11+ verbal reasoning: every question type explained

11+ verbal reasoning is one of the subjects that surprises parents most when they first encounter it. It does not appear on the primary school curriculum, it looks nothing like the English or maths your child does in class, and yet it features in the 11+ for the majority of grammar schools in England. This guide explains what verbal reasoning tests, walks through every VR question type for the 11+ (all 21 GL types), and gives practical 11+ verbal reasoning tips plus a step-by-step preparation plan.

What is verbal reasoning?

Verbal reasoning tests a child's ability to think logically using language. It is not a test of creative writing, spelling, or literary knowledge — it is a test of pattern recognition, logical deduction, and the ability to manipulate words and letters according to rules.

The questions are almost always presented in a multiple-choice format, and children are expected to work through them quickly — typically one question every 40–50 seconds. Speed and accuracy under time pressure are therefore just as important as knowing the question types.

Because verbal reasoning is not taught in school, children who have never seen it before will find the question types confusing at first. This is entirely normal. The good news is that once a child understands the logic behind each type, improvement is rapid and consistent.

GL Assessment vs CEM: how verbal reasoning differs

Before diving into question types, it is important to know which exam format your target school uses — because this affects both what is tested and how it is presented. Kent is a major GL region: if your child is preparing for the Kent Test, all 21 GL question types may appear — work through every type in this guide systematically.

Regardless of format, the underlying skills are the same — so the preparation approach described in this guide applies to both. Children sitting CEM papers benefit from mastering all question types even though not all will appear, because the CEM format changes year to year and breadth of preparation provides the best insurance. Families targeting Birmingham grammar schools CEM VR preparation should prioritise vocabulary and reading speed alongside question type familiarity — the VR sections within Paper 1 reward breadth of language as much as reasoning technique.

The 21 verbal reasoning question types — fully explained

GL Assessment recognises 21 distinct verbal reasoning question types, labelled A through U. Not all appear in every paper, but a thorough preparation programme should cover all of them — especially for GL regions such as Kent. Below is every type, explained clearly, with a worked example for each.

Which question types are hardest — and why

Difficulty in verbal reasoning is not purely about intelligence. It is almost always about familiarity. A question type that looks baffling on first encounter becomes straightforward after ten minutes of focused practice on that type alone. Knowing which types cause the most difficulty helps you prioritise preparation time.

Letter codes (Type H and I) are consistently the types children find hardest initially. The combination of alphabet knowledge, number counting, and logical substitution under time pressure trips up many children who are perfectly capable once they slow down. The key is building a systematic method — writing out the alphabet, counting shifts carefully — and then drilling until it becomes automatic.

Missing number in brackets (Type R) requires children to work backwards from a result to identify a rule, then apply that rule. This is a genuinely abstract skill and takes sustained practice. The approach of systematically testing all four operations on the first example before attempting the second is learnable but needs to become a habit.

Logical deductions (Type T) and maths-as-words puzzles (Type P) are difficult for different reasons — Type T requires children to set aside real-world knowledge and reason only from the premises given. A child who knows that some dogs are quiet may struggle to accept that "Rex barks" is always true based on a premise that says all dogs bark. Type P asks children to translate word problems into calculations quickly — another trainable habit. Both are learnable with focused practice, not innate ability.

Letter pairs (Type L) with simultaneous sequences moving in opposite directions are initially confusing but become manageable quickly once children learn to track each position in the pair separately.

The most common mistakes — and how to avoid them

• Not reading the question carefully enough. The most frequent error in verbal reasoning is answering the wrong question — choosing the synonym when asked for the antonym, or identifying the wrong member of a sequence. Build the habit of re-reading the question after arriving at an answer, before marking it.
• Running out of alphabet. Many code and sequence questions require children to know where letters fall in the alphabet. Children who have not memorised position values — A=1, E=5, J=10, M=13, S=19, Z=26 — waste time counting from A every time. Memorising every fifth letter pays dividends across multiple question types.
• Leaving questions blank. Most 11+ papers do not penalise wrong answers. An educated guess is always better than a blank. If time is running short, eliminate one or two obviously wrong options and guess from the remainder.
• Getting stuck. The worst time management mistake is spending three minutes on one difficult question. Mark it, move on, and return at the end if time allows.
• Practising without reviewing. Doing question after question without understanding why wrong answers were wrong produces very little improvement. For every session, spend as long reviewing errors as you did answering questions.

How to prepare for verbal reasoning: a step-by-step plan

Aim for three focused VR sessions per week in Months 1–3, then maintain at least two per week through mixed practice and mocks. Step 5 runs in parallel from the start — wide reading at home strengthens vocabulary for Types K, U, and CEM-style mixed papers.

Recommended resources for verbal reasoning

• Bond 11+ Verbal Reasoning is the most comprehensive resource available for GL preparation. The age 9–10 and 10–11 books cover all 21 question types with clear explanations and graded exercises. Start with the younger age band to build confidence before moving to the harder book.
• CGP 11+ Verbal Reasoning workbooks are well-structured and child-friendly in presentation. They work well as a second resource once Bond has been completed, providing additional variety.
• Letts 11+ Verbal Reasoning is a useful supplementary resource for additional practice on specific question types, particularly codes and sequences.
• Bond Assessment Papers (Verbal Reasoning) are the best source of timed mixed practice for GL-format candidates. Work through the 9–10 books first, then the 10–11 books as the exam approaches.
• Atom Learning is an online adaptive platform that adjusts question difficulty based on your child's performance, making it efficient at targeting gaps. It covers verbal reasoning comprehensively and provides useful progress data.

For CEM candidates, resources are more limited because the format changes annually. The Bond and CGP materials are still useful for building the underlying skills — but additional preparation should include wide reading, vocabulary work, and CEM-specific practice papers from recent years where available.