11+ · Topic guide

GL-Style Verbal Reasoning Mock (Mixed Types)

The GL-Style Verbal Reasoning Mock (Mixed Types) is a full-length 11+ verbal reasoning paper built from eight timed sub-sections of five questions each, covering insert-a-letter, closest-in-meaning, opposite-in-meaning, letter series, letter codes, number series, word analogies and compound words. This eight-type structure mirrors how GL Assessment builds a verbal reasoning paper from several distinct question families rather than testing one skill throughout.

Year 5-6 (11+)Verbal ReasoningGL AssessmentCEM

Before you start

Make sure you're comfortable with these topics first:

Method

  1. Before starting, glance at the instructions for each of the eight sub-sections so you are not reading a new rule for the first time under exam pressure partway through.
  2. As you move into a new sub-section, take five seconds to recall its method (for example, letter codes need you to work out the coding rule from the example given, not guess).
  3. Work at a steady rate of roughly one minute per question, since five questions in six or seven minutes leaves very little slack for any single question.
  4. For closest-in-meaning and opposite-in-meaning questions, mentally define the capitalised word first, then compare it to every option rather than picking the first plausible one.
  5. For letter series and number series, write out the gaps between terms if the pattern is not obvious from just reading the sequence.
  6. For letter codes, apply the rule shown in the worked example to the new word one letter at a time, checking each letter before moving to the next.
  7. If a sub-section's five questions are taking too long, guess your best answer on the remainder and move to the next sub-section; a slow finish on one type should not cost marks on the following type.

Worked example

Letter codes question: If the code for GARDEN is HBSEFO (each letter moved one place forward in the alphabet), what is the code for FOREST?

  1. Establish the coding rule from the example: each letter in GARDEN is moved one place forward in the alphabet to give HBSEFO (G to H, A to B, R to S, D to E, E to F, N to O).
  2. Apply the same rule to the first letter of FOREST: F moves one place forward to G.
  3. Continue letter by letter: O moves to P, R moves to S, E moves to F, S moves to T, T moves to U.
  4. Combine the coded letters in order: G, P, S, F, T, U.
  5. Final answer: the code for FOREST is GPSFTU.

Practice questions

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

Q1Find the one letter that completes the word before the brackets and starts the word after: SEA ( ? ) ORNShow answer

Answer: T (completes SEAT, starts TORN)

Got it right?
Q2Choose the word closest in meaning to RAPID: slow, sudden, quick, careful.Show answer

Answer: quick

Got it right?
Q3Choose the word most nearly opposite in meaning to GENEROUS: kind, mean, wealthy, friendly.Show answer

Answer: mean

Got it right?
Q4Continue the letter series: A, C, F, J, O, ...Show answer

Answer: U (the gap increases by one each time: +2, +3, +4, +5, so the next gap is +6, and O + 6 letters = U)

Got it right?
Q5Continue the number series: 81, 27, 9, 3, ...Show answer

Answer: 1 (each term is divided by 3)

Got it right?
Q6WOOL is to SHEEP as MILK is to ?Show answer

Answer: COW (WOOL comes from a SHEEP, and MILK comes from a COW)

Got it right?
Q7Find the one word that completes both words in brackets to make two new compound words: CLASS ( ? ) MATEShow answer

Answer: ROOM (CLASSROOM and ROOMMATE are both real compound words)

Got it right?

Exam-style questions

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

Q1[2 marks]

Look at this pair: MUSICIAN is to ORCHESTRA as ACTOR is to ? Choose the best word to complete the analogy and explain the relationship. (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?
Q2[4 marks]

If the code for STORM is TUPSN (each letter moved one place forward in the alphabet), decode the word UIVOEFS using the same rule in reverse (each letter moved one place back). Show your working. (4 marks)

Show mark scheme

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

Nothing ticked yet - 4 available

Got it right?

Free printable worksheet

Want more practice on paper? Download the gl-style verbal reasoning mock (mixed types) worksheet pack - 14 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.

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