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Civil Service Verbal Test Practice: Adaptive True, False or Cannot Say Questions

Civil Service Verbal Test practice: 20 adaptive passages on public-service topics. Decide True, False or Cannot say, then see why each answer is right.

Practice: 20 adaptive questions at three levels, untimedAlso called “Civil Service verbal reasoning test”Also called “Civil Service Verbal Test practice”

How the practice module works

  1. 01Read each passage, then decide whether the statement is True, False or Cannot say, using only what the passage says.
  2. 02True: the statement follows from the passage. False: the passage shows it is wrong. Cannot say: the passage does not give enough information.
  3. 03The practice adapts like the real test: a right answer moves you up a level, a wrong one down. There is no going back.
  4. 04There is no timer. At the end you see how many you got right, the level you reached and why each answer is what it is.

Controls

  • Choose True, False or Cannot say
  • Next moves on; there is no going back, because the next question depends on your answer

Included in 1 Game Platform Prep (when you choose the UK Civil Service tests), All Games Platforms Prep and Full Access. See plans

Format
A passage, then a statement: True, False or Cannot say
Adaptive
A right answer may bring a harder question, a wrong one an easier one
Length
Varies; usually shorter than a fixed test
Time
Untimed; most people take 15 to 45 minutes
Result
A percentile that reflects how many and how hard
Banking
A pass is banked for six months within the grade grouping

What the Civil Service Verbal Test looks at

GOV.UK says the Verbal Test shows a passage of text followed by a statement, and you decide whether the statement is true, false or cannot say from the passage.

The test adapts to you: a right answer may lead to a harder question and a wrong one to an easier one, so its length varies. Some questions are unscored trials.

Your score reflects the number of questions you answer correctly and how difficult they are, and is reported as a percentile against other applicants.

How the Civil Service Verbal Test practice works

  1. Read the passage, then the statement. Use only what the passage says, not what you know.
  2. Choose True if the statement follows from the passage, False if the passage shows it is wrong, or Cannot say if the passage does not give enough information.
  3. You start at level 2 of 3. Each right answer moves you up a level and each wrong one down, for 20 questions.
  4. At the end, see how many you got right, the highest level you answered correctly and why each answer is what it is.

Civil Service Verbal Test tips

  • Ignore what you know about the topic. A statement can be true in real life and still be Cannot say from the passage.
  • Watch small words: "all", "only", "most", "may" and "will" often decide the answer.
  • False needs the passage to contradict the statement. If it simply does not say, the answer is Cannot say.
  • A link between two figures is not a cause unless the passage says so.
  • The test is untimed: reread the sentence the statement is based on before you answer.

Common Civil Service Verbal Test mistakes

  • Choosing False when the passage is silent: that is Cannot say.
  • Treating "could" or "is expected to" as "will".
  • Using general knowledge to fill a gap in the passage.
  • Rushing because the questions get harder: harder questions are a sign you are doing well.

A short Civil Service Verbal Test practice routine

  1. Run the free official Verbal Test practice once to see the real interface.
  2. Do a practice run here and read the explanation for every question you got wrong.
  3. Keep a note of the trap that caught you (a quantifier, a hedge, a cause) and look for it next time.
  4. Repeat until you reach level 3 and stay there.

Civil Service Verbal Test FAQ

What is the Civil Service Verbal Test?

GOV.UK describes a passage followed by a statement: you decide whether the statement is true, false or cannot say from the passage. The test is untimed and adapts to your answers, so its length varies. Most people take 15 to 45 minutes.

What is the difference between False and Cannot say?

False means the passage shows the statement is wrong. Cannot say means the passage does not give enough information to decide either way. If the passage is silent on the point, the answer is Cannot say.

How is the real test scored?

GOV.UK says the score reflects how many questions you answer correctly and how difficult they are, and is reported as a percentile against other applicants. Some questions are unscored trials. This practice shows accuracy, the level you reached and difficulty points instead, because it cannot compare you with other applicants.

How does this practice adapt?

It has three levels. You start at level 2; a right answer moves you up one level and a wrong one down one, for 20 questions. GOV.UK does not publish its own rule, so this is Candidate Falcon’s simple version.

Can I reuse my result for other jobs?

GOV.UK says a pass is banked for six months for jobs in the same grade grouping (AA and AO; EO; HEO and SEO; Grade 7, Grade 6 and SCS 1). A banked Verbal Test score does not count for the Numerical Test.

Independent practice by Candidate Falcon, based on the format in GOV.UK’s guidance; the passages, statements and adaptive rule are Candidate Falcon’s own. Not affiliated with the UK Civil Service, Civil Service Jobs or the Government People Group, and not their scoring. Practice results are not Civil Service scores. For scores, pass marks, banked results and GOV.UK's free official practice tests, read the free guide to the Civil Service online tests.