Verbal reasoning tests in legal graduate recruitment: key components and approaches

Sep 01, 2023

Written By Sophie Wilson

Verbal reasoning tests are one form of assessment that law firms often include in their application process. They are a type of aptitude test that tests how well you can understand written information. It’s easy to feel nervous if you haven’t done one before, so here are some simple strategies to help you score well.

How is a verbal reasoning test structured?

Some written information is given to you, followed by a number of statements. Youre asked to say whether these statements regarding it are 'true', 'false' or whether you 'cannot say' from the information provided.

It’s important to distinguish between false and cannot say. False means that the statement directly contradicts the information in the passage, while cannot say means the statement is unrelated to the passage.

Why are these relevant to law?

Working as a solicitor, whether a trainee, associate or partner, you are expected to digest huge realms of information and use this to inform your client on their best course of action. Reading statute and case law can be difficult, but having the skills to deduce information from complicated written statements will stand you in good stead.

How can you improve your score?

Using online practice tests is my best piece of advice, you can find many with a quick google search. With these practice tests, there are two main strategies. You can read the information first and then read the statements. This will mean that you have the information from the passage in your head and you can go back to identify the specific issues asked in the statement. Or, you can read the statement first and then (once you know what you are looking out for) go back and read the passage. This allows for a more focused reading of the passage.

Neither way is better; neither way is correct. However, trying both ways and seeing which you favour is important because everybody works differently.

Furthermore, when you are doing the assessment, do not make assumptions. Read the information, and answer the questions purely based on this. Don’t add your own general knowledge into the mix, or your opinions. Digest the information and assess whether the statement is true or false based on that alone.

Another top tip is to manage your time. See how long your test provider has given you, and see how many questions you have to answer. Then, divide the time up so you know how many minutes or seconds you have on each question. This will save you from time management stress and allow you to keep focused on the work rather than worrying about running out of time. Doing practice tests is a great way to get familiar with time constraints.

Selection & Assessment