There are many types of 11plus Verbal Reasoning questions but there tend to be 21 Verbal Reasoning question types that are most often used in some format or other by Local Education Authorities and schools as part of their 11plus exam.
11plus Verbal Reasoning Books provide practice around problem-solving based around words and language. These question types require your child to have a wide vocabulary which they can apply quickly and accurately to the wide variety of Verbal Reasoning questions that they will be faced with.
Your child must be able to find words with the closest meaning or closest opposite meaning - synonyms or antonyms. They must be able to complete words by adding one or two letters.
More complex questions require them to apply logical deduction having been given some information. This logical deduction is often one of the common 11plus question types that children find most difficult.
A logical deduction question requires a lot of teaching and learning for both parent and child.
If you feel up to it try this –
Eleanor, Ruth, Ann and Melanie are four women. Eleanor, Ruth and Melanie own a sports car. Ann owns a van. Eleanor’s and Melanie’s vehicles are red and the other vehicles are green. Ruth and Melanie have radios in their vehicles the others do not have a radio.
What colour is Melanie’s sport car? (________________) Who has a red sports car without a radio? (________________) What colour is the van? (________________) How many vehicles are red and have a radio? (________________)
Not only is this type of question demanding it also requires your child to work very quickly.
Other question types will ask your child to find small words hidden within a larger word. To answer these and other word based questions successfully your child needs a wide vocabulary gained by reading a variety of resources and revision materials.
While most of the commonly used 11plus Verbal Reasoning question types are English based some are maths based.
Number series is a good example and this question type demands quick recall of a variety of number facts.
Try these with each question following a different rule.
Complete the sequences below.
2.5 5.0 7.5 10.0 (____________) 243 81 27 9 (____________) 39 43 46 48 (____________)
Again, your child must work quickly especially when in some versions of the 11plus exam they have to complete 100 questions in an hour.
With many schools and Local Education Authorities administering at least one 11plus Verbal Reasoning test the Learning Together books, on this site, provide practice tests in a wide range of Verbal Reasoning question types. Verbal Reasoning Books 1-4 contain 5 tests each with 85 questions.
The most difficult book, Challenge Tests, contains 3 tests of 100 questions. The How to do 11plus Verbal Reasoning book is a Step by Step guide explaining the skills and techniques needed to improve a child's skill in Verbal Reasoning. Answers are included with each book.
Below we provide details of the most commonly used 11plus Verbal Reasoning question and samples of each type. Please be aware that there are very many types of Verbal Reasoning questions including these 21 types.
The most common 11plus Verbal Reasoning question types and samples.
Type 1 - Add a letter to make four words.
rop (?) ver AND tre (?) at
In this question type you must add one letter that will create four new words, the same letter must be used in both sets of brackets and must complete the word in front of the brackets and the word after the bracket.
Type 2- 2 words that do not go with the other 3. (Related words.)
PEAR APPLE PLUM RUBY DIAMOND
In this question type you are given five words. Three of these words are connected in some way. Two words do not go with the other three. You must select these two words from the five that you are given.
Type 3 - Codes using letters.
In a certain code the word HOME is written as IPNF.
What is HOUSE in code?
There are a wide variety of possible codes that can be used in this question type. Some of these codes can be very complicated while others are much simpler and easier to work out. In this question type you may be asked to change code words into English or an English word into a code word.
Type 4 - Two words with a similar meaning.
Select two words, one from each group, that are closest to each other in meaning.
( close, door, hear ) ( open, near, here )
There are other question types that are like this question. Another question type asks you to select the OPPOSITE word; while yet another question type asks you to find a LINK or CONNECTION between words. You must make sure that you are focusing on answering the correct question type. In this question type you are asked to select two words, one from each group, that are closest to each other in meaning.
Type 5 – Find a 4 Letter Word Hidden in a Sentence.
Find the four-letter word that is hidden in this sentence.
After the third time and fourth time he gave up.
This question type requires you to know lots of four letter words. You will probably know most of these words and their meanings. In this question type you are asked to find a four-letter word that is hidden in a sentence. The hidden word will be spread over two consecutive words.
Type 6 – Find the 3 Letter Word Missing From a Larger Word.
A sentence starts with a C A _ _ _ A L letter.
In this question type you are asked to find a three-letter word that is missing from a larger word. This question type requires you to know lots of three letter words that may be contained in larger words. The context of the sentence will help you find the larger word and then the smaller word that completes the larger word.
Type 7 - Sums Using Letters as Numbers.
A = 7 B = 2 C = 13 D = 4 E = 0 so B + D + A = ( ? ) Give your answer as a letter.
In this question type you are asked to calculate a sum and then to give your answer as a letter or sometimes as a number. This question type requires you to have a good grasp of many mathematical principles and to think about letters representing numbers. You must ensure that you read the question carefully so that you give your answer as a letter or number as required.
Type 8 - Move a Letter to Make 2 New Words.
(bread & root) Move the letter (___) to give (___________) and (___________)
In this question type you must move one letter from the left-hand word and place it somewhere in the right-hand word. When you do this, you must have created two new words.
Type 9 - Find the Next Letter in This Series.
Find the next letter in this series.
Y A C E ( ? )
In this question type you are asked to insert the next letter or letters into the series. Writing out the alphabet very quickly can be very helpful.
Type 10 - Goat is to Kid as Horse is to Foal – Word connections.
finger is to ( point hand nail ) as toe is to ( big foot heel )
In this question type you are asked to choose two words, one from each set of brackets that will complete the sentence in the most sensible way.
Type 11 - Number Series.
9 11 13 15 ( ? ) Find the next number in this series.
In this question type you are asked to insert the next number or numbers into the series. Writing out a line of numbers such as 1 - 20 can be very helpful as it may help you see the series. (Of course this may not be practical if the numbers are very large.)
Type 12 - Compound words.
In each question below a word from the first set of brackets joins one word from the second set of brackets to make a new word.
( late farm time ) ( over field yard )
In this question type you are asked to choose one small word from each of two sets of brackets that will join to make one larger word. This new word is known as a compound word.
Type 13 - Middle Word From Outside Words.
Find the missing word that fits into the second set of brackets.
cat ( sat ) soon car ( ? ) ball
In this question type you are asked to fill the space in the second set of brackets by creating the missing word in the same way that the word has been created in the first set of brackets.
Type 14 - Letter connections AB is to CD as EF is to GH.
Find the next two letters in this series.
DE is to GH as OP is to ( ? )
In these questions, you are trying to find a connection between two pairs of letters. There will be a pattern, like a series, to find in the first pair of letters. This pattern will be repeated in the second pair of letters.
Type 15 - Reading information or Logical Deduction.
List the children starting with the tallest.
Julie is taller than John but smaller than Joan
In this question type you are asked to read information which is given to you in a variety of formats. You are then asked to deduce (work out) the answers from the information that you have been given. These questions can be presented in many ways. Drawing a table to put the information into maybe helpful.
Type 16 - Opposite Words.
Select two words, one from each group, that are most opposite to each other in meaning.
( over through in ) ( out on beside )
In this question type you are asked to select two words, one from each group, that are most opposite to each other in meaning. There are other question types that are like this question. Another question type asks you to select the MOST SIMILAR word; while yet another question type asks you to find a LINK or CONNECTION between words. You must make sure that you are focusing on answering the correct question type.
Type 17 - Maths Equations (Complete the sum.)
Complete this sum by writing the correct number in the brackets.
2 + 2 = 3 + (?)
In this question type you are asked to complete the mathematical sum by inserting the correct answer in the brackets. The answer will go on one side of the equal sign to complete the sum.
Type 18 - Middle Number From Outside Numbers. (Related numbers.)
Find the number that will complete the third group of numbers in the same way.
5 (12) 7 4 (7) 3 2 ( ? ) 6
In this question type you are asked to complete the question by inserting the correct answer in the brackets. The answer is related to the two numbers that are either side of the brackets.
Type 19 - Codes Using Numbers As Letters in Words.
Here are four words, below the four words are three of the words written in a secret code. The codes may be in a different order from the words.
PACE CAPE PART TAPE
1234 3214 3267 What is TAPE in code?
In this question type you must work out a code. The code uses numbers as letters. You might have to change a code word into English or English word into code.
Type 20 - Complete The Third Word.
( acorn, corn ) ( alive, live ) ( aloft, ? )
In this question type you are asked to fill the space in the third set of brackets by creating the missing word in the same way that the word has been created in the first and second set of brackets.
Type 21 - Words With 2 Meanings.
( STY, FOLD ) ( PENCIL, BIRO )
HOUSE BRUSH PEN HOME PIG Which of these 5 words will fit into both brackets.
In this question type you are given five words. One of these words is connected in some way to the words in both sets of brackets. You must select one word from the five that you are given.