The hidden dangers in taking free verbal aptitude tests

There is an endless number of free aptitude tests and free verbal tests available online, and many find this to be reassuring. They practise these free aptitude test and free verbal tests for days, and spend valuable time reading the test questions and reports assuming this will ensure that they succeed in their real test. However, to their horror and surprise, the real verbal aptitude test asks them to complete verbal test questions that are very different to the ones they practised on the free test sites! The shock and disappointment of this discovery makes it particularly difficult to readjust and concentrate during the timed verbal aptitude test—and the typical outcome of this scenario is a lower test score.

Our consultants have dealt with many clients who have experienced the frustration of having prepared for their real test using these free verbal test sites, and consequently underperformed when they sat their real verbal aptitude test.

To know why this happens, it is important to understand that there are many types of verbal aptitude test questions, and these types are related to the kind of position you are applying for—and the psychometric test developer your potential employer uses. For example, if you wish to apply for a managerial role, and your employer uses SHL or CEB (a UK-based psychometric test developer), then your verbal aptitude test will include questions with a short passage and a statement—and you will need to decide whether the statements, as they stand, are true, false, or you can’t say. However, if you’re applying for a professional role with the state police, you will be asked to complete a verbal aptitude test that includes short test questions with word associations (such as: car is to road as boat is to …?). The vast range of possible verbal test questions makes any preparation based on free verbal tests an unfocused and frustrating waste of time.

To ensure that you wisely use your time preparing and practicing for your verbal aptitude test, we strongly recommend you use professional consultants to discover the type of questions you are likely to encounter in your real aptitude test. That way, you will only need to practise the type of questions you will actually be asked!

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