What are Verbal Reasoning Tests & Top Tips to Pass

What is a verbal reasoning test?

A verbal reasoning test is a type of psychometric test that aims to measure someone’s ability to comprehend written information. The format is often a brief passage of text followed by true, false, and cannot say questions. It determines how well you understand the language and make logical conclusions based on the passages’ content. This is useful to learn for jobs that require comprehension and logical reasoning capabilities.

A candidate’s verbal reasoning skills can be challenging to assess from just solely reading a CV. Hence, many companies across a wide range of industries use verbal reasoning tests as part of their assessment process. These may include law, engineering, retail, marketing, finance, consulting, and the civil service. Below are some of the companies that use verbal reasoning tests.

What should you expect?

Verbal reasoning tests typically use a multiple-choice format. You will be presented with various written scenarios in the form of brief passages or essays. Based on these scenarios, you will be asked to answer questions that may not be related to the job you are applying for. Hence, you can expect the questions to be more logical than practical. Your task is to select the correct answer for each question based on your understanding of the instructions and scenarios.

The test focuses more on your understanding of the information presented rather than your ability to write fluently. The test will also be timed so you need to be efficient when processing the information and making high-quality judgments. These evaluation techniques help employers gauge your capacity to digest information quickly, distinguish facts from inference, and demonstrate basic comprehension.

How to prepare?

When it comes to verbal reasoning tests, understanding the vocabulary and phrasing used is necessary but not enough. It also requires you to use logical thinking to answer questions. Hence, preparation is essential to enhance your verbal reasoning skills and your chances of performing well during the actual test.

The basic framework for the verbal reasoning test is always the same. However, the presentation, the number of questions, and the layout may vary depending on the test provider.

So, once you’ve determined you’ll be taking the verbal reasoning test, try to find out what verbal assessment provider your target employer uses. If the information is not freely available on the company’s website, you may reach out to the recruitment team and see if they can provide you with the information.

Taking practice tests is one of the most effective ways to prepare for a verbal reasoning test. This will allow you to become familiar with the test format, work pace needed, and question types you may encounter in the actual test. In the employer’s website career section, you may find a couple of mock tests or questions that can help you practice and understand the test pattern. You may also use external resources for your practice test, such as the following.

Top Tips

1.   Look for quiet spots with a stable internet connection

Having a focused mind is essential for succeeding in a verbal reasoning test. So, if you are not required to take the test in a testing centre, choose a quiet location. Remove physical distractions such as clutter and gadgets. These will allow you to concentrate on the test at hand. Moreover, make sure you have a stable Wi-Fi, as a poor connection may impact the completion of your test.

2.   Take the time to understand the questions

Before jumping into the actual test, make sure to read all the instructions carefully. Doing so will give you a sense of the format, the quantity of the questions, and the time allotted to finish the test. This information will enable you to determine how much time you will have to answer each question within the time limit. Additionally, it will also help ensure you don’t miss vital information that may cost your chances of progressing to the next round of the hiring process.

3.   Interpret the passage as literally as possible

In most cases, everything you need to answer the questions is contained in the passage. So, make sure to use only the information provided in the test. Do not rely on your prior knowledge of the topic regardless of the inaccuracy of the details presented in the passage. Instead, always go by the information provided in the test when answering the questions.

4.   Move on if the question is too challenging

In most cases, the verbal reasoning test will be under a strict time constraint. Hence, effectively managing your time for each question is imperative. Avoid spending more time than necessary on any question. If you find the question too challenging, move on to another one and come back to it at the end if you have time. If the test doesn’t give you an option to come back to a question, make a smart guess and proceed to the next one.

5.   Keep your cool

Taking a strictly timed verbal reasoning test can be stressful. While this is normal, managing your anxiety is essential to ensure you will be at your best during the entire test. A deep breathing exercise is a simple and effective way to help you reverse your stress response. It sends a signal to your brain to calm down and helps you maintain a clear mind and logical thinking. Apart from this, treating the passage as if it were an enjoyable story rather than a test can help you keep calm and grasp the context better.