1.1: Verbal Reasoning Skills

Introduction	Verbal Reasoning Tests are used to assess your vocabulary, comprehension and grammar. Employers want to hire candidates who cannot only write and spell correctly, but those who can spot errors in miscommunication, produce clear prose and have an eye for meticulous detail. Please note we are not endorsing any particular tests and would encourage students to make use of any of the free tests available. For additional help with verbal skills, please contact the Academic Skills Centre
Question types	*Synonyms: identify two words that are closest in meaning or have the strongest connection* Example: Fix, Secure, Expose, Concoct, Rectify, Trouble (Answer: Fix & Rectify) Opposites: identify a word from a selection that means the opposite to one given Example: Replenish - a) Restock, b) Stock, c) Exhaust, d) Provide (Answer: c) Exhaust) *Finding a new word: find a four-letter word or words made from the end of one word and the beginning of another* Example: contest scientific ultimate (Answer: cult) Word swapping: a given sentence contains two words that must be swapped in order for it to make sense Example: A new hypothesis puts forward the human view that global warming in fact started thousands of years before the industrial revolution caused by unfashionable deforestation and farming. (Answer: human and unfashionable) *Sequencing: sentences within a passage must be reorganised in order for it to make sense* Example: (A) Food is important in other ways too. (B) Anything we can digest is food. (C) We get our energy and essential body nourishment from what we eat. (D) Because not having enough, the right sort or eating too much leads to bad health. (Answer: B,C,A,D) *Sentence completion: choose one from a pair of suggested words to complete the sentence* Example: Striking continued at/as the university yesterday after another round of negotiations with unions failed to reach a comparison/compromise. (Answer: at, compromise) General English usage: sentences contain missing words that need filling from a list of given options - these usually grapple with elements of grammar: word class, tense, verb/subject agreement etc. Example: You ___A___ earn a fortune to ___B___ such an expensive house! A: (1) mustn't, (2) might, (3) can't, (4) must, (5) can B: (1) live in, (2) lived, (3) living, (4) lived in (Answer: (4) must, (1) live in) *Error identification: spot the mistake in a given sentence or sentences, or confirm that no mistakes occur* Example: A: John usually drove real careful but the Police Officer was unimpressed that he had both broken the speed limit and jumped the red light. B: John usually drove really carefully but the Police officer was both unimpressed that he had broken the speed limit and jumped the red light. C: None is correct. (Answer: C) *Comprehension and statement evaluation: answer a series of true/false/can't tell optioned questions, based on information from a single passage* Example: Asia is the world's largest continent and stretches from the Baring Sea in the east to Turkey and Europe in the west. Its southern border comprises many islands, including those that make up Indonesia. Since independence of colonial powers Asian economies have boomed. First were Japan, Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea and later Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. More recently China and India have enjoyed rapid economic growth. The south-west and central parts of the continent are deserts. The Himalayan mountains divide the cold north from the tropical south. The people of Asia make up over two-thirds of the world's population and they live in the birthplace of the world's oldest civilizations. 1. Civilization began in the continent of Asia. A: True B: False C: Cannot tell 2. The colonial era was a disaster for Asia. A: True B: False C:Cannot tell 3. More of the world's population live in Asia than in any other continent. A: True B: False C: Cannot tell 4. Post-colonial growth first occurred in Singapore A: True B: False C: Cannot tell 5. The continent of Antarctica is smaller than Asia. A: True B: False C: Cannot tell (Answers: A, C, A, C, A)
Video	Verbal Reasoning and Comprehension - How To Ace Aptitude Tests 3/7. This is a clip that talks through the range of verbal reasoning tests and how you approach them.The clip is 13.33 minutes long and you can use the captions tab for subtitles. It gives you the opportunity to try out a passage and see how to get the correct answer.
Links and further reading	Verbalreasoningtest.Org: Test 1 Verbalreasoningtest.Org: Test 2 Verbalreasoningtest.Org: Test 3 Verbal Comprehension (Assessment Day) Verbal Reasoning 1 (Assessment Day) Verbal Reasoning 2 (Assessment Day) Verbal Ability - Spelling (PDF) (Psychometric Success) Verbal Ability - Word Meaning (Psychometric Success) Verbal Ability - Word Relationships (PDF) (Psychometric Success) Verbal Ability - Verbal Comprehension (Psychometric Success) Verbal Ability - Verbal Critical Reasoning (Psychometric Success) Please also see the LINKS page Please note we are not endorsing any particular tests and would encourage students to make use of any of the free tests available

Synonyms: identify two words that are closest in meaning or have the strongest connection

Example: Fix, Secure, Expose, Concoct, Rectify, Trouble

(Answer: Fix & Rectify)

Opposites: identify a word from a selection that means the opposite to one given

Example: Replenish - a) Restock, b) Stock, c) Exhaust, d) Provide

(Answer: c) Exhaust)

Finding a new word: find a four-letter word or words made from the end of one word and the beginning of another

Example: contest scientific ultimate

(Answer: cult)

Word swapping: a given sentence contains two words that must be swapped in order for it to make sense

Example: A new hypothesis puts forward the human view that global warming in fact started thousands of years before the industrial revolution caused by unfashionable deforestation and farming.

(Answer: human and unfashionable)

Sequencing: sentences within a passage must be reorganised in order for it to make sense

Example: (A) Food is important in other ways too. (B) Anything we can digest is food. (C) We get our energy and essential body nourishment from what we eat. (D) Because not having enough, the right sort or eating too much leads to bad health.

(Answer: B,C,A,D)

Sentence completion: choose one from a pair of suggested words to complete the sentence

Example: Striking continued at/as the university yesterday after another round of negotiations with unions failed to reach a comparison/compromise.

(Answer: at, compromise)

General English usage: sentences contain missing words that need filling from a list of given options - these usually grapple with elements of grammar: word class, tense, verb/subject agreement etc.

Example: You ___A___ earn a fortune to ___B___ such an expensive house!

A: (1) mustn't, (2) might, (3) can't, (4) must, (5) can

B: (1) live in, (2) lived, (3) living, (4) lived in

(Answer: (4) must, (1) live in)

Error identification: spot the mistake in a given sentence or sentences, or confirm that no mistakes occur

Example:

A: John usually drove real careful but the Police Officer was unimpressed that he had both broken the speed limit and jumped the red light.

B: John usually drove really carefully but the Police officer was both unimpressed that he had broken the speed limit and jumped the red light.

C: None is correct.

(Answer: C)

Comprehension and statement evaluation: answer a series of true/false/can't tell optioned questions, based on information from a single passage

Example:

Asia is the world's largest continent and stretches from the Baring Sea in the east to Turkey and Europe in the west. Its southern border comprises many islands, including those that make up Indonesia. Since independence of colonial powers Asian economies have boomed. First were Japan, Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea and later Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. More recently China and India have enjoyed rapid economic growth. The south-west and central parts of the continent are deserts. The Himalayan mountains divide the cold north from the tropical south. The people of Asia make up over two-thirds of the world's population and they live in the birthplace of the world's oldest civilizations.

1. Civilization began in the continent of Asia.

A: True

B: False

C: Cannot tell

2. The colonial era was a disaster for Asia.

A: True

B: False

C:Cannot tell

3. More of the world's population live in Asia than in any other continent.

A: True

B: False

C: Cannot tell

4. Post-colonial growth first occurred in Singapore

A: True

B: False

C: Cannot tell

5. The continent of Antarctica is smaller than Asia.

A: True

B: False

C: Cannot tell

(Answers: A, C, A, C, A)