Skip to main content
Academy11+
Back to Verbal Reasoning

Verbal Reasoning · Guide 10 of 15

Move a letter

Take one letter out of the first word and put it into the second word, so that both become new words. Test the letters one at a time and it clicks.

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

What is it?

In a move a letter question you are given two words. You take one letter out of the first word and put it somewhere in the second word, so that you end up with two new, real words.

You must not change the order of the other letters in either word. The letter can go anywhere in the second word: at the start, in the middle or at the end.

A typical question

Move one letter from the first word to the second word to make two new words: bread   cow

How to spot it

  • The instructions say 'take one letter from the first word and put it into the second word'.
  • You are given exactly two words, usually short ones (three to six letters).
  • The answer is the letter that moves (some papers also ask for the two new words).

Step-by-step method

  1. Step 1: Cover one letter of the first word at a time. Does what's left still make a real word?
  2. Step 2: Write down every letter that leaves a real word behind. Often only one or two do.
  3. Step 3: Take each of those letters and try it in every gap of the second word: at the front, between each pair of letters and at the end.
  4. Step 4: Say each new second word quietly in your head: is it a real word?
  5. Step 5: The answer is the letter that makes both words real at the same time.
  6. Step 6: Check you haven't swapped round any other letters.

Worked examples

Example 1: a letter into the middle

Question: Move one letter from 'bread' to 'cow' to make two new words.
  1. Step 1: Cover each letter of 'bread': read, bead, brad, bred, brea. 'Read', 'bead' and 'bred' are real words, so the letter could be b, r or a.
  2. Step 2: Try b in 'cow': bcow, cbow, cobw, cowb. None are words.
  3. Step 3: Try r in 'cow': rcow, crow… 'crow' is a word, and 'bead' is left behind.

Answer: r (bead and crow)

Example 2: a letter near the front

Question: Move one letter from 'wheat' to 'sell' to make two new words.
  1. Step 1: Cover each letter of 'wheat': heat is a real word, so try w first.
  2. Step 2: Put w in each gap of 'sell': wsell, swell… 'swell' is a word.

Answer: w (heat and swell)

Example 3: the first letter you try doesn't work

Question: Move one letter from 'heart' to 'cat' to make two new words.
  1. Step 1: Cover each letter of 'heart': taking e leaves 'hart' (a male deer), and taking r leaves 'heat'.
  2. Step 2: Try e in 'cat': ecat, ceat, caet, cate. None are words, so e doesn't work.
  3. Step 3: Try r in 'cat': rcat, crat, cart… 'cart' is a word.

Answer: r (heat and cart)

Common traps

  • Only checking one word

    A letter that leaves a real word behind is no good unless it also makes a real word when you add it to the second word. Both must work.

  • Rearranging letters

    You can't turn 'cow' plus r into 'roc' or 'orc' by moving letters around. The letters already there stay in the same order.

  • Only trying the front and the end

    The letter often goes in the middle: s + well = swell, r + cow = crow. Try every gap.

  • Moving more than one letter

    Exactly one letter moves, once. If you need two changes, you've picked the wrong letter.

Top tips

  • Start with the letters that leave a word behind: it's quicker than trying every letter in every gap.
  • Blends like cr, sl, sw, st, br and pl are common at the start of the new second word.
  • Read your two new words out in your head as a final check: are they both spelled correctly?

Practice questions

Practise this with a free account

6 practice questions on this topic, from easy to 11+ level. Reading the guide is free for everyone; practice is for members, and signing up is free.

Sign up free to practiseSign in

Related on Academy11+

More free help with the same topic, on screen and on paper.