Brilliant Verbal Reasoning Tests

20 brill iant verbal reason ing

After taking a practice test

G Set aside a time when you will not be interrupted.

G Circle any incorrect answers.

G Go through each answer explanation for those questions

you got wrong.

It is really important to review your

progress regularly. Reflect upon the

way you completed the practice test

– as well as your overall perform-

ance. Focus on how you can avoid making the same mistake

again. Try highlighting the answer explanations that you found

most useful so you can review them again and again. If you do

this just before your next practice session it will help instil the

correct way of working in your mind.

Progress review

When you review your performance, ask yourself the following

questions:

G How many questions did I get right?

G How many questions did I get wrong?

G If this is not your first practice session – Have I improved?

G What have I learnt?

G Are there particular types of question that I get wrong?

G Is there one specific thing that the answer explanation

taught me? Have I applied this learning point correctly the

next time around?

brilliant

tip

It may be the last thing you want to do after taking the actual test,

but on your test day you should also reflect on what – if any –

questions you struggled with. This will help you target improvement

areas if you face another verbal reasoning test.

review your progress

regularly

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Common concerns

If you are feeling apprehensive about your test take comfort

from knowing that you are not alone – many people find the

prospect of sitting a test quite daunting. Let’s look at a few

common concerns.

Help! I don’t have much time

Ideally you will have sufficient time to plan your practice ses-

sions over a period of several weeks as many test-taking

strategies take time to develop. For readers with very limited

time to get ready, the first priority is to complete those practice

questions most relevant to you in Part 2. This will prepare you

for what to expect and improve your overall confidence. Then

read the strategic tips on test taking in Chapter 3.

Sample timetables

If you have 1 day . . .

Read through the tactics and techniques in Chapter 3. Spend as much time as you

can familiarising yourself with your test format, using the relevant chapter in Part 2.

If you have 1 week . . .

Plan at least two practice sessions and start with the most relevant questions in Part

2. The chapters in Part 2 increase in difficulty level, so move backwards or forwards

through Part 2 depending on whether you need to build your confidence with easier

questions or challenge yourself with tougher questions. In addition to the test-taking

tactics in Chapter 3 there are tips and strategies throughout all the chapters. Reading

and applying these will help improve your overall speed and accuracy so it is worth

scanning every chapter for tips.

If you have 1 month . . .

Follow the above plan, but schedule in regular (at least bi-weekly) practice sessions

over the course of the month, taking care to review and learn from the answer

explanations. Each chapter in Part 2 has an Additional Resources box, which

suggests online practice testing sites. If time permits, try taking these online practice

tests.

Practice makes perfect 21

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