11+ · Topic guide

Verbal Reasoning Mixed Practice Set B

Mixed Practice Set B is a second full-length verbal reasoning practice paper, shuffling a fresh combination of GL Assessment question types into one timed sitting. Where Mixed Practice Set A builds the habit of identifying a question type quickly, Set B pushes further into the letter- and word-manipulation types, insert a letter, move a letter and hidden words, alongside number codes and connections, so pupils meet the full breadth of formats they will see shuffled together on the real paper.

Year 5-6 (11+)Verbal ReasoningGL AssessmentCEM

Before you start

Make sure you're comfortable with these topics first:

Method

  1. Read the instruction line before the words or numbers themselves, since it names the question type and therefore the technique to use.
  2. For any question built from a single word split by a bracket, insert a letter, move a letter, or a hidden word, work only with the letters actually printed rather than guessing a whole new word from memory.
  3. For number-based items, write out your working in the margin so a slip in one step does not force you to start the whole calculation again.
  4. Test your chosen answer back against the original question once you have it, since this catches most careless mistakes before they cost a mark.
  5. If a question is taking noticeably longer than the others around it, mark your best guess and move on, then return to it only if time remains.
  6. Keep an eye on the shape of the whole paper as you go, so you notice roughly how many questions of each type remain and can pace the final few minutes accordingly.

Worked example

Find the next number in the series: 100, 91, 83, 76, 70, ( ? )

  1. Find the difference between each pair of numbers: 100-91=9, 91-83=8, 83-76=7, 76-70=6.
  2. The amount subtracted decreases by 1 each time: 9, 8, 7, 6, so the next difference is 5.
  3. Apply this to the last term: 70-5=65.
  4. Final answer: 65.

Practice questions

Try each question, then tap to reveal the answer.

Q1Find the letter that completes the word before the bracket and begins the word after the bracket: PAR ( ? ) ORN A) K B) T C) M D) B E) CShow answer

Answer: B) T - PART (the word before) and TORN (the word after)

Got it right?
Q2Which ONE word means both 'the outer covering of a tree trunk' and 'a sharp sound a dog makes'? A) HOWL B) BARK C) GROWL D) SKIN E) SHELLShow answer

Answer: B) BARK - bark is the covering of a tree, and a dog's bark is its sharp sound

Got it right?
Q3(SEAT) (ART). Exactly one letter can move from the end of the first word to the front of the second word so that both words made are still correctly spelled real words. Which letter moves? A) S B) E C) A D) T E) RShow answer

Answer: D) T - removing T from SEAT leaves SEA, and adding T to ART makes TART

Got it right?
Q4A four-letter word is hidden between two words that are next to each other in this sentence. Which word is hidden? 'She kept extra index cards in a folder.' A) TRAY B) RAIN C) NEXT D) DEXT E) EXTRShow answer

Answer: B) RAIN - EXTRA ends in RA and INDEX begins IN, so RA + IN = RAIN

Got it right?
Q54 (20) 6 | 5 (?) 7. The outside numbers are multiplied together, then the first outside number is subtracted. Work out the missing number. A) 30 B) 35 C) 24 D) 40 E) 33Show answer

Answer: A) 30 - 5 x 7 = 35, then 35 - 5 = 30

Got it right?
Q6In this code, letters are counted from the end of the alphabet, so Z=1, Y=2, and so on. If the code for SHIP is 8-19-18-11, what is the code for LAMP, using the same rule? A) 15-26-14-11 B) 12-1-13-16 C) 14-25-13-10 D) 15-25-14-12 E) 12-26-13-11Show answer

Answer: A) 15-26-14-11 - counting from Z: L=15, A=26, M=14, P=11

Got it right?

Exam-style questions

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

Q1[3 marks]

Find the next letter in this series, showing your working: K, O, S, W, ( ? ) A) A B) Y C) Z D) B E) X

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[4 marks]

Work out the relationship in each pair, then choose the option that completes the second pair the same way. a) WOOL is to SHEEP as SILK is to ? - A) Spider B) Silkworm C) Moth D) Cocoon E) Thread. b) STATUE is to MARBLE as WINDOW is to ? - A) Frame B) Pane C) Glass D) Sill E) Glazier.

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 verbal reasoning mixed practice set b worksheet pack - 16 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.

This topic is chapter 2 of 11+ Verbal Reasoning Workbook 1, the whole course as one free printable PDF.

Next topics

Ready to practise verbal reasoning mixed practice set b? 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 verbal reasoning mixed practice set b, 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.