Verbal reasoning tests are one of the most important assessments used in modern recruitment, especially for banking, consulting, law, finance, tech, FMCG and graduate programmes.
Whether you’re applying to J.P. Morgan, Deloitte, KPMG, Unilever, Amazon, McKinsey, or public-sector roles, your verbal reasoning score will often be the first major filter before interviews.
This FREE expert guide gives you everything you need to succeed:
- What verbal reasoning tests really measure
- The exact question types you will face
- High-scoring techniques backed by cognitive psychology
- What recruiters expect
- The most common traps candidates fall into
- 5 practice questions modeled on SHL/Aon/Korn Ferry formats
- Answers + detailed explanations
By the end, you’ll know exactly how to outperform 90% of applicants.
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What Is a Verbal Reasoning Test?
A verbal reasoning test evaluates your ability to understand, interpret, and logically analyze written information, not your English grammar or vocabulary.
It specifically measures your ability to:
- Extract key facts from dense text
- Distinguish between facts, assumptions, and opinions
- Evaluate logical arguments
- Draw valid conclusions from evidence
- Identify contradictions or insufficient information
In other words:
It tests your ability to think clearly using written information, a core skill in nearly every professional job.
Who Uses Verbal Reasoning Tests?
Companies rely on these tests because research consistently shows that cognitive reasoning ability is one of the strongest predictors of workplace performance.
You’ll encounter verbal reasoning tests in:
Investment Banking
(HSBC, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, UBS)
Consulting
(BCG, Bain, McKinsey, often in combination with critical reasoning)
Big 4 Accounting Firms
(KPMG, PwC, EY, Deloitte)
Tech
(Amazon, Meta, Google for business roles)
FMCG & Corporate Industries
(Unilever, P&G, L’Oréal, Heineken)
Public-Sector Exams
(Civil service, EU competitions, international organizations)
The Psychology Behind Why Employers Use Them
Verbal reasoning tests are powerful because they measure:
- Analytical thinking
- Information processing speed
- Attention to detail
- Critical evaluation
- Judgement under pressure
Studies show that candidates with higher reasoning ability:
- Make fewer mistakes
- Solve problems more accurately
- Communicate more clearly
- Perform better in data-heavy roles
This is why verbal reasoning scores often determine whether you progress to interviews.
Types of Verbal Reasoning Questions (With Examples)
Let’s break down the most common formats you will face.
True / False / Cannot Say
This is the most widely used format by SHL, Aon/Cut-e, Talent Q, and Korn Ferry.
You read a short passage and decide whether the statement is:
- True → The passage explicitly supports it
- False → The passage contradicts it
- Cannot Say → Not enough information
This format is intentionally tricky as most mistakes happen because candidates:
- Assume information
- Use their outside knowledge
- Misread quantifiers (“some”, “few”, “most”)
Reading Comprehension (Multiple Choice)
Higher-level roles use this format.
You must:
- Infer meaning
- Identify the author’s argument
- Interpret subtle wording
- Recognize implied assumption
These often mimic GMAT/LSAT reading styles.
Critical Reasoning Logic
Used in:
- Consulting
- Legal assessments
- Strategic corporate roles
You may be asked:
- Which statement strengthens the argument?
- What assumption is necessary?
- Which conclusion can be drawn?
How Scoring Works
Most tests use:
- 💠 Percentile ranking
You are compared to thousands of other candidates. - 💠 Adaptive difficulty
In Talent Q tests, questions get harder if you answer correctly. - 💠 Speed penalties
Your time is measured.
Finishing too slowly or too quickly impacts your score.
The BIGGEST Mistakes Candidates Make
Here are the mistakes responsible for 80% of failed test attempts:
- ❌ Using prior knowledge
Everything must come only from the passage. - ❌ Forcing an answer when information is incomplete
If it’s not stated → Cannot Say. - ❌ Reading the passage fully
You don’t have time. - ❌ Relying on “feelings” or opinions
These tests are pure logic. - ❌ Misreading words like “may”, “often”, “rarely”, “only”, “always”
These are deliberate traps.
The 7 Most Effective Strategies (Used by Top Scorers)
Start With the Question, Not the Passage
Read what you’re looking for first.
This saves huge amounts of time.
Scan for Keywords
Names, dates, terms, comparisons.
This helps anchor your search in the text.
Treat the Passage as Data
Not a story —> a dataset.
Focus on relationships, claims, and evidence.
Eliminate Emotionally Attractive Answers
Test providers often include answers that “sound right” but are wrong.
Use the 3-Sentence Rule
If the justification requires more than 3 sentences of mental explanation, the answer is probably wrong.
Master “Cannot Say”
This is your secret weapon.
Strong candidates use it frequently.
Practice Under Real Timing
21 minutes for 30 questions = ~42 seconds each.
Timing is half the test.
FREE Practice Questions (Realistic SHL-Style)
These are intentionally designed to simulate real employer tests.
”A cross-national study examining digital assessment formats across 42 universities revealed mixed outcomes regarding the shift toward online final examinations. While the study reported that students completing online exams achieved marginally higher average scores than those sitting in-person tests, researchers cautioned that these performance differences could not be attributed to any single factor due to substantial variation in exam design, duration, and student demographics. The report also noted that although online exams were generally perceived as more accessible for students with mobility impairments, no systematic evaluation was conducted on the broader accessibility implications for other student groups. Critics of online exams continue to argue that the reduced physical supervision in remote settings inherently increases opportunities for academic dishonesty; however, the study itself found insufficient evidence to confirm or refute this claim.”
Statement:
Online exams were shown to directly improve student grades across all universities included in the study.
Answer Options: True / False / Cannot Say
Show solution
Correct Answer: False
Explanation
This statement makes two claims:
- Direct improvement (implies causation)
- Across all universities (universal claim)
The passage only says:
- Students taking online exams had “marginally higher average scores.”
- Researchers explicitly caution that these differences cannot be attributed to any single cause.
This means:
- There is correlation, not causation → so “directly improve” is incorrect.
- The statement generalizes to all universities, which is unsupported.
Therefore the statement is False, not “Cannot Say,” because the statement contradicts the passage by asserting proven causation, which the passage denies.
Statement: The study confirmed that online exams increase cheating due to reduced supervision.
Show solution
Correct Answer: False
Explanation
Critics argue that reduced supervision increases opportunities for cheating. But the study “found insufficient evidence to confirm or refute this claim.”
Therefore:
- The study did not confirm increased cheating.
- The statement directly contradicts the passage.
This makes the statement False, not “Cannot Say,” because the passage explicitly states the opposite.
Statement:
Online exams were shown to be more accessible for students with a variety of disabilities.
Show solution
Correct Answer: Cannot Say
Explanation
The passage states:
- Online exams were “generally perceived as more accessible for students with mobility impairments.”
- “No systematic evaluation was conducted on the broader accessibility implications for other student groups.”
Key logic:
- The statement claims “students with a variety of disabilities” → broad group.
- The passage only supports accessibility for mobility impairments, which is a specific subset.
- There is no evidence about other disability groups.
Therefore: We cannot say whether accessibility is higher for disability groups beyond mobility impairments → Cannot Say.
Statement:
Variation in exam design was one reason the researchers avoided attributing performance differences to a single factor.
Show solution
Correct Answer: True
Explanation
The passage says researchers avoided attributing performance differences to a single factor because there was:
- Substantial variation in exam design
- exam duration
- student demographics
Thus, variation in exam design is explicitly listed as one of the reasons. This matches the statement exactly → True.
Question:
Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the critics’ argument that online exams increase cheating?
Options:
- A. A separate study found that online exam formats reduce stress for the majority of students.
- B. Several universities reported improved student satisfaction after implementing online exams.
- C. A controlled experiment showed that cheating attempts were lower in monitored online exams than in traditional in-person settings.
- D. Students who preferred online exams tended to perform better in coursework as well.
Show solution
Correct Answer: C
Explanation
Critics claim:
➡️ “Reduced physical supervision in online exams inherently increases cheating.”
To weaken this argument, we need evidence showing that:
- Cheating is not higher in online settings
- Or that supervision can be effective even online
Option C states:
“Cheating attempts were lower in monitored online exams than in traditional in-person settings.”
This directly weakens the critics’ argument because:
- It contradicts the assumption that online = more cheating
- It shows that effective monitoring exists
- It demonstrates lower cheating than the format critics trust more
Why other options fail:
- A → Stress reduction is irrelevant to cheating.
- B → Student satisfaction does not relate to dishonesty.
- D → Performance preference correlation does not address cheating behavior.
Thus, C is the only option that directly attacks the logical foundation of the critics’ claim.
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