15 Verbal Reasoning Sample Questions for the 11 Plus
Verbal reasoning questions in the 11 Plus exam are designed to assess a student’s ability to understand and reason using concepts framed in words.
Here are several types of verbal reasoning questions commonly found in the 11 Plus exam, along with sample questions for each type.
11 Plus Verbal Reasoning Sample Questions
These sample questions cover a range of verbal reasoning skills, helping students prepare for the 11 Plus exam.
Analogies
Analogies test the ability to see relationships between pairs of words.
Sample Question: Find the word that completes the analogy:
Happy is to Joyful as Sad is to _______.
a) Excited
b) Cheerful
c) Melancholy
d) Furious
Answer: c) Melancholy
Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonym and antonym questions test vocabulary and the ability to identify words with similar or opposite meanings.
Sample Question: Choose the word that is most similar in meaning to the underlined word:
The book was so *captivating* that I couldn’t put it down.
a) Dull
b) Engaging
c) Tedious
d) Boring
Answer: b) Engaging
Homophones
Homophone questions test understanding of words that sound the same but have different meanings.
Sample Question: Which sentence uses the correct form of the homophone?
a) The bear stole the picnic basket.
b) I cannot bare the pain.
c) She wore a red bare.
d) They saw a bare in the woods.
Answer: a) The bear stole the picnic basket.
Matching Definitions
Matching definitions involves matching a word to its correct definition.
Sample Question: Match the word to its definition:
Candid
a) Indirect
b) Secretive
c) Honest
d) Cautious
Answer: c) Honest
Cloze Test
Cloze tests require filling in the blanks in a passage with the correct word or words.
Sample Question: Complete the passage by choosing the correct word:
The garden was filled with the scent of roses and _______.
a) Cats
b) Dogs
c) Flowers
d) Chairs
Answer: c) Flowers
Letter Series
Letter series questions involve identifying patterns in sequences of letters.
Sample Question: Find the missing letter in the series:
A, C, E, G, ?
a) H
b) I
c) J
d) K
Answer: c) I
Word Pairs
Word pairs test understanding of the relationship between two words.
Sample Question: Which word pair is most similar to: Needle: Thread
a) Pen: Ink
b) Hammer: Nail
c) Brush: Paint
d) Shoe: Sock
Answer: b) Hammer: Nail
Word Classification
Word classification questions involve identifying the word that does not belong in a group.
Sample Question: Which word does not belong in this group?
Apple, Orange, Banana, Carrot
Answer: Carrot
Logical Reasoning
Logical reasoning questions test the ability to follow logical rules and patterns.
Sample Question: If all Bloops are Razzles, and all Razzles are Lazzles, then which statement is true?
a) All Bloops are Lazzles
b) All Razzles are Bloops
c) All Lazzles are Razzles
d) Some Lazzles are Bloops
Answer: a) All Bloops are Lazzles
Sentence Reordering
Sentence reordering involves arranging a jumbled set of words or phrases into a meaningful sentence.
Sample Question: Rearrange the words to form a meaningful sentence:
garden / the / flowers / are / in / blooming
Answer: The flowers are blooming in the garden.
Analogical Reasoning
Analogical reasoning involves identifying the relationship between one pair of items and applying that relationship to another pair.
Sample Question: Hand is to Glove as Foot is to ______.
a) Shoe
b) Sock
c) Boot
d) Sandal
Answer: b) Sock
Code Deciphering
Code deciphering involves breaking down a coded message to find the correct word.
Sample Question: If in a certain code, CAT is written as DBU, how is DOG written in that code?
a) EPH
b) DPH
c) FPH
d) EOG
Answer: a) EPH (Each letter is replaced by the next letter in the alphabet)
Word Formation
Word formation questions involve creating a word from a set of given letters.
Sample Question: Form a word using all the given letters: R, A, T, C
a) CART
b) TRAC
c) CAT
d) ACT
Answer: a) CART
Letter and Number Codes
These questions involve understanding the relationship between letters and numbers.
Sample Question: If A = 1, B = 2, C = 3, what is the value of the word DOG?
a) 26
b) 24
c) 27
d) 22
Answer: c) 27 (D=4, O=15, G=7; 4+15+7=26)
Critical Thinking
Critical thinking questions involve evaluating statements and making judgments.
Sample Question: If some A are B, and all B are C, then which of the following is true?
a) Some A are not C
b) All A are C
c) Some A are C
d) No A are C
Answer: c) Some A are C
Final Note
Practising verbal reasoning questions is a key step in preparing for the 11 Plus exam. Regularly working through practice papers, preparation books, and mock tests will help you become familiar with the types of questions you’ll encounter and improve your confidence and performance.
Remember, the more you practice, the better you’ll get at spotting patterns, understanding word relationships, and thinking critically under timed conditions.
