. CSSE’s tests and many of FSCE’s don’t include it: they’re mostly English and maths. Check the admissions page of each school you’re applying to.
The 21 kinds it’s usually taught as
The alphabet
Counting along the alphabet, letter by letter.
Letters in words
One letter added, moved or changed to make words.
Making words
Words hidden, joined, cut short or turned round.
- Making words
Hidden words
A four-letter word across two words in a sentence.
- Making words
Compound words
One word from each group, joined into a new one.
- Making words
Missing three letters
Three letters taken out of a word, spelling a word.
- Making words
Complete the third pair
The same change made to a third word.
What words mean
Same meanings, opposites, links and odd ones out.
- What words mean
Closest in meaning
The word that means the same, not the opposite.
- What words mean
Opposite meanings
The word most nearly opposite, not the same.
- What words mean
Two odd ones out
The two words that don’t go with the other three.
- What words mean
Word analogies
"A is to B as C is to?", said as a sentence.
- What words mean
One word, two meanings
One word that fits two pairs with different meanings.
Codes
Words written in letters or numbers.
Number puzzles
Series, missing numbers and letters for numbers.
Try ten mixed questions
Ten verbal reasoning questions
Two kinds of question, five of each, as the paper sets them. A new set every time, marked when you finish.
Have paper and a pencil ready for working out.
How to practise
One kind at a time
Ten questions of one kind teach the method. Mixed papers come later.
Keep the alphabet in view
The paper prints it at the top. Count along it with a finger or a pencil.
Go over every mistake
Find the step that slipped, then try one like it straight away.
Write things down
Jumps between numbers, a letter table for a code, a line for a race.
Save the clock for later
Speed comes with the methods. Practise against the clock near the test.
With Exam Prep, Thena sets practice papers in your child’s test’s style and goes over every mistake with them on her board: £49 a month with the Solo plan.
Questions about verbal reasoning
What is verbal reasoning in the 11+?
Verbal reasoning tests how well a child thinks with words and letters: spotting patterns in the alphabet, cracking codes, finding hidden words and working out what words mean. It isn’t a school subject, so knowing the kinds of question and a way to answer each helps a lot.
Which 11+ tests have verbal reasoning?
Many 11+ tests set by GL Assessment include verbal reasoning, and so does the ISEB Common Pre-Test that many independent schools use. Some areas and schools test only English and maths, so check the admissions page of each school you’re applying to.
How many kinds of verbal reasoning question are there?
It’s usually taught as 21 kinds of question, from inserting a letter to sorting information. Each has a method that makes it quicker and surer once it’s been practised.
How should my child practise verbal reasoning?
A little and often: ten questions of one kind at a time, going over every mistake, does more than a long paper. Save mixed papers against the clock for nearer the test.
Is verbal reasoning the same as English?
No. An English paper tests reading, spelling, punctuation and grammar. Verbal reasoning uses words too, but it’s about patterns and logic, so even a keen reader can find it new at first.
More on the 11+
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She works one through on her board, then gives your child one like it to try, and goes over every mistake until the method sticks.
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