How to Prepare for an SHL Verbal Reasoning Test

The SHL Verbal Reasoning Test is one of many pre-employment assessments offered through (Saville & Holdsworth Ltd.). This exam has an intense focus on the ability to read written documents and identify the information that is presented within them. Then, that information must be used as a way to solve other complex problems.

If you are facing an SHL verbal reasoning test, or any other form of verbal reasoning assessment, read on for tips to success!

Are Verbal Reasoning Tests and Reading Comprehension Tests the Same?

Some companies and websites refer to the SHL Verbal REasoning Test as a reading comprehension test due to their similarity in skill evaluation. Reading comprehension tests involve showing a test taker a passage and then asking them to answer questions directly related to the text in the passage.

The SHL Verbal Reasoning Test takes the same approach to evaluating comprehension and reading skills, but they specifically only ask true/false/cannot say questions.

This means you aren’t skimming through the written prompt to find specific pieces of information. Instead, you need to understand the concepts of the prompt as a whole to infer the answers to related questions.

What Can I Expect From the SHL Verbal Reasoning Test?

The SHL Verbal Reasoning Test is timed and contains 30 multiple-choice questions. These questions are all true or false and are asked in relation to a written prompt. This means that your reading speed can directly affect your final score.

True Statements – are statements that adhere to the facts laid out in the written prompt. They do not stray from logic nor require blind assumptions.

False Statements – are statements that are directly opposed to the logic of the written prompt. They negate the information provided and/or contradict the details of the prompt.

Cannot Say – Statements that require you to make assumptions, adjust details, or guess due to a lack of supporting evidence in the prompt should be marked as “cannot say.”

How is the SHL Verbal Reasoning Test Scored?

SHL tests, including the verbal reasoning test, are scored with a comparative model. This means that your score will not be pass/fail or be issued a graded number you are trying to reach. Instead, your overall performance is compared directly to other test takers for your potential job position.

This means that your score may be considered high and acceptable for one job, but that same score would be considered low and failing for another.

Due to this scoring system, it is unlikely that you will be allowed to retake the test if you perform badly on your first attempt. That’s one reason it is important to ensure you have properly prepared for your test before attempting.

SHL Verbal Reasoning Test – Quick Facts

• There are 30 multiple-choice questions on the exam.
• You will have 19 minutes to complete the exam.
• The exam consists of written prompts and true/false/cannot say questions.
• Your score is compared to other test takers for your potential job.
• The subject of the prompts is usually thematically curated for your specific career field.
• Some test providers will allow you to use scrap paper during your test session.
• Verbal Reasoning tests are often considered to be more difficult than standard reading comprehension tests.

Top 3 SHL Verbal Reasoning Test Tips

Tip 1: Don’t Fall for Generalizations or Assumptions

The test questions will attempt to trick you by utilizing generalizations and assumptions. These statements may feel directly true/false, but often need to be given a “cannot say” answer.

For instance, read the following statement, then read a generalization and an assumption based on that statement:

“The night-shift nurses used more catheter tubing than the day-shift nurses.”

Generalization: More catheter tubing is always used during the night shift when compared to the day shift. (There is no way of knowing the accuracy of this statement based on the information provided. Instead, a rule [more catheter tubing is always used] has been created off of a small detail. That is a generalization.)

Assumption: The Nurses used more catheter tubing at night because the hospital had more patients during that time. (This statement has potential to be true, but we cannot know if it is true based solely on the information provided. That is an assumption.)

Tip 2: Pay Attention to Qualifying Details

When reading your passage and your True/False/Cannot say statements, take note of qualifying details that may change the meaning of the statement.

Qualifiers (completely, almost, some, mostly, all, a few, never, always, sometimes, etc.) are descriptors that denote important qualifying details of a statement.

So, if a sentence in the prompt says “Dogs can eat some kinds of fruit,” then the statement, “Dogs can eat all kinds of fruit,” would be false.

Tip 3: Practice Your Reading Comprehension Skills Before Your Test

The best thing you can do for yourself when preparing for the SHL Verbal Reasoning Test is to practice your skills ahead of time. Proper preparation can:

• Improve your reading speed
• Enhance your natural ability to memorize text
• Help you identify qualifiers
• Keep you from falling for generalizations/ assumptions
• And enhance your overall scoring potential

Success in the SHL Verbal Reasoning Test requires both inherent comprehension skills and effective preparation. Understanding the format, practicing under realistic conditions, and improving your verbal skills can greatly enhance your performance.

If you want to improve your Verbal Reasoning Test score, check out JobAssessmentHelp, today!