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Free Verbal Reasoning Test

20 practice questions · True/False/Cannot Say format · SHL & Korn Ferry style

25 min

20 questions

Medium

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Verbal Reasoning

Practice Test

Reading comprehension and inference

Distinguishing fact from opinion

True/False/Cannot Say judgments

Identifying logical conclusions

Used by:

SHL Verify VerbalKorn Ferry VerbalAon/cut-e scales verbal

What is a Verbal Reasoning Test?

A verbal reasoning test assesses your ability to understand written information, evaluate arguments, and draw logical conclusions from passages of text. The most common format is True/False/Cannot Say: you read a short passage and determine whether a statement is true, false, or cannot be determined based on the passage alone.

Verbal reasoning tests are used by virtually every major employer for graduate and professional recruitment. They measure communication skills, critical thinking, and the ability to process complex written information, all essential for roles in consulting, law, finance, and management.

What Skills Does It Test?

Reading comprehension and inference

Distinguishing fact from opinion

True/False/Cannot Say judgments

Identifying logical conclusions

Processing complex written information quickly

Sample Questions

Try these example questions to get a feel for the format. Click "Show Answer" to see the explanation.

Passage: 'The company reported a 12% increase in revenue last year, driven primarily by growth in its European markets.' Statement: 'The company's revenue declined last year.'

A.True

B.False

C.Cannot Say

Passage: 'Remote working has become more common since 2020, with many companies adopting hybrid models.' Statement: 'All companies now use hybrid working models.'

A.True

B.False

C.Cannot Say

Passage: 'The new product launch was well-received in North America.' Statement: 'The product was also successful in Europe.'

A.True

B.False

C.Cannot Say

Expert Tips

Base your answer only on the passage

The most common mistake is using your own knowledge. Even if a statement seems obviously true in real life, if the passage doesn't support it, the answer is 'Cannot Say'.

Watch out for absolute words

Words like 'always', 'never', 'all', and 'none' are usually False. Passages rarely make such absolute claims.

Read the question before the passage

Knowing what you're looking for before reading saves time. You can scan for the relevant section rather than reading everything.

Distinguish 'False' from 'Cannot Say'

'False' means the passage directly contradicts the statement. 'Cannot Say' means the passage neither confirms nor denies it. This distinction trips up most candidates.

Practice speed reading

SHL verbal tests give you about 75 seconds per question including reading the passage. Train yourself to extract key information quickly.