Verbal Reasoning 11+ Tuition

1. Vocabulary and Word Meanings: Students may be asked to identify synonyms, antonyms, or the meaning of words in context.
2. Spelling and Grammar: Questions test the understanding of correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
3. Analogies and Relationships: These questions focus on the relationship between pairs of words, requiring students to complete analogies or identify similar patterns.
4. Word Patterns and Codes: Students might decode patterns or sequences involving letters and words, such as identifying a rule that links two words.
5. Sentence and Passage Comprehension: This includes short passages followed by questions on inference, main ideas, or details.
6. Logical Thinking and Deduction: Some questions require students to analyse statements and draw logical conclusions, including solving logic-based puzzles or sequences.
7. Homophones and Confusing Words: Tests understanding of similar-sounding words with different meanings and spellings, such as “their” vs. “there.”

The GL format is usually a multiple-choice assessment with 50 questions. You are given 50 minutes to answer the questions. They are mainly based on the curriculum content reached during the early part of Year 6.

The questions cover: 

Verbal Reasoning (VR) in the 11+ exam assesses a student’s ability to think critically about language, recognise patterns in words, and solve problems using logic and comprehension skills. This section is designed to evaluate reasoning abilities rather than just knowledge of English, testing how well students can process and manipulate language-based information.

GL Assessment Verbal Reasoning Exam Structure

The GL Assessment Verbal Reasoning exam consists of multiple-choice questions covering a range of question types designed to assess language comprehension, logical thinking, and problem-solving abilities. The questions are divided into different formats, including:

• Word Meanings & Vocabulary – Identifying synonyms, antonyms, and word definitions in context.
• Word & Letter Patterns – Recognising sequences, missing letters, and patterns in words.
• Coded Words & Number Sequences – Deciphering letter and number codes to find relationships.
• Word Association – Identifying connections between words, such as analogies and compound words.
• Hidden Words – Finding smaller words within longer words or phrases.
• Anagrams – Rearranging letters to form meaningful words.
• Logical Deduction – Using given information to reach logical conclusions.
• Completing Sentences & Missing Words – Filling in blanks with appropriate words to ensure grammatical and logical correctness.

Key Skills to Develop

Success in the Verbal Reasoning section depends on developing the following skills:

• Strong Vocabulary – Expanding word knowledge and understanding multiple meanings.
• Spelling & Word Recognition – Quickly identifying correct spellings and word structures.
• Logical & Analytical Thinking – Solving puzzles and recognising word patterns systematically.
• Speed & Accuracy – Answering questions efficiently within the given time limit.

Preparation Strategies

• Read Widely – Encourage reading a variety of books, newspapers, and non-fiction to improve vocabulary.
• Use Flashcards & Word Games – Reinforce learning through fun and interactive methods.
• Practice Past Papers – Familiarise with question types and improve response time.
• Develop a Strategy – Learn techniques for solving coded words, identifying patterns, and managing time effectively.

By focusing on these areas and practising regularly, students can improve their verbal reasoning skills and boost their confidence for the GL Assessment 11+ exam.

CAT4 is a Cognitive Abilities Test created by GL assessments. It is non-adaptive, contains multiple-choice questions and measures the child’s natural ability, not what they have learnt in school. It can be paper-based or online, depending on the school. 

It is used by some independent schools. State secondary schools often use the CAT4 assessment to group pupils into ability sets in Year 7.

The assessment is 72 minutes long and has 4 sections:

• Verbal reasoning
• Quantitative reasoning
• Non-verbal reasoning
• Spatial reasoning

The maths section falls under the quantitative reasoning section called ‘number series’, which is usually 8 minutes long.

Questions will consist of number patterns that your child will have to find the rule for in order to fill in the missing number.