OLSAT® Verbal Questions
/
verbal classification question
Do you want to know what questions types are on the OLSAT® verbal section, and what abilities are measured by these OLSAT verbal questions? Are you interested in getting some tips on how to prepare for the OLSAT verbal questions and seeing some sample practice questions?
In this article, we will answer these questions, and provide you with other key information about the OLSAT verbal section and question types.
What Question Types Are on The Verbal Section of the OLSAT?
The OLSAT® consists of two main parts: verbal and nonverbal. The verbal section consists of 11 question types divided into two categories, Verbal Comprehension and Verbal Reasoning.
A. Verbal Comprehension Question Types
The verbal comprehension questions are aimed at measuring students’ ability to gather and manipulate information from language. In particular, these questions seek to evaluate how students understand the way words and sentences relate to each other, and also how students interpret nuances in language.
The verbal comprehension section has four different types of questions:
| Type | Level | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Following Directions | A-C | Following Directions assess a child's ability to listen carefully and choose a representation (figural or pictoral design) of a description that is read out loud by a test administrator. These questions test students knowledge of relational concepts, including distinguishing between and understanding phrases such as as "below", "above" and "in between". |
| Antonyms | D-G | Antonyms require students to search for the opposite meaning of a given word. In particular, this group of questions aims to evaluate a student's vocabulary skills. Ultimately, these questions require a sophisticated understanding of vocabulary because students have to not only comprehend a word, but also understand it enough so that they can recognize its true opposite. |
| Sentence Completion | D-G | With sentence completion questions, students are required to "fill in the blank(s)" and choose word(s) that create a complete, logical sentence. |
| Sentence Arrangement | D-G | Sentence arrangement questions provide students with sentences that have been mixed up. Looking at this jumbled set of words, students must piece the words together to compose a complete thought. These questions assess a student's ability to understand the structure of language by asking them to take fragmented parts and, from them, create a whole. |
B. Verbal Reasoning Question Types
The verbal reasoning component of the test measures a student’s ability to comprehend patterns, relationships, and context clues in writing in order to solve a problem. In order to be successful in answering these questions, students must be able to fully understand what a question is asking, as well as make inferences based on what they have read.
The verbal reasoning section has seven types of questions.
| Type | Level | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Aural Reasoning | A-C | These problems assess a child’s ability to listen to and understand a question that is read aloud to them. A child will need to pick an answer based on inference/reasoning skills and informationprovided in the question. |
| Arithmetic Reasoning | A-G | These verbal problems incorporate mathematical reasoning. Some questions assess basic mathematical concepts. Others assess more sophisticated concepts such as reasoning and solving word problems. The main skill tested here is the ability to create mathematical problems from language and to solve those problems. |
| Logical Selection | D-G | In order to find the answers to these questions, students have to apply logical reasoning to uncover the best answer. These questions often asks students to consider which answer might be correct, versus which answer options are always correct. Being able to make that distinction is key. |
| Word/Letter Matrix | D-G | These questions provide students with a matrix of letters or words. Students must perceive the pattern or relationship among these words or letters in order to supply a missing letter or word. |
| Verbal Analogy | D-G | These questions ask students to consider the relationship between a pair of words, then apply this relationship to another pair of words. Students’ ability to correctly uncover these relationships is key to answering these type of questions. |
| Verbal Classification | D-G | With these questions, students must look at a series of words or concepts and identify which one does not fit with the others. In answering this type of question, students must be able to evaluate the relationships among words or among concepts. |
| Inference | E-G | Students will be provided an argument or scenario and, based on the information provided, must discern an appropriate conclusion. These questions rely on a student’s ability to evaluate which parts of the provided information are absolutely necessary for reaching the correct conclusion. |
What Skills Do OLSAT® Verbal Questions Measure?
Verbal questions measure a student’s ability to gather and manipulate information from language.
They also measure a student’s ability to comprehend patterns, relationships, and context clues in order to solve a problem.
To answer these questions, a student needs to be able to fully understand what a question is asking, and make inferences based on what she has heard. A student also benefits from a broad vocabulary knowledge.
Although a child needs to understand some verbal language for these sections, all answer choices are shown in a picture format.
How To Prepare For the Verbal Section of the OLSAT®?
For more information on specific questions on the verbal section, please see our articles on each OLSAT verbal question type by clicking on the relevant link below. Each page includes an explanation of the question, a question sample and test prep tips targeted to solving the specific question type.
Download 30 Free OLSAT Practice Questions
Get started preparing for the OLSAT now by downloading free OLSAT practice questions. Just click the blue button below.
If you think you need more information and guidance about the OLSAT, check out our in-depth article on the test. You can also learn more about the non-verbal section of the OLSAT.
Also, learn everything you need to know about additonal tests use to measure a child's potential in school, like the NNAT2 and the COGAT.
