Edutest verbal reasoning in the Queensland Academies test
Independent. Not affiliated with Queensland Academies, the Queensland Department of Education or Edutest.
Verbal reasoning in the Queensland Academies Entrance Test for 2028 entry is a 301Qld Academies · 12 October 2026 · Published-minute Edutest test of vocabulary, word relationships, classification and deduction1Qld Academies · 12 October 2026 · Published. Your child names the link between words, then tests every option against it.
What does Edutest verbal reasoning test?
It tests how your child thinks with words and language. The Academies list four parts: vocabulary, word relationships, classification and deduction1Qld Academies · 12 October 2026 · Published. Answers are multiple choice2Edutest · 12 October 2026 · Published.
Like numerical reasoning, it is an ability test. It measures thinking, reasoning and problem solving, without necessarily relying on prior knowledge1Qld Academies · 13 October 2026 · Published, but a wide vocabulary still makes every part easier.
| Part | What the question asks | What it looks like (our illustration) |
|---|---|---|
| Vocabulary | Which word means the same, or the opposite? | Brief is closest in meaning to short. |
| Word relationships | Which pair is linked in the same way? | Cup is to drink as fork is to eat. |
| Classification | Which word belongs, or doesn't belong, in a group? | In apple, pear, carrot and plum, carrot is the odd one out. |
| Deduction | What must be true, given a few statements? | Every bike in the shed is red. If a bike is blue, it isn't in the shed. |
These illustrations are ours, to show the idea. They are not Edutest questions.
How is verbal reasoning different from the reading test?
Verbal reasoning works on single words, pairs and short statements. The separate reading test checks understanding of longer passages and sentences.
| Verbal reasoning | Reading comprehension | |
|---|---|---|
| Kind of test | Ability | Achievement |
| Minutes | 301Qld Academies · 12 October 2026 · Published | 301Qld Academies · 12 October 2026 · Published |
| What it covers | vocabulary, word relationships, classification and deduction1Qld Academies · 12 October 2026 · Published | reading passages, and correcting, completing and punctuating sentences1Qld Academies · 12 October 2026 · Published |
| What helps most | Word knowledge and careful logic | Reading stamina and close reading |
What method works on word relationship questions?
Say the link in a sentence before looking at the options. A clear sentence turns a guess into a check.
Say the link in a full sentence
A cup is used for drinking beats a vague they go together.
Use the same sentence on every option
Only one pair should fit it exactly. Read each option with the sentence, out loud in practice.
If two options fit, sharpen the sentence
Add the detail that separates them, such as purpose, part of, a kind of, or more than.
For odd one out, find what most share
Name what the group has in common first. The answer is the word that doesn't share it.
How do you handle verbal deduction questions?
Treat each one like a short story with strict rules. Write each rule as a tiny note, an arrow or a quick diagram.
Accept only what the rules force to be true. Ignore what is merely likely, and watch for words like all, some, only and not.
How does vocabulary come into it?
Vocabulary sits under every part of the test. A child who knows more words spends less time on each question and has more time for the hard ones.
Read widely
Novels, news for children and non-fiction all add words. Different kinds of text add different words.
Talk about words
When a new word comes up, ask what it means, what it is like and what its opposite is.
Notice word parts
Prefixes and roots help with unknown words. Knowing un-, re- and pre- explains many meanings.
How fast does my child need to work?
Steadily. Edutest says its real tests have between 40 and 603Edutest · 13 October 2026 · Published questions, so in 301Qld Academies · 12 October 2026 · Published minutes there is well under a minute for most questions.
Word questions are quick when the link is clear and slow when it isn't. There are no marks taken off for wrong or unanswered questions4Edutest · 13 October 2026 · Published, so give each a fair try, choose the best option and move on. Edutest says many students do not finish every question4Edutest · 13 October 2026 · Published.
What are the common verbal reasoning traps?
| Trap | What happens | What helps |
|---|---|---|
| Choosing the first pair that "goes together" | A loose link beats the exact one | Say the link in a sentence first |
| Reversing a pair | Fork is to eat becomes eat is to fork | Keep the order the same on both sides |
| Reading in a fact not given | A likely answer replaces a certain one | Accept only what the statements force |
| Skipping small words | A "not" or "only" changes the answer | Underline them in practice |
| Shading the wrong row | Later answers slip out of step | Check the question number each time 2Edutest · 13 October 2026 · Published |
How can my child practise verbal reasoning at home?
Make words a daily habit, then add a few timed sets near the test. Ten relaxed minutes most days beats a long weekend session.
Read every day, and talk about one new word from the reading.
Play analogy games in the car, such as bird is to nest as bee is to what.
Sort words into groups and argue about which one doesn't belong.
Solve short logic puzzles told in words, with a quick diagram for each rule.
If you buy Edutest practice, choose sets at your child's current school year level5Edutest · 13 October 2026 · Published.
Time a few sets near the test, since the practice itself is untimed.
Edutest's practice tests are untimed and can be paused and resumed5Edutest · 13 October 2026 · Published. One set costs A$303Edutest · 13 October 2026 · Published. Our practice guide compares what is available.
Questions parents ask about Edutest verbal reasoning
Can my child use a dictionary?
No. Edutest doesn't allow calculators, dictionaries, working-out paper, mobile phones or rulers2Edutest · 13 October 2026 · Published. Word knowledge has to come from reading beforehand.
Is it normal to find verbal reasoning hard?
Yes. Edutest says most students get only half of the questions correct4Edutest · 13 October 2026 · Published. A hard paper doesn't mean your child did badly.
Is there a free official verbal reasoning sample?
No. Free official samples are not published1Qld Academies · 13 October 2026 · Not published by the Academies or Edutest. Edutest's paid sets include verbal reasoning, with fewer questions, untimed, not necessarily as hard3Edutest · 12 October 2026 · Published.
Will we see our child's verbal reasoning score?
No. Queensland Academies give no individual results or parent reports1Qld Academies · 12 October 2026 · Published. They look at results read alongside the rest of the application1Qld Academies · 12 October 2026 · Published.