Verbal Reasoning tests for hiring

Powering hiring decisions at Lenovo, EDF and more

Predict on-the-job performance through verbal reasoning

Our Insights™ Verbal Reasoning Test makes it easy to evaluate candidates’ ability to understand, analyse, and interpret written information, and to draw accurate conclusions from text-based material.

The assessment presents candidates with a range of written passages. Candidates must evaluate the information provided and answer questions that test their ability to reason logically, identify key details, and distinguish between what is stated, implied, or cannot be determined.

BENEFITS

Proven measure of verbal ability
Fair and accessible by design
Advanced authenticity detection
Positive candidate experience

PERFECT FOR THESE ROLES

Customer-facing and communication-led roles
Roles involving policy, compliance, or decision-making
Graduate, apprentice and early talent
Anything where reasoning ability matters
Roles involving written information or reports

How we know this assessment works

This verbal reasoning assessment is designed to assess how candidates interpret and reason with written information, and is built on robust assessment science that ensures accuracy and fairness behind the scenes.

Consistent results you can trust

Produces consistent verbal reasoning scores, giving confidence in shortlisting and pass/fail decisions.

Reliability coefficient: α = .85, exceeding accepted psychometric standards.

Proven to measure reasoning ability

Strong relationship with established cognitive measures, confirming the test measures genuine verbal reasoning ability.

Correlation with composite cognitive measures: r = .61.

Fair and robust by design

Tested across multiple norm groups to ensure fair and consistent outcomes across different backgrounds.

Built using established psychometric methods for high-volume hiring.

Woman writing notes in a notebook at a desk

Used across all roles and levels

Strong performance indicates an ability to interpret written information accurately and draw sound conclusions, making it particularly predictive in roles involving reports, policies, and stakeholder communication.

Measures how well candidates interpret written information, draw accurate conclusions, and evaluate meaning, making it highly relevant for roles involving reports, policies, and stakeholder communication.

Questions are weighted by difficulty, meaning performance on harder questions contributes more to the final score than performance on easier ones. The test adapts as candidates progress, so ability can be measured more precisely and efficiently.

All our assessments have robust evidence to prove they do not adversely affect protected groups. Our test development process includes trialling our questions on tens of thousands of participants from mixed backgrounds, and our research shows 'Cohens d' effect sizes better than industry best-practice.

Sample reports and questions

Review real sample reports and try example questions to see exactly how the assessment works in practice — from the candidate experience through to the hiring insights.

Downloads

PREVIEW THE TEST EXPERIENCE

Example questions

Want extra AI-protection?

Verbal reasoning is also available in a format built to make AI assistance harder.

Word Logic, a MindmetriQ gamified verbal assessment

MindmetriQ Verbal Reasoning

Two short, game-based verbal assessments. Our most secure AI-resistant tests, perfect for early careers.

We deliver the results that matter most

See how hiring teams use Test Partnership to make better hiring decisions.

Filter by the outcomes that matter most to you.

Verbal Reasoning FAQs

A verbal test is ideal for any roles where the employee is required to comprehend, interpret, and make decisions based on written sources of information. These may include roles such as HR professionals, customer support representatives, editors, and positions involving project management or academia.

Verbal tests assess skills including reading comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, critical reasoning, and information retrieval from written sources. These tests gauge a candidate's ability to work with text, analyse written data, understand and interpret written information accurately, and make informed decisions based on qualitative information.

Verbal tests in the hiring process assess candidates' verbal skills, predict job performance, and ensure objectivity, saving time and resources while enhancing the quality of hires and reducing potential risks.

Our tests use adaptive test technology which allows our verbal test to be suitable for all levels (from school leavers to senior executives). The difficulty level of the question asked will depend upon the performance of the candidate, allowing maximum precision in assessing their ability in the minimum amount of time.

You receive clear, detailed reports on each candidate’s performance, including scores, benchmarks, and summaries. Reports are available instantly in the platform or sent directly to your ATS once the test is completed.

No. You can invite as many candidates as you need to each test. This makes using verbal tests in your application process easy for both small hiring campaigns and high-volume recruitment.

Verbal reasoning test