Verbal Reasoning · Logic

Logic & deduction 11+ practice

Separate conclusions that must be true from those that are only possible.

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The key idea

Understand the rule first

Translate each statement into a small set, order or position diagram. A valid conclusion must hold in every arrangement allowed by the facts.

Worked example

All kestrels are birds. No birds are mammals. What must be true?

Kestrels are inside the bird set.
The bird and mammal sets do not overlap.
Therefore no kestrel can be a mammal.

No kestrels are mammals.

Watch for this

A common misconception

Treating a likely or familiar conclusion as certain without proving it from the statements.

Reusable method: Draw small sets or a simple order diagram.

Question 1 of 10
Verbal Reasoningcore
All silver boxes are heavy. Box P is silver. What must be true?
- AP is small.
- BP is empty.
- CP is heavy.
- DAll heavy boxes are silver.
Need a hint?
Place P inside the set of silver boxes.
Show worked answer
Answer C: P is heavy.
Every silver box is heavy, so P must be heavy.
Quick method: Draw small sets or a simple order diagram.
Question 2 of 10
Verbal Reasoningcore
Mina finished before Leo but after Noor. Who finished first?
- AMina
- BLeo
- CNoor and Leo tied
- DNoor
Need a hint?
Write the order directly from both comparisons.
Show worked answer
Answer D: Noor
Noor finished before Mina, and Mina before Leo; Noor was first.
Quick method: Draw small sets or a simple order diagram.
Question 3 of 10
Verbal Reasoningcore
Some poets are musicians. All musicians practise daily. What must be true?
- ASome poets practise daily.
- BAll poets are musicians.
- CNo poets practise daily.
- DOnly poets are musicians.
Need a hint?
Follow the poets who are inside the musician set.
Show worked answer
Answer A: Some poets practise daily.
Those poets who are musicians must practise daily, so some poets practise daily.
Quick method: Draw small sets or a simple order diagram.
Question 4 of 10
Verbal Reasoningexam-style
Four seats are in a row. Ella sits immediately left of Faisal. Gus sits immediately right of Faisal. Which order must occur?
- AGus, Faisal, Ella
- BElla, Faisal, Gus
- CFaisal, Ella, Gus
- DElla, Gus, Faisal
Need a hint?
Place Faisal in the middle of the two stated neighbours.
Show worked answer
Answer B: Ella, Faisal, Gus
Ella must be immediately left and Gus immediately right: Ella, Faisal, Gus.
Quick method: Draw small sets or a simple order diagram.
Question 5 of 10
Verbal Reasoningexam-style
No red tokens are square. Token X is square. Which statement must be true?
- AX is blue.
- BX is round.
- CX is not red.
- DAll non-red tokens are square.
Need a hint?
A square token cannot belong to the red-token set.
Show worked answer
Answer C: X is not red.
Because no red token is square and X is square, X cannot be red.
Quick method: Draw small sets or a simple order diagram.
Question 6 of 10
Verbal Reasoningcore
All larns are mips. No mips are zogs. Which statement must be true?
- ANo larns are zogs.
- BAll zogs are larns.
- CSome mips are zogs.
- DNo larns are mips.
Need a hint?
Place larns inside the group of mips.
Show worked answer
Answer A: No larns are zogs.
Because every larn is a mip and no mip is a zog, no larn can be a zog.
Quick method: Draw small sets or a simple order diagram.
Question 7 of 10
Verbal Reasoningcore
Dan stands before Ava. Ava stands before Ben. Cia stands after Ben. Which order must be correct?
- AAva, Dan, Ben, Cia
- BDan, Ava, Ben, Cia
- CDan, Ben, Ava, Cia
- DCia, Ben, Ava, Dan
Need a hint?
Join the three comparisons into one chain.
Show worked answer
Answer B: Dan, Ava, Ben, Cia
The statements combine to Dan before Ava before Ben before Cia.
Quick method: Draw small sets or a simple order diagram.
Question 8 of 10
Verbal Reasoningcore
If P is true, then Q must be true. Q is false. What must follow?
- AP is true.
- BQ is true.
- CP is false.
- DNothing can be known about P.
Need a hint?
Ask whether P could be true while Q is false.
Show worked answer
Answer C: P is false.
P being true would force Q to be true. Since Q is false, P must also be false.
Quick method: Draw small sets or a simple order diagram.
Question 9 of 10
Verbal Reasoningexam
Four pupils—J, K, L and M—sit in a row. J is left of K. L is at the far right. M is not next to L. Which order is possible?
- AJ, K, M, L
- BK, J, M, L
- CM, K, J, L
- DM, J, K, L
Need a hint?
Test all three conditions against each option.
Show worked answer
Answer D: M, J, K, L
M, J, K, L has J left of K, L at the far right and M not next to L. Each other option breaks at least one condition.
Quick method: Draw small sets or a simple order diagram.
Question 10 of 10
Verbal Reasoningstretch
Three boxes R, S and T contain one prize. Their labels say: R: ‘The prize is in S.’ S: ‘The prize is not in S.’ T: ‘The prize is in R.’ Exactly one label is true. Where is the prize?
- ABox S
- BBox R
- CBox T
- DIt cannot be determined
Need a hint?
Test each possible box and count the true labels.
Show worked answer
Answer A: Box S
If the prize is in S, R’s label is true while S’s and T’s labels are false—exactly one true label. The other locations produce a different count.
Quick method: Draw small sets or a simple order diagram.

Understand the rule first

All kestrels are birds. No birds are mammals. What must be true?

A common misconception

All silver boxes are heavy. Box P is silver. What must be true?

Mina finished before Leo but after Noor. Who finished first?

Some poets are musicians. All musicians practise daily. What must be true?

Four seats are in a row. Ella sits immediately left of Faisal. Gus sits immediately right of Faisal. Which order must occur?

No red tokens are square. Token X is square. Which statement must be true?

All larns are mips. No mips are zogs. Which statement must be true?

Dan stands before Ava. Ava stands before Ben. Cia stands after Ben. Which order must be correct?

If P is true, then Q must be true. Q is false. What must follow?

Four pupils—J, K, L and M—sit in a row. J is left of K. L is at the far right. M is not next to L. Which order is possible?

Three boxes R, S and T contain one prize. Their labels say: R: ‘The prize is in S.’ S: ‘The prize is not in S.’ T: ‘The prize is in R.’ Exactly one label is true. Where is the prize?

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