Verbal Reasoning

People generally assume that their verbal reasoning skills are relatively sharp because they engage in conversations and engage in at least some light reading regularly. The differentiation between someone with poor verbal reasoning skills and someone with excellent verbal reasoning skills lies in one's ability to read or listen critically and to pick out pertinent information. Pertinent information can include known facts, specific opinions, statistics, sources, fallacies, and the like.

   Tests for verbal reasoning skills, especially those on standardized tests, usually take the same form. Such tests determine one's ability to understand question, to differentiate facts from assumptions, and to think logically.

   Individuals use their verbal reasoning skills in various ways at work, mainly through oral communication and/or reading written information. Strong verbal reasoning skills are a key prerequisite for many different jobs that involve frequent communication (emails, reports, or oral communication) and the ability to quickly and effectively interpret complex verbal information. When recruiting for many job roles there is a need to differentiate those with high verbal reasoning ability from those with poor verbal reasoning skills. Sales personnel, for example, require persuasive verbal reasoning skills, and managers must adapt their communication style depending on their audience. Thus, many employers now make extensive use of verbal reasoning tests as a key part of their standard recruitment processes.

   Verbal reasoning tests allow employers and university admissions officers to assess such skills of a large number of applicants in a standardized way. The same verbal reasoning test is given to a large number of applicants, which increases the fairness of the application process – whilst also making the process more efficient.  A well-designed verbal reasoning test offers both a reliable and a valid means of assessment.

   These tests are widely used since most jobs require you either to understand and make decisions based on verbal or written information or to pass this type of information to others. In practice, the more straightforward types of question (spelling, grammar and instructions) tend to be more applicable to administrative roles and the reasoning and deduction type of questions to management roles.