ExamopotamiaWhy include a verbal reasoning test in hiring?
Much of modern work is reading: instructions, contracts, customer emails and reports. Mistakes often come from reading too much into a text, such as assuming that two facts mentioned together are cause and effect, or that "not yet decided" means "no". Verbal reasoning questions check that habit directly. They are also fairer than judging writing style from a cover letter, which may have had plenty of help.
What this template covers
- True, false or cannot say: two short business passages with statements to judge strictly on what the text says.
- Hidden calculations: a statement that needs a quick check of the figures in the passage.
- Cause and effect: spotting when a passage reports two facts without linking them.
- Vocabulary in context: working out meaning from the surrounding sentence.
- Word pairs and logic: commonly confused words and a simple deduction.
How to run it well
Give 15 minutes for the twelve questions. Explain the rule clearly in the test instructions: "Cannot say" means the passage does not give enough information, even if the statement seems likely. A pass mark of 60–70% is a sensible start, and you can raise it for roles that involve contracts or compliance. Shuffle the question order so the passage questions are not always grouped together.
Most questions are single choice with three options. There is one select-all question on synonyms and one true/false on confused words. When reading results, check whether wrong answers cluster on the "cannot say" items. That pattern usually means someone reads in their own assumptions, which matters more in some roles than a weak vocabulary does.
Who this test is for
Use it for graduate schemes, administrators, customer service and claims handlers, paralegals, coordinators and anyone who works from written procedures. It sits well alongside a numerical reasoning test as a short aptitude battery. Candidates need a working level of English, so think about whether that is a fair requirement for the role.
Make it yours
Swap in passages written in your own style, such as an extract from a policy, a product description or a customer complaint, and write statements about them. Add vocabulary from your industry. The AI generator can draft new passages with true, false and cannot say statements, but check each "cannot say" answer carefully, as that is where generated questions most often go wrong.