11+ · Topic guide

Missing Three-Letter Word: Practice Set 2

Missing Three-Letter Word: Practice Set 2 is a second practice round for the same question type as Missing Three-Letter Word, giving two groups of letters with a gap between them and asking for the three-letter word that completes the first group and starts the second group, using fresh word pairs not used in the first set. It continues to test spelling and the ability to spot word boundaries hidden inside longer letter strings.

Year 5-6 (11+)Verbal ReasoningGL AssessmentCEM

Before you start

Make sure you're comfortable with these topics first:

Method

  1. Try each option in the gap and check whether it makes a real word when joined onto the end of the letters on the left.
  2. Then check whether the same three letters make a real word when joined onto the front of the letters on the right.
  3. Only keep an option if it passes BOTH checks; many wrong options will work on one side but fail on the other.
  4. Say each combined word in your head to check it is a genuine English word, not just a plausible-looking string of letters.
  5. If more than one option seems to work on the left, use the right-hand check to narrow down which one is correct.
  6. Write your final answer as the three-letter word itself, not the two longer words it creates.

Worked example

T ( ? ? ? ) NESS. Find the three-letter word which completes the word on the left and starts the word on the right. A) ICE B) OWL C) ARE D) ILL E) OAT

  1. Try ILL on the left: T + ILL = TILL, a real word meaning to prepare land for planting, or a container for cash in a shop.
  2. Try ILL on the right: ILL + NESS = ILLNESS, a real word meaning a period of being unwell.
  3. Both checks pass, so ILL is correct. ICE, OWL, ARE and OAT do not make real words in both positions.
  4. Final answer: D) ILL.

Practice questions

Try each question, then tap to reveal the answer.

Q1Y ( ? ? ? ) TH. A) EAR B) OWL C) ILL D) ARE E) ICEShow answer

Answer: A) EAR - Y+EAR=YEAR and EAR+TH=EARTH

Got it right?
Q2G ( ? ? ? ) ER. A) OWL B) OWN C) ILL D) ARE E) ICEShow answer

Answer: B) OWN - G+OWN=GOWN and OWN+ER=OWNER

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Q3H ( ? ? ? ) ROID. A) AND B) OWL C) ILL D) ARE E) OARShow answer

Answer: A) AND - H+AND=HAND and AND+ROID=ANDROID

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Q4N ( ? ? ? ) BERG. A) ICE B) OWL C) ILL D) ARE E) OARShow answer

Answer: A) ICE - N+ICE=NICE and ICE+BERG=ICEBERG

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Q5D ( ? ? ? ) IST. A) ART B) OWL C) ILL D) ARE E) OARShow answer

Answer: A) ART - D+ART=DART and ART+IST=ARTIST

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Q6W ( ? ? ? ) ATE. A) EST B) OWL C) ILL D) ARE E) OARShow answer

Answer: A) EST - W+EST=WEST and EST+ATE=ESTATE

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Exam-style questions

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

Q1[2 marks]

Z ( ? ? ? ) SELF. Find the three-letter word that completes the word on the left and starts the word on the right, and explain your working. A) ONE B) OWL C) ILL D) ARE E) OAR

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Q2[3 marks]

K ( ? ? ? ) MISE. Find the three-letter word that completes the word on the left and starts the word on the right, and explain your working fully. A) ITE B) OWL C) ILL D) ARE E) OAR

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Q3[4 marks]

S ( ? ? ? ) LESS. Find the three-letter word that completes the word on the left and starts the word on the right, explain your working, and state why one wrong-looking option fails. A) AGE B) OWL C) ILL D) ARE E) OAR

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Free printable worksheet

Want more practice on paper? Download the missing three-letter word: practice set 2 worksheet pack - 8 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 19 of 11+ Verbal Reasoning Workbook 2, the whole course as one free printable PDF.

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