On this page you will find information about the Verbal Reasoning questions that form part of entrance exams for Stretford Grammar, Sale Grammar, Altrincham Boys Grammar School, Altrincham Girls Grammar School, Loreto and Ambrose College.
More information about entrance examinations for Trafford’s grammar schools can be found here. You can also call Better Tuition on 0161 748 3912 to book tuition, a FREE assessment or a practice entrance examination.
Verbal Reasoning Question Categories
Category A: Word Progression
1. Rearrange to make new words
Move one letter from the first word to the second word, to make two new words.
Example:
brain/ rake
Answer: b
New words = rain, brake
2. Insert a letter
The same letter must fit into both sets of brackets, to complete the word in front of the brackets and begin the word after the brackets.
Example:
cal (?) and
gul (?) air
Answer: l
New words = call, land, gull, lair
3. Make compound words
Choose two words, each from a list of three, to make a compound word.
Example:
(foot feel hold)
(card toe ball)
Answer: foot, ball (The word is football.)
4. Insert a word
Find the three letter word that will make the word in capitals complete.
Example:
The dog BED at the little boy.
Answer: ARK (The word in capitals is BARKED).
Category B: Selecting Words
1. Finding the odd one(s) out.
Which two words are different to the rest?
Example:
apple banana gravy rattle orange
Answer: gravy, rattle (all the rest are fruit).
2. Similarities
Find the two words closest in meaning.
Example:
(bag, boot, whistle)
(foot, apple, sack)
Answer: bag, sack
3. Hidden words
Find the pair of words that contains the hidden, four- letter word.
Example:
She went out.
Answer: went, out (the word is tout).
4. Analogies
Find the pair of words that relate together in the same way.
Example:
Apple is to (orange, fruit, tree)as carrot is to (red, potato, vegetable)
Answer: fruit, vegetable
Category C: Codes and Logic
1. Substitutions
In these questions, letters stand for numbers. Work out the answer to each sum.
Example:
If A = 2, B = 3, C = 4, D = 5 and E = 9, What is the answer to this sum written as a letter?
A + B + C = (?)
Answer = E
2. Alphabet sequences
Determine which pair of letters completes the analogy.
Example:
AB is to CD
As PQ is to (?)
Answer: RS
3. Numeric Sequences
Determine which number completes the sequence
Example:
2, 4, 6, 8, ____
Answer = 10
4. Worded logic puzzles
Solve the puzzle.
Example:
Toby and Tilly play tennis. Bob, William and Ruby play tennis and netball. James, William and Toby play rugby. Everyone likes cricket, except Ruby.
Who likes netball and rugby?
Answer: William
Category D: Relationships
1. Vocabulary
In these questions, two pairs of words are given. Only one of the possible answers given will go with both pairs equally well.
e.g. (light, blond) (just, unbiased)
Answer: fair
2. Number relationships
The three numbers in each group are related in the same way. Find the number that completes the last pair of words in the same way as the other two pairs.
e.g. (2 [8] 10)
(3 [?] 9)
Answer: 11 (subtract the first number from the last).
3. Make a new word
The missing word in the second group should be formed in the same way as the middle word in the first group.
(bat [bag] egg)
(ham [?] sit)
Answer: hat (use the first two letters of the first word and the last letter of the last word).
We hope this has been helpful to you: please don’t feel overwhelmed. There is a lot of ground to cover and at first it can seem daunting. Practice makes perfect and over time your child will really improve their scores. Please feel free to contact us if you would like to book a FREE assessment, some tuition or a practice test. You can download a FREE Better Tuition Verbal Reasoning paper here.
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