Verbal Reasoning Question Types

 A question we have often been asked is “What are the type of Verbal Reasoning Questions for my LEA/School”. And if you do a quick search you will find a lot of sites out there offering advice and suggestions on just that. But irrespective of what these sites (or tutors) claim, and would have you believe, there is no straightforward or easy answer.

Most material providers and publishers classify their VR questions into 21 distinct types. Although the classification is generally the same, depending on where you look and whom you ask, the numbering scheme varies. I have also found at least 3 sources claiming to be “the first ones to classify” these questions!

The table below provides a list of “Standard VR Questions” used on 11PlusDIY.co.uk.

1	In the following question, find the letters that best complete the series.	TYPE-L : Complete alphabet series
2	In the following question, words have been written in code. The first word and it's code has been given to you. You must find the second word or code.	TYPE-C : Alphabet Code
3	You have been given four words and three codes. The codes are not necessarily written in the same order as the words and one code is missing. Once you have figured out which code belongs to which word, answer the question below.	TYPE-N : Word series Code
4	In the question below, the pairs of letters are related in some way. Write the letters which complete the second relationship. The alphabet has been provided to assist you.	TYPE-U : Word relationship
5	In each of the following question, the word in brackets in the second group must be made from the words outside the brackets in the same way as the word in brackets in the first group is made from the words outside the brackets in the first group. Find the missing word.	TYPE-R : Create word
6	In the following question there are three pairs of words. You must complete the third pair in the same way as the first two pairs.	TYPE-O : Complete word pairs
7	In the following question, one word, which is in capitals, has had three OR four consecutive letters taken out. These 3 or 4 letters will make one correctly spelt word without changing the order. Find the appropriate 3 or 4 letter word.	TYPE-F : Find the word
8	In the following question, you are given a sentence in which a four letter word is hidden at the end of one word and the beginning of the next word. Find the pair of words that contain a real four letter word and write the four letter word in the answer.	TYPE-E : Hidden word in sentence
9	In the following question, you are given two words. Choose one letter that can be moved from the word on the left to the word on the right, making two new words. You cannot rearrange any letters, but the letter that you move can fit anywhere in the second word.	TYPE-J : Rearrange to make new word
10	In the following question, find the one letter that will complete the word in front of the brackets and begin the word after the brackets. The same letter must fit into both sets of brackets.	TYPE-A : Insert A Letter
11	In the following question, find the two words, one from each group, that together make a new, real word. The word from the first group always comes first.	TYPE-Q : Form new word
12	In the following questions, find two words, one from each group that are most opposite in meaning.	TYPE-H : Opposites
13	In the following questions, find two words, one from each group that are most similar in meaning.	TYPE-D : Synonyms
14	In the following questions, find the two words that are different from the other three.	TYPE-B : Find the odd word
15	In the following questions you must chose two words, one from each group in brackets that best complete the sentence.	TYPE-M : Complete sentence
16	In the question below there are two pairs of words. Choose the word from the 5 possible answers which goes equally well with both the pairs.	TYPE-S : Pick the word in set
17	For the following question, numbers have been allocated to letters. Work out the answer to the sum and mark the appropriate letter on the answer sheet or in the space provided.	TYPE-G : Sums with alphabets
18	For the following question, find the number that best completes the series.	TYPE-P : Number series
19	In the following question, the numbers in the last group must be related to each other in the same way as the numbers in previous group(s). Find the missing number.	TYPE-K : Number relationship
20	In the following questions, find the number that best completes the sum.	TYPE-I : Complete the sum
21	Answer the following:	TYPE-Z : Answer the following

The last type is the “Catch-All” and generally includes Logic questions where the student has to read the question and comprehend the logic before answering. You can find examples of each type separately on our Free Downloads section. I would strongly recommend that parents introduce children to these formats one at time.

But the question still remains on how relevant this breakdown and question types are and can you prepare your child only for these types. The answer is a resounding No! There is no guarantee that these are the only types that your school will include in the exams. So the best strategy is to try and practice as many as different types as possible. A good example is the midlands exam this year where VR made a surprisingly small amount of contribution.

11PlusDIY has an additional 23 types other than these 21 types of VR questions which we use in our online question bank and practice papers. Some of these are variants of these standard types and other are different but have often appeared in the 11 plus exams.