GL Assessment's 11+ verbal reasoning paper draws on roughly 21 distinct question-type families, of which only some appear in a given sitting — around 80 questions altogether. Real families include word associations, coded letters and numbers, word completion, and analogy-style patterns. The worked examples below are illustrative only, not real exam questions.
How many verbal reasoning question types are there?
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Question-type families | Around 21, per GL Assessment's own paper set |
| Typical paper length | Around 80 questions |
| Disclosed in advance? | No — GL does not confirm which types will appear at a given sitting |
Because GL Assessment does not tell schools or families in advance which of its roughly 21 families will turn up on the day, familiarity across the full range matters more than deep drilling on just one or two favourite types. A child who has only ever practised odd-one-out questions can be caught off guard by a coded-letters section they have never seen before, even if their underlying reasoning is strong.
The main verbal reasoning question types
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Word associations / odd-one-out. The child picks the word that does not belong with the others, based on meaning or category. Illustrative example (not a real exam question): Which word does not belong — APPLE, PEAR, CARROT, PLUM? (Answer: CARROT — the others are all fruit.)
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Letter-and-number codes. Letters are matched to numbers or symbols using a rule, and the child applies the same rule to a new word. Illustrative example: If A=1, B=2, C=3 … and CAT is coded 3-1-20, what code represents DOG? (Answer: 4-15-7, applying the same letter-position rule.)
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Word completion. The child finds letters that complete two different words at once, often by inserting the same short string into each. Illustrative example: Insert the same three letters to complete both words: FA()HER and MO()HER. (Answer: T — FATHER and MOTHER.)
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Insert a word that fits two sentences. One word must make sense in two otherwise unrelated sentences. Illustrative example: The sea was very ___ this morning. / Please ___ down before we begin. (Answer: STILL.)
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Analogy-style verbal patterns. The child works out the relationship between a pair of words, then applies the same relationship to a new word. Illustrative example: CAT is to KITTEN as DOG is to ___? (Answer: PUPPY — adult animal to its young.)
Each of these five families can also appear in slightly different guises from one practice paper to the next — for example, an "insert a word" question might ask for a word to sit between two shorter words rather than fit two whole sentences. Recognising the underlying family, rather than memorising one exact layout, is what lets a child transfer the skill to a version of the question they have not seen before.
Why practising question types (not just vocabulary) matters
Verbal reasoning is closer to a logic puzzle wearing English clothing than it is to a straightforward vocabulary test. A child with an excellent vocabulary can still be thrown by an unfamiliar question format — working out what a coded-letters question is even asking for the first time, under exam time pressure, costs marks regardless of how strong the underlying reasoning is. That is the practical reason preparation for verbal reasoning tends to focus on covering every known question-type family at least once, rather than repeating the same one or two formats until they feel effortless.
FAQ
How many verbal reasoning questions are on the 11+ paper?
Roughly 80 questions in total for GL Assessment's standard format, though the exact number can vary slightly between specific practice packs and providers. Some regions use a different provider entirely, with a different question count.
Are all 21 verbal reasoning question types tested every year?
No. GL Assessment does not disclose in advance which of its roughly 21 question-type families will appear in a specific sitting, so children benefit more from broad familiarity across all known types than from deep practice on just a handful.
Where can I find real GL Assessment verbal reasoning questions to practise?
GL Assessment sells its own official practice papers, and several independent 11+ preparation sites publish sample questions modelled on the real format. The worked examples in general guidance articles like this one, however, are illustrative only — GL Assessment's actual exam questions are copyrighted and are not published openly.
Is verbal reasoning the same as English?
No. Verbal reasoning tests logical thinking using words, letters and codes — pattern recognition dressed in language — rather than reading comprehension, vocabulary knowledge, or writing skill in the way the separate 11+ English paper does. A child can be strong in one and weaker in the other.
For structured practice across every 11+ verbal reasoning question type, explore aitutors.me.