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Verbal Reasoning · Guide 8 of 8

Logic and reading information

A short paragraph full of facts, and a question that needs you to put them together. Draw it, don't just read it.

  • Ages 9 to 11
  • 11+ Verbal Reasoning
  • Worked examples

What is it?

Logic questions give you several facts about people, places, days or things, then ask a question such as 'Who is the tallest?' or 'Which must be true?'.

Every fact matters, and no fact is there by accident. The trick is to get the facts out of the paragraph and onto paper in a simple picture: a line, a table or a timeline.

A typical question

Amy is taller than Ben. Cara is shorter than Ben. Dan is taller than Amy. Who is the shortest?

How to spot it

  • A paragraph with names and comparisons (taller, older, before, after, left of).
  • Or facts about who has, likes or does what, with 'not' clues.
  • Questions that ask 'Which statement must be true?' or 'Which cannot be true?'.

Step-by-step method

  1. Step 1: Read the whole question once to see what it's asking.
  2. Step 2: Choose a picture: a line for order (tallest to shortest), a table for matching (people and pets), a timeline for days and times.
  3. Step 3: Add one fact at a time, starting with the most certain one ('Priya has the fish').
  4. Step 4: Use 'not' clues to cross out boxes in your table.
  5. Step 5: When only one choice is left in a row or column, tick it.
  6. Step 6: 'Must be true' means true in every possible case, not just likely. Check each option against your picture.

Worked examples

Example 1: putting people in order

Question: Amy is taller than Ben. Cara is shorter than Ben. Dan is taller than Amy. Who is the shortest?
  1. Step 1: Draw a line, tallest at the top. Amy above Ben.
  2. Step 2: Cara is shorter than Ben, so Cara goes below Ben.
  3. Step 3: Dan is taller than Amy, so Dan goes at the top: Dan, Amy, Ben, Cara.

Answer: Cara

Example 2: a matching table

Question: Sam, Priya and Leo each have one pet: a cat, a dog or a fish. Sam doesn't have a dog. Priya has the fish. Who has the dog?
ChildCatDogFish
Sam✓✗✗
Priya✗✗✓
Leo✗✓✗
  1. Step 1: Priya has the fish: tick it, and cross out the rest of Priya's row and the fish column.
  2. Step 2: Sam doesn't have a dog: cross it out. The only box left for Sam is the cat.
  3. Step 3: That leaves the dog for Leo.

Answer: Leo

Example 3: what must be true

Question: All the children in Class 5 walk to school. Some children who walk to school have a dog. Max is in Class 5. Which must be true? (a) Max has a dog. (b) Max walks to school. (c) Max lives near the school.
  1. Step 1: Max is in Class 5, and everyone in Class 5 walks, so (b) must be true.
  2. Step 2: Only 'some' walkers have a dog, so Max might or might not: (a) isn't certain.
  3. Step 3: Nothing tells us where anyone lives: (c) might be true, but it isn't certain.

Answer: (b) Max walks to school.

Common traps

  • Using what you already know

    Only use the facts given. If the question doesn't say it, it isn't certain, however likely it sounds.

  • 'Some' isn't 'all'

    'Some children have a dog' doesn't tell you about any one child.

  • Doing it all in your head

    With four or more facts, it's easy to lose one. Draw the line or the table every time.

  • Flipping a comparison

    'Cara is shorter than Ben' puts Cara below Ben, not above. Say it back to yourself as you draw.

Top tips

  • Use initials (A, B, C, D) to save time when drawing.
  • Tick the facts off in the question as you add them to your picture.
  • For days of the week, write the seven days in a row and count along.

Practice questions

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