Page 1 of 1

Verbal reasoning question types - Grantham area

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 11:54 pm
by libs
Can anyone help me with what the 21 types of questions for Verbal reasoning are... (as published by IPS - incidently does this stand for internet primary school?) We have been given 4 verbal reasoning books 'Technique and Practice'1,2,3 and 4 author Susan J. Daughtrey. There are 35 question types in her books - no letter denoting question type just a number. Books published 1993 but WH Smith in local area still stock and recommend these as preferable to others. Have also got a couple of the Bond V and NV assessment papers. Son will be taking 11+ in Grantham area.
Many thanks for help.

Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 2:25 pm
by chad
The definitions of the 21 types can be found here

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/vr-que ... region.php

I hope this is what you were after....

Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 10:31 pm
by Alex
Hello Libs,

If you look at page 3 on these Lincolnshire pages there is a thread called 'Verbal and non-verbal reasoning Lincolnshire' which gives a list of suitable practice papers. As it is now a bit old, would also add that people have found the CDs on Verbal Reasoning on this site helpful and many have recommended AE Publishing's 2 books on Non-Verbal reasoning as well.

The only types of question in the Susan Daughtrey Books 1-4 that differ from the IPS 21 types which have come up in the past few years appear to be the little crossword ones (Bk1 type 9) and the mixed number and letter codes (Bk4 type 32) both of which appear in the VR familiarisation paper.

types of question

Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 11:39 pm
by libs
Many thanks Alex and Chad for your help - very helpful... How can I get hold of a VR familiarisation paper please? Do you think if we go through Bond papers and question types that this is O.K for now? He is getting pretty good at the ones he is now familiar with ... and as we are only doing fairly short slots he is actually 'enjoying' it! I do get a little nervous when I hear about some of the lenghthy tutoring and cramming that goes on - We know my own child, and feel we have the right approach for him - but still have doubts that We've got all the 'right' stuff to prepare him adequately.
Will look at page 3 of lincolnshire pages and look into CDs. Thanks again.

Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 1:17 am
by Alex
You can't get hold of the familiarisation papers - at least not "legally" though I am told there are a few floating around - because they are used over again each year.

I have not seen the updated Bond papers but the previous ones covered a lot of things which never come up in Lincolnshire tests and leave out things which do appear, as do the Susan Daughtrey Books 1-4, so the most useful preparation papers are those which follow the NfER types of questions as it is NfER who supply the Lincolnshire tests. However, the commercially available NfER VR papers do not cover all the types of questions which they set in their real tests (only 15 where there are the 21 listed by IPS plus a couple of others which may come up in Lincs). The alphabetical "numbering system" which IPS uses to list the types of question gives the extra 6 types as HIKNOS.

IPS do a book with 30 minute tests - much better than trying to do 50 minute ones each time! They also have a book which gives practice in each type of question separately like Susan Daughtrey and a "How to Do" type book giving a method for each. There are plenty of relevant practice papers around for VR, rather fewer for NVR - see page 3.

verbal reasoning prep

Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 12:08 am
by libs
Thanks again Alex - your guidance has been a real help - will try to find the NfER papers as described, tomorrow. The 30 min papers sound like a great idea. Hopefully we'll get on track ASAP - don't think Bond papers will have done any harm - perhaps they have eased him in gently... still much rather spend the time familiarising him with the style of questions that he might actually be asked! Shame they don't throw in a few 'Britain through the Ages' questions - history seems to be his 'thing' at the moment, think we have the entire history of Britain collection from local library well thumbed in his room! (post-its on the really blood thirsty parts!)

familiarisation tests

Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 12:17 am
by libs
Alex, another thought... When do these tests take place if you can't get hold of them legally?
Son's school do a couple of 'trial' 11+ tests in the summer term of year 5 (July I think), then a couple more in September before they take their actual tests in Year 6. This is all the prep they seem to do. Small school with only 15 in the year, split year classes. And why are they not legally available if they are only for familiarisation purposes?! Thanks

Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 7:19 pm
by Alex
The familiarisation papers are given to the primary schools to administer or else taken in the Grammar Schools on the appointed dates. These are now in July as the exams are early September; they used to be given in the September when the tests were held later. This is supposed to be the only necessary preparation for the 11 plus. Like the real tests they were commissioned and bought from NfER for Lincolnshire so they are not freely available, but appear to be used again year after year (from what I have been told anecdotally - no firm knowledge).