Verbal Reasoning
Eleanor St John Sutton
Teacher
Contents
Section Overview
Number of questions: 44
Time limit: 21 minutes
Average time per question: 29 seconds
This section assesses your ability to:
Critically analyse text quickly.
Draw evidence-based conclusions and inferences from text.
Identify key information in a timely manner.
Evaluate arguments.
Common student struggles
Spending too much time reading long texts.
Misunderstanding the text by not reading the text ‘enough’ to give yourself context.
Not identifying key words/phrases from the text/question.
Time Management Tips:
Skim and Scan
Reading quickly is essential for success in VR (and other UCAT sections).
Practice skimming passages to get a general idea and scanning for keywords from the question.
Focus on names, dates, numbers, unusual terms - these help you locate relevant information fast.
Identify qualifiers and synonyms/paraphrases.
Watch for qualifiers (e.g., some, may, rarely, except) that can completely change a statement’s meaning.
Be alert to synonyms and paraphrased information - tricky questions often disguise the answer using different wording.
Know When to Move On
Don’t get stuck on a long or difficult passage. There may be shorter/easier ones later.
If you’re unsure: guess, flag, and skip - come back later if time allows.
Aim to spend no more than 28 seconds per question on average.
Explainer Video
Filmed by our English department, this video walks through Verbal Reasoning.