Verbal Reasoning: Logic and Deduction Set 3
Verbal Reasoning: Logic and Deduction Set 3 is a third practice round on the reasoning puzzles used across 11+ verbal reasoning papers, extending ranking chains and if-then statements into circular seating arrangements, where several people sit evenly spaced around a table and their positions must be worked out from clues about who sits opposite, or a fixed number of places clockwise from someone else.
Before you start
Make sure you're comfortable with these topics first:
Method
- Decide whether the puzzle is a ranking chain (using words like taller, older or faster), a rule applied to a case (every, no or if-then), or a seating arrangement, since each needs a different way of recording the clues.
- For a seating arrangement, draw the correct number of evenly spaced positions in a circle first, since the total number of seats fixes how 'opposite' and 'a fixed number of places round' are measured.
- Place the person named in the most specific clue first, such as one fixed relative to another named seat, then work outward using the remaining clues.
- Remember that 'opposite' in a circle of an even number of people means exactly halfway round, and 'immediately clockwise of' means the very next seat in that direction, not simply nearby.
- Where a clue could be satisfied in two different places, hold both possibilities in mind and use a later clue to rule one of them out, rather than guessing which one looks more likely.
- Once every seat is filled, check every original clue against your finished arrangement before answering, since a single seat placed the wrong way round will make several clues look true when they are not.
Worked example
Four friends, Ana, Ben, Cass and Dan, sit evenly spaced around a circular table. Ana sits directly opposite Cass. Ben sits immediately clockwise of Ana. Where does Dan sit relative to Ben?
- Draw four evenly spaced seats numbered 1 to 4 clockwise, and place Ana in seat 1 as the fixed starting point.
- Ana sits directly opposite Cass; with four seats, opposite means exactly two seats round, so Cass sits in seat 3.
- Ben sits immediately clockwise of Ana, which is the very next seat after seat 1, so Ben sits in seat 2.
- The only seat left, seat 4, must belong to Dan.
- Compare Ben's seat (2) and Dan's seat (4): they are two seats apart, which with four evenly spaced seats means directly opposite. Final answer: Dan sits directly opposite Ben.
Practice questions
Try each question, then tap to reveal the answer.
Q1Nadia is older than Oscar. Priti is older than Nadia. Oscar is older than Quinn. Quinn is older than Ravi. Who is the second oldest?Show answer
Answer: Nadia - the full order is Priti, Nadia, Oscar, Quinn, Ravi from oldest to youngest.
Q2No pupil in Class 5 plays the trumpet. Every trumpet player in the school is in the orchestra. Freddie plays the trumpet. What must be true about Freddie?Show answer
Answer: Freddie is in the orchestra, and Freddie is not in Class 5.
Q3Four pupils, Eli, Fay, Gus and Hana, sit evenly spaced around a circular table. Eli sits directly opposite Fay. Gus sits immediately clockwise of Fay. Who sits immediately clockwise of Eli?Show answer
Answer: Hana - placing Eli, Fay opposite Eli, and Gus immediately clockwise of Fay leaves Hana in the only remaining seat, which is immediately clockwise of Eli.
Q4Three friends, Ivy, Jai and Kim, sit evenly spaced around a circular table. Jai sits immediately clockwise of Ivy. Who sits immediately clockwise of Kim?Show answer
Answer: Ivy - with Ivy, then Jai, then Kim going clockwise around the three seats, the seat immediately clockwise of Kim wraps back round to Ivy.
Q5Leo scored higher than Mona. Nia scored higher than Omar. Who scored higher, Leo or Omar?Show answer
Answer: Cannot tell - the two statements form separate pairs that are never linked together.
Q6Every senior pupil helps run the assembly. No pupil who helps run the assembly is late for registration. Priya is a senior pupil. What must be true about Priya?Show answer
Answer: Priya helps run the assembly, and Priya is not late for registration.
Exam-style questions
Written in the style of a 11+ exam paper, with a full mark scheme.
Four pupils, Kofi, Lily, Marco and Nia, sit evenly spaced around a circular table for a group task. Kofi sits directly opposite Lily. Marco sits immediately anticlockwise of Kofi. Work out where each pupil sits, then state who sits immediately clockwise of Nia.
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Every member of the debate club attends the Thursday meeting. Everyone who attends the Thursday meeting signs the attendance register. Yusuf did not sign the attendance register. What must be true about Yusuf? Explain your reasoning in full.
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Five swimmers compare their times. Amara finished faster than Ben. Ben finished faster than Cleo. Deng finished slower than Cleo. Amara finished slower than Esi. Put the five swimmers in order from fastest to slowest, and state who finished third.
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Free printable worksheet
Want more practice on paper? Download the verbal reasoning: logic and deduction set 3 worksheet pack - 15 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 27 of 11+ Verbal Reasoning Workbook 3, the whole course as one free printable PDF.
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