11+ Verbal Reasoning
These 11+ Verbal Reasoning Books will help to improve your child's standards in a wide variety of Verbal Reasoning questions.
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In this question type you have to work out a code. The code uses numbers as letters. You might have to change a code word into English or English word into code.
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Look at this first example and then we can work our way through the question until we get the answer: -
(For ease of learning we have marked the important parts of this explanation in RED.)
Here are four words and below the four words are three of the words written in a secret code. The codes are in a different order from the words.
PACE CAPE PART TAPE
1234 3214 3267
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Q1 What does the code 1234 stand for? (________________)
The question may refer to one of the words already given in the question or it might refer to another word that is made from some of the letters in the words.
We can start by writing the codes above each other in numerical order like this:-
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1 2 3 4
3 2 1 4
3 2 6 7
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1 2 3 4
A
3 2 1 4
A
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3 2 6 7
A
It then becomes easier to see patterns in the code. Already it becomes clear that the number 2 in the code is actually the letter A in the real words. This is because 2 is used as the second number in the codes three times and all four words have the letter A as their second letter, so 2 must be code for the letter A.
We can write the letter A below the number 2.
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We can also see that the number 3 is used twice at the start of two of the codes. We can then ask ourselves if there are at least two words that start with the same letter?
We can see that PACE and PART start with the same letter – P.
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We can write the letter P below the number 3.
1 2 3 4
A P
3 2 1 4
P A
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3 2 6 7
P A
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We can also see that the number 4 is used twice at the end of the codes. We can then ask ourselves if there are at least two words that end with the same letter?
We can see that PACE and CAPE and TAPE all end with the same letter – E.
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We can write the letter E below the number 4.
1 2 3 4
A P E
3 2 1 4
P A E
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3 2 6 7
P A
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We are now very close to breaking the code!! We now have three letters of one of the words and the code that goes with it. This word must be PACE and it also gives us another letter and its code because we now know that the code 1 is actually the letter C.
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3 2 1 4
P A C E
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We can now complete more of our table.
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1 2 3 4
C A P E
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3 2 1 4
P A C E
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3 2 6 7
P A
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We now know that 1234 is actually the word CAPE and this is our answer.
Q1 What does the code 1234 stand for? ( CAPE )
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We also know that 3267 must be PART because this is the only other word that starts with P.
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1 2 3 4
C A P E
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3 2 1 4
P A C E
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3 2 6 7
P A R T
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Once we have broken the code we can answer other questions such as :-
Q2 What is PEAR in code? (________________)
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THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR!!!!
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Make sure that you work systemically and neatly writing the correct letter below the correct number.
It might take time to break the code but once broken it will allow you to answer lots of questions based on the code.
Once you start to break the code it usually falls into place quite quickly.
You can also work out the code by placing the letters “on top” in your table and placing the numbers underneath - use whatever method you are most comfortable with.
If you follow a system similar to this you should be able to break the code.
Avoid guessing the answer – though if you are completely stuck a guess is better than a blank answer space.
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NB When you are completing a Verbal Reasoning test in Multiple-Choice format the correct answer will always be one of the choices that you are given on your answer sheet. If your answer does not match one of the answers that you are given then your answer is wrong.