Preparation for NZ Police Abilities test 2024

If you are applying to join NZ Police, you will be asked to complete an abilities test as part of your entrance exam.

The abilities test includes 60 test questions and you are given 30 minutes to complete all test questions.

What is the abilities test?

The abilities test includes three types of test questions:

• Abstract test questions
• Verbal test questions
• Numerical test questions

NZ Police Abilities test - verbal test questions

The Verbal test questions in NZ Police's abilities test has a set of multiple-choice questions that are designed to assess your verbal reasoning ability. The verbal reasoning test includes three types of test questions:

Type 1 - Logical questions:

In this type of question, you will be presented with a list of statements or facts. You will then be asked if one or more of the statements ‘prove’ or ‘disprove’ the conclusion in the test question.

Let’s look at the following example test question:

Which two statements together prove that boys are not girls?

A.   all boys have an earring in one eyebrow

B.   girls don’t like boys

C.   boys don’t like girls

D.   if you have an earring, you are not a girl

E.   if you are not a girl, you must have an earring

If you combine the first statement that ‘all boys have an earring in one eyebrow’ with the fourth statement, ‘if you have an earring, you are not a girl’, you will get: ‘all boys have an earring, and they are not girls’.

As you can see, this is factual nonsense, but you are not being asked about reality: only whether you can identify if specific statements (right, wrong or indifferent) support a particular statement (however silly). Your ability to apply logic is being tested, not your grip on reality. Therefore, the correct answer is A and D.

Type 2 – ‘Word list’ and ‘odd-one-out’ test questions

This type of question presents you with a list of words or phrases, and asks which one or two in the list are dissimilar to the others (i.e. find the ‘odd one out’).

Let’s review the following example:

Four of the following five options are alike in some way – select the one that is not.

A.   to acquit

B.   to esteem

C.   to exculpate

D.   to exonerate

E.   to vindicate

Most words in this list have a common theme: ‘to acquit’, ‘to exculpate’, ‘to exonerate’, and ‘to vindicate’ are all verbs that relate to being found or declared not guilty, or free from blame. However, ‘to esteem’ means to respect and admire and has a different meaning to the rest. This is the odd one out.

Type 3 – ‘Words relationship’ questions

For these, you will be given two words that are associated in some way (i.e. an analogy) and a list of options. You will then asked which of the options is most like the given word association. 

Let’s look at an example:

Cane : walk, as eyeglasses ?

A.   taste

B.   hear

C.   colour

D.   run

E.   observe

F.   sun

The association between ‘cane’ and ‘walk’ is that the cane is an ancillary instrumentto assist someone to walk. Therefore, we need to find a word in the list with a similar association to ‘eyeglasses’. ‘Eyeglasses’ are an ancillary instrument to help someone ‘observe’, so this forms the same relationship as exists between ‘cane’ and ‘walk’.

The challenge with these verbal test questions is to do them very quickly, as you have less than 40 seconds per question. To be able to keep up and correctly solve many questions, you must ensure that you are using the right techniques and you have mastered all the relevant material.

NZ Police Abilities tes - numerical test questions 

NZ Police Numeracy test includes sets of test questions. in this test you will need to master simple multipliers, calculating avergaes, calculating percentages and calculating ratios.

These test questions include traditional number series, Sudoku type (3 by 3 tables) of number series and time, speed, distance type of test questions.

Let's check the following numerical  test question examples:

Example numerical question 1:

Tom has been flying his small jet for 30 minutes and has travelled 200 km. What has been his average speed in Kilometres per hour?

This is a time, speed, distance type of test question. To solve this question you must use the formula time x speed = distance. Based on the question time = 0.5 of an hour and distance = 200 km, Therefore, the speed is 200/0.5 = 400 km/hr

Example numerical question 2:

Steve has to figure out the number of animals to be placed in each of the small zoo's cages. He decided that the number of animals to be placed in each of the 6 cages will depend on the size of the cage in comparison to the other cages. One cage is four times the size of two of the zoo's cages and equal to the three other cages. What is the minimum number of animals in each cage?

This is a question that that requires you to represent verbal information in numerical format. Based on the information in the question, if X represents the number of animals in a small cage then 2X represents the number of animals in the bigger cage. Based on the information in the question, we can conclude that there are 4 big cages and 2 small ones. To find the smallest number of animals in each cage is 1 in the small cage and 2 in the bigger cage. The smallest number of animals in all 6 cages is 2+2+2+2+1+1= 10. 

Example numerical question 3:

1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, ?

What's the next number in this series?

This number series is based on the following sequence of numbers 1 squared, 2 squared, 3 squared, 4 squared, 5 squared, 6 squared. The next number is 7 squared (i.e. 49).

Example numerical question 4:

What is the missing number that should replace the question mark?

In the horizontal rows, the pattern is for the numbers to increase by 2 going left to right. Therefore, the missing number to replace the question mark is: 17 – 2 = 15. Alternatively, you can look at the pattern in the vertical columns. Here, the numbers increase by 6 going top to bottom. Therefore, the missing number to replace question mark is: 9 + 6 = 15.

NZ Police Abilities test - abstract test questions

This type of test questions in the Cognitive ability test measures your abstract skills. In this type of test questions you are presented with a group of shapes or items. Your challenge is to quickly identify one or more patterns among most of the items presented. Based on these patterns you can eliminate one or two items which do not belong with the others.

Let's review the following example, here we can see a group of shapes. Your task is to find which of the shapes doesn’t belong with the others.

To answer this question we need to find the patterns or logical rules that make up this list of shapes going from left to right. When reviewing the three shapes we can identify the following patterns:

1. Each shape has a half white and hals black inner shapes.

2. The black and white inner shapes are mirro image..

3. There is a stick or pole coming out from the centre or point of connection between the black and white inner shapes.

As the odd-one-out is a shape that does not incorporate all three patterns, the first shape is the odd-one-out.

In our practice test for NZ Police, you will receive detailed answer explanations to allow you to solve similar test questions in your real Revelian Cognitive test. 

Our preparation for NZ Police Abilities test:

The Institute’s Psychometric test experts have prepared several full preparation solutions for these tests. They include:

Tailored practice abilities tests online for each component of your test - abstract, verbal and numerical:

• All tests are based on real tests.
• All tests have step by step answer explanations so you know how to answer in your real test.
• You get tests scores in comparison to others' performance.
• You get effective advice about how to improve your scores.
• Immediate Access.

1-on-1 Tutoring for your abilities test:

• Delivered by experienced psychometricians.
• Offered face to face or via Skype live.
• Your coach works with you to improve your skills and scores.
• Immediate Access.

Please note: IPC is not in any way affiliated with, endorsed or authorised by NZ police..

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