Verbal Reasoning: Logic Set 4
Verbal Reasoning: Logic Set 4 is a focused practice set on deduction questions at a deeper level than the introductory topic, covering longer chains of comparison statements, conditional 'if...then' statements including the trap of assuming a statement's reverse is also true, and small grid-style puzzles that match several people to several categories at once. These questions appear in GL Assessment and CEM style 11+ papers and reward careful, methodical reasoning over speed or guesswork.
Method
- List every statement as a short, separate fact before trying to combine any of them, so no piece of information gets lost or muddled.
- Turn comparison statements, such as older than or more expensive than, into a single ordered chain, linking any statements that share a common person or item.
- For conditional 'if...then' statements, only draw conclusions that must logically follow from what is stated; do not assume the reverse of a statement is also true.
- For grid-style puzzles matching people to categories, draw a small grid and cross off any combination the statements rule out before trying to fill in what must be true.
- For statements using 'all', 'some' or 'no', remember that 'some' means at least one but not necessarily all, so do not treat a 'some' statement as if it applied to everyone.
- Reread the question itself carefully before answering, since it may ask who is NOT in a position, or for the one conclusion that MUST be true rather than one that merely could be true.
Worked example
All the children in the class who play chess also play draughts. Mia plays chess. Which of these must be true? A) Mia plays draughts. B) Mia does not play draughts. C) Everyone who plays draughts plays chess. D) Mia is the only child who plays chess. E) Cannot tell.
- Restate the rule given: every child who plays chess also plays draughts (chess implies draughts).
- Note the fact given: Mia plays chess.
- Apply the rule to Mia: since Mia plays chess, and every chess player also plays draughts, Mia must also play draughts.
- Check that option C is not necessarily true: the rule only says chess players also play draughts, it does not say the reverse, that draughts players also play chess.
- Final answer: A) Mia plays draughts.
Practice questions
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Q1Ben is older than Cara. Cara is older than Dev. Dev is older than Ellis. Who is the second youngest?Show answer
Answer: Dev (the order oldest to youngest is Ben, Cara, Dev, Ellis)
Q2If it rains, the match is cancelled. It did not rain today. What can you conclude about the match?Show answer
Answer: Cannot tell - the statement only says what happens if it rains, it does not say the match is cancelled only when it rains
Q3All the pupils in Class 5 own a bicycle. Tom owns a bicycle. Is Tom definitely in Class 5?Show answer
Answer: Cannot tell - owning a bicycle does not prove Tom is in Class 5, since the statement does not say only Class 5 pupils own bicycles
Q4Amy, Ben and Cleo each own exactly one pet: a cat, a dog or a rabbit, and no two own the same pet. Amy does not own the cat. Ben owns the dog. Which pet does Amy own?Show answer
Answer: Rabbit - Ben owns the dog, and Amy does not own the cat, so Amy must own the rabbit, leaving Cleo the cat
Q5Freya is not as tall as Grace. Grace is not as tall as Hana. Who is the tallest?Show answer
Answer: Hana (the order shortest to tallest is Freya, Grace, Hana)
Q6If a shape is a square, it has four equal sides. Shape X does not have four equal sides. What can you conclude about Shape X?Show answer
Answer: Shape X is not a square
Exam-style questions
Written in the style of a 11+ exam paper, with a full mark scheme.
Three friends, Priya, Quinn and Reuben, each play exactly one instrument (piano, violin or drums) and each has a different favourite colour (red, blue or green). Quinn does not play piano. The drummer's favourite colour is blue. Priya's favourite colour is red. Reuben plays the violin. Work out each friend's instrument, and state Priya's instrument.
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Statement 1: If an animal is a spaniel, it is a dog. Statement 2: If an animal is a dog, it is a mammal. Statement 3: Rex is a spaniel. Which of these must be true? A) Rex is a mammal. B) All mammals are dogs. C) All dogs are spaniels. D) Rex is not a dog. E) Cannot tell.
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Free printable worksheet
Want more practice on paper? Download the verbal reasoning: logic set 4 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 28 of 11+ Verbal Reasoning Workbook 3, the whole course as one free printable PDF.
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