Common Entrance Verbal reasoning: Letter and word patterns
Letter sequences, codes, anagrams and word building. 20 original, exam-style questions with worked answers.
Read every question with its answer and working.
Question 1 of 20
What comes next? A, C, E, G, __
Answer: D. I. Skip one letter each time: G, (H), I.
Question 2 of 20
What comes next? Z, Y, X, W, __
Answer: C. V. The letters go backwards: W, then V.
Question 3 of 20
If A = 1, B = 2, C = 3 and so on, what is the code for DOG?
Answer: B. 4-15-7. D = 4, O = 15, G = 7.
Question 4 of 20
Which word can NOT be made from the letters of TEACHER?
Answer: A. TEETH. TEETH needs two Ts, but TEACHER has only one T.
Question 5 of 20
Write STAR backwards.
Answer: D. RATS. S-T-A-R reversed is R-A-T-S.
Question 6 of 20
What comes next? B, D, F, H, __
Answer: C. J. Skip one letter each time: H, (I), J.
Question 7 of 20
What comes next? AZ, BY, CX, __
Answer: B. DW. The first letters go forwards (A, B, C, D) and the second letters go backwards (Z, Y, X, W).
Question 8 of 20
If each letter is moved one place forward in the alphabet, CAT becomes DBU. What does DOG become?
Answer: A. EPH. D → E, O → P, G → H.
Question 9 of 20
If A = 1, B = 2, C = 3 and so on, what is the code for BLUE?
Answer: D. 2-12-21-5. B = 2, L = 12, U = 21, E = 5.
Question 10 of 20
Which word can be made from the letters of PLANTATION?
Answer: C. PLAIN. PLAIN uses P, L, A, I, N, which are all in PLANTATION. The others need letters it does not have (E, C or R).
Question 11 of 20
Which word is an anagram of EARTH (the same letters in a new order)?
Answer: B. HEART. HEART uses exactly E, A, R, T and H.
Question 12 of 20
What comes next? C, F, I, L, __
Answer: A. O. Skip two letters each time: L, (M, N), O.
Question 13 of 20
What is the 5th letter after K in the alphabet?
Answer: D. P. After K: L, M, N, O, P.
Question 14 of 20
Put the letters of BEAD in alphabetical order.
Answer: C. ABDE. The letters in order are A, B, D, E.
Question 15 of 20
If each letter is moved one place forward, MONDAY becomes NPOEBZ. What does FRIDAY become?
Answer: B. GSJEBZ. F → G, R → S, I → J, D → E, A → B, Y → Z.
Question 16 of 20
Which word is NOT a palindrome (a word that reads the same backwards)?
Answer: A. table. Level, radar and kayak read the same backwards. “Table” does not.
Question 17 of 20
What comes next? Z, X, V, T, __
Answer: D. R. Skip one letter going backwards each time: T, (S), R.
Question 18 of 20
What comes next? AB, CD, EF, __
Answer: C. GH. Each pair continues the alphabet: A B, C D, E F, G H.
Question 19 of 20
How many times does the letter T appear in ATTENTION?
Answer: B. 3. A-T-T-E-N-T-I-O-N has a T at positions 2, 3 and 6.
Question 20 of 20
Which of these words has its letters in alphabetical order?
Answer: A. BEGIN. B, E, G, I, N goes in alphabetical order. The other words do not.
More Verbal reasoning worksheets
Common Entrance questions parents ask
What is the Common Entrance examination?
It is the entrance exam Primary 6 pupils take to move on to secondary school in Nigeria. The National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) is used for the Federal Unity Colleges, and many states and schools set their own. Papers, subjects and dates differ between exam bodies and from year to year, so always check your child’s exam for the current format.
Which areas do these worksheets cover?
Mathematics, English, quantitative reasoning, verbal reasoning and general knowledge (basic science, social studies and civic education). Each area has worksheets of 20 questions with worked answers.
Are these the real past questions?
No. They are original, exam-style practice questions with worked answers, written to build the same skills. They are not copies of past papers.
How do Answers, Practice and Test yourself differ?
Answers shows every question with its answer and working. Practice shows if you are right straight after each question. Test yourself hides the answers until you have answered all 20, then shows your score and every answer.
What does “ready” mean?
Scoring 16 out of 20 (80%) or more in a test. Your best score is saved in this browser. It is a practice guide and not a prediction of an exam result.
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No. Hour of Math is independent and is not affiliated with any examination body.