11+ · Topic guide

GL-Style English and Verbal Reasoning Mock

The GL-Style English and Verbal Reasoning Mock pairs a short English section with a much longer verbal reasoning section, reflecting how some GL Assessment consortia combine the two subjects into a single sitting. The English section covers comprehension, vocabulary and grammar on a printed source text, while the larger verbal reasoning section runs through several distinct GL question types, such as analogies, letter codes and number and letter sequences, in multiple-choice format.

Year 5-6 (11+)Verbal ReasoningGL AssessmentCEM

Before you start

Make sure you're comfortable with these topics first:

Method

  1. Look at how the paper is divided before you start: the reasoning section is the larger of the two here, so plan to spend the greater share of your remaining time and energy on it once the English section is done.
  2. In the English section, read the source text once for general sense, then answer the questions by returning to the exact part of the text each question names.
  3. Move into the reasoning section with a clear head: identify each question's type (analogy, code, sequence) before attempting it, since each type needs a different short method.
  4. For analogies, state the relationship between the first pair of words in your own words before hunting for the matching second pair - 'a chick is a baby X' is easier to match than guessing from the options alone.
  5. For sequence and code questions, write out the pattern or rule in the margin if working space allows, rather than trying to hold it in your head across several questions of the same type.
  6. Keep a steady pace through the reasoning section since it has the larger number of questions; a rushed early section leaves too little time for the many questions that follow.
  7. In the final few minutes, make sure every question across both sections has an answer selected, since an educated guess is better than a blank box on a multiple-choice paper.

Worked example

Analogy question: KITTEN is to CAT as CALF is to ?

  1. State the relationship in the first pair in your own words: a KITTEN is a baby CAT.
  2. Apply the same relationship to the second word: a CALF is a baby of which animal?
  3. Recall that a calf is the young of a cow (or of some other large mammals, but 'cow' is the standard match in this context).
  4. Check the relationship fits both ways: KITTEN is to CAT as CALF is to COW, both following the pattern 'baby animal is to adult animal'.
  5. Final answer: COW.

Practice questions

Type your answer and press Check to be marked straight away, or reveal the answer and mark yourself.

Q1PUPPY is to DOG as CYGNET is to ?Show answer

Answer: SWAN (a cygnet is a baby swan, following the same 'baby is to adult' pattern as puppy is to dog)

Got it right?
Q2In the sentence 'The negotiations stalled, each side refusing to budge', what does 'budge' mean here?Show answer

Answer: to move or give way (each side refused to move from their position)

Got it right?
Q3Find the missing letter: FIL ( ? ) ARE, where the letter completes the first word and starts the second.Show answer

Answer: M (FILM is a real word, and MARE, meaning a female horse, is a real word)

Got it right?
Q4Continue the sequence: 5, 10, 20, 40, ...Show answer

Answer: 80 (each term doubles the previous term)

Got it right?
Q5Correct this sentence: 'the museum which was built in 1890 recieves thousands of visitors each year'Show answer

Answer: The museum, which was built in 1890, receives thousands of visitors each year.

Got it right?
Q6If the code for PLANT is QMBOU (each letter moved one place forward), what is the code for GRASS?Show answer

Answer: HSBTT (G to H, R to S, A to B, S to T, S to T)

Got it right?
Q7BOOK is to READ as FORK is to ?Show answer

Answer: EAT (a book is the object used when you read, and a fork is the object used when you eat)

Got it right?

Exam-style questions

Written in the style of a 11+ exam paper, with a full mark scheme.

Q1[3 marks]

Source sentence: 'The scientist studied the data for weeks before finally announcing her surprising discovery.' Explain what this sentence suggests about the scientist's approach to her work. (3 marks)

Show mark scheme

Tick each line you got. Your score builds from the marks on the scheme.

Nothing ticked yet - 3 available

Got it right?
Q2[2 marks]

Look at this pair: TEACHER is to CLASSROOM as SURGEON is to ? Choose the best word and explain the relationship between the first pair. (2 marks)

Show mark scheme

Tick each line you got. Your score builds from the marks on the scheme.

Nothing ticked yet - 2 available

Got it right?

Free printable worksheet

Want more practice on paper? Download the gl-style english and verbal reasoning mock worksheet pack - 19 pages of exam-style questions with a full mark scheme. One email opens every download in this browser for 14 days - no account, no card. Print it for personal and classroom use.

Next topics

Ready to practise gl-style english and verbal reasoning mock? Add it to a printable topic pack for this student in the Pack Builder.

Add to my pack

Not quite what you needed?

Tell us what is missing on gl-style english and verbal reasoning mock, or which topic to write up next. Every request is read, and we reply to every one.

Build a full practice pack.

This topic is one of hundreds in the library - pick the ones a student needs and generate a printable PDF in minutes.