Verbal Reasoning: Hidden and Compound Words Set 3
Verbal Reasoning: Hidden and Compound Words Set 3 is a third practice round on the word-construction formats found on 11+ verbal reasoning papers: a four-letter word hidden across the join between two neighbouring words in a sentence, a missing word that completes one word and starts another, and a missing compound word that joins two given words into two genuine longer words. This set leans further into uneven splits and options that pass only one of the two required checks.
Before you start
Make sure you're comfortable with these topics first:
Method
- Decide which of the three formats the question uses: a hidden word spanning a join in a sentence, a missing bridging word in brackets, or a missing compound word joining two given words.
- For a hidden word, check every join between neighbouring words in turn, since the split of letters across the join is rarely even and can take just one letter from either side.
- For a bridging or compound word, test each option after the first word first, ruling out any option that does not form a genuine word there before you even look at the second word.
- Only once an option has passed the first check, test it before the second word as well; both checks must pass for the same option.
- Be alert to options that pass only one of the two checks, since these are deliberately included to catch a pupil who stops checking too early.
- Once a candidate passes both checks, or a hidden word matches exactly one join in the sentence, confirm it against the given options before moving on.
Worked example
A four-letter word is hidden between two words that are next to each other in this sentence. Which word is hidden? 'The dolphin leaped over the waves today.' A) DOVE B) DOLE C) LOVE D) OVEN E) OVAL
- Scan each join between neighbouring words in turn: THE/DOLPHIN, DOLPHIN/LEAPED, LEAPED/OVER, OVER/THE, THE/WAVES, WAVES/TODAY.
- LEAPED ends in the letter D, and OVER begins with the letters OVE.
- Joining the last letter of LEAPED to the first three letters of OVER gives D + OVE = DOVE, a real word.
- Check this split does not use the very first or very last letter of the whole sentence and is not split by punctuation - it passes both checks.
- Compare DOVE against the options: it matches option A, and none of the other joins in the sentence spells DOLE, LOVE, OVEN or OVAL.
- Final answer: A) DOVE.
Practice questions
Try each question, then tap to reveal the answer.
Q1A four-letter word is hidden between two words that are next to each other in this sentence. Which word is hidden? 'He made a big pot of carrot soup yesterday.' A) ROTS B) ROUP C) OTSO D) TSOU E) ROTOShow answer
Answer: A) ROTS - the last three letters of CARROT (ROT) join with the first letter of SOUP (S) to spell ROTS.
Q2A four-letter word is hidden between two words that are next to each other in this sentence. Which word is hidden? 'The bags and boxes were carried inside the hall.' A) SAND B) BAND C) ANDS D) DAND E) NDBOShow answer
Answer: A) SAND - the last letter of BAGS (S) joins with all three letters of AND to spell SAND.
Q3TOU ( ??? ) DLE. Find the three-letter word which completes the word on the left and starts the word on the right. A) CAN B) HAN C) BUN D) FON E) SANShow answer
Answer: A) CAN - TOU + CAN = TOUCAN, and CAN + DLE = CANDLE; none of the other options makes a real word in both positions.
Q4HAP ( ??? ) CIL. Find the three-letter word which completes the word on the left and starts the word on the right. A) PEN B) PIN C) TEN D) DEN E) MENShow answer
Answer: A) PEN - HAP + PEN = HAPPEN, and PEN + CIL = PENCIL; none of the other options makes a real word in both positions.
Q5FIRE ( ??? ) SHOP. Choose the missing word from: A) Work B) Place C) Ball D) Side E) ArmShow answer
Answer: A) Work - FIRE + WORK = FIREWORK, and WORK + SHOP = WORKSHOP; the other options make a real word after FIRE but not before SHOP.
Q6FOOT ( ??? ) ROOM. Choose the missing word from: A) Ball B) Step C) Path D) Print E) HoldShow answer
Answer: A) Ball - FOOT + BALL = FOOTBALL, and BALL + ROOM = BALLROOM; the other options make a real word after FOOT but not before ROOM.
Exam-style questions
Written in the style of a 11+ exam paper, with a full mark scheme.
A four-letter word is hidden between two words that are next to each other in this sentence, using an uneven split of the letters. Which word is hidden? 'The elephant swayed gently in the evening breeze.' A) EDGE B) SWAY C) GENT D) YEDG E) ENTL
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SUN ( ??? ) BACK. Choose the missing word from: A) Set B) Rise C) Dial D) Shine E) Beam
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ARM ( ??? ) MAN. Choose the missing word from: A) Chair B) Band C) Our D) Rest E) Ful
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Free printable worksheet
Want more practice on paper? Download the verbal reasoning: hidden and compound words set 3 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.
This topic is chapter 22 of 11+ Verbal Reasoning Workbook 2, the whole course as one free printable PDF.
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