Verbal Ability Test — free practice test
A verbal ability test measures your command of English grammar, vocabulary and reading comprehension. Employers use it to check whether you can read, interpret and communicate clearly — skills that matter in almost every professional role. It typically includes error spotting, sentence correction, synonyms and antonyms, and reading-comprehension passages.
Updated 2026-06-19 · 8 marked questions on this page, no signup · 10 worked sample questions with answers · Timed role tests and certifications run inside the OnJob app.
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8 multiple-choice questions in the style of a real verbal ability test, marked instantly on this page. Every answer comes with the working, so a wrong pick tells you which concept to revise. Nothing to install, no account, no email.
Q1. Choose the word closest in meaning to CANDID.
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Correct answer: Frank. Candid means open and straightforward in speech. "Secretive" is its opposite; the other two describe attitude rather than openness.
Q2. Choose the word most nearly OPPOSITE in meaning to SCARCE.
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Correct answer: Abundant. Scarce means in short supply, so its antonym is abundant. Rare, meagre and limited are all synonyms of scarce.
Q3. Which sentence is grammatically correct?
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Correct answer: Neither of the reports was ready.. "Neither" is singular, so it takes a singular verb. The plural noun inside the "of" phrase does not change that.
Q4. Complete the sentence: "She is senior ___ me by three years."
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Correct answer: to. Latin-derived comparatives — senior, junior, superior, inferior, prior — take "to", never "than".
Q5. Spot the error: "He is one of the best player in the team."
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Correct answer: "player" should be "players". "One of the best" always takes a plural noun, because you are picking one out of a group.
Q6. Choose the word closest in meaning to METICULOUS.
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Correct answer: Precise. Meticulous means showing great attention to detail, so precise is the closest match. Hasty and vague point the other way.
Q7. Which word is spelt correctly?
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Correct answer: Accommodation. Accommodation takes a double "c" and a double "m" — it is one of the most commonly misspelt words in verbal sections.
Q8. Complete the sentence: "Despite the heavy rain, the match ___ as scheduled."
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Correct answer: went ahead. "Despite" signals contrast, so the outcome must run against the obstacle. Only "went ahead" does that and fits the past tense.
Key takeaways
- A verbal ability test measures your command of English grammar, vocabulary and reading comprehension.
- A Verbal Ability Test typically covers: Grammar and usage, Vocabulary, Reading comprehension, Sentence structure.
- You can take a 8-question practice test on this page — it marks itself instantly and shows the working for every answer, with no signup.
What a verbal ability test covers
Grammar and usage
Error spotting, sentence correction, subject-verb agreement, tenses and prepositions.
Vocabulary
Synonyms, antonyms, one-word substitutions and commonly confused words.
Reading comprehension
Understanding passages and answering inference, tone and main-idea questions.
Sentence structure
Para-jumbles, sentence completion and filling in the correct connector.
10 sample verbal ability test questions with answers
Genuinely-correct, worked examples. Try each one before opening the answer, then go back to the marked practice test above and sit it against the clock.
Q1. Choose the correct sentence: (A) Each of the students have a book. (B) Each of the students has a book.
Answer: Option B is correct. 'Each' is singular, so it takes the singular verb 'has' even though 'students' is plural — the subject is 'each', not 'students'.
Q2. Pick the synonym of 'meticulous': careless, thorough, hasty, vague.
Answer: 'Thorough' is the synonym. Meticulous means showing great attention to detail, which is the opposite of careless, hasty or vague.
Q3. Choose the correct word: 'Their / There / They're going to win the match.'
Answer: 'They're' is correct, because it is the contraction of 'they are'. 'Their' shows possession and 'there' refers to a place.
Q4. Identify the error: 'He is one of the best player in the team.'
Answer: The error is 'player'. After 'one of the best' a plural noun is required, so it should read 'one of the best players in the team'.
Q5. Pick the antonym of 'transparent': clear, opaque, fragile, smooth.
Answer: 'Opaque' is the antonym. Transparent means light passes through and you can see through it; opaque means it cannot be seen through.
Q6. Choose the correct verb: 'Neither the manager nor the employees ___ present.' (was / were)
Answer: 'Were' is correct. With 'neither … nor', the verb agrees with the subject nearest to it — here 'employees', which is plural — so the plural verb is required.
Q7. Give the one-word substitute for 'a person who speaks many languages'.
Answer: 'Polyglot', from the Greek poly- (many) and glotta (tongue). 'Bilingual' is the narrower word for someone who speaks exactly two languages.
Q8. Identify the error: 'She discussed about the problem with her team.'
Answer: The error is 'about'. 'Discuss' is a transitive verb that takes a direct object with no preposition, so the sentence should read 'She discussed the problem with her team.'
Q9. Rewrite in the passive voice: 'The chef cooks the meal.'
Answer: 'The meal is cooked by the chef.' The object becomes the subject, the verb becomes a form of 'be' plus the past participle, and the original subject moves to a 'by' phrase.
Q10. Choose the connector: 'He studied hard; ___, he failed the exam.'
Answer: 'However' is correct, because the second clause contrasts with the first. 'Therefore' or 'consequently' would wrongly claim that failing was the result of studying hard.
How to prepare for a verbal ability test
- 01
Read editorials and long-form articles daily to widen vocabulary and absorb correct sentence structure naturally.
- 02
Learn the high-frequency grammar rules — subject-verb agreement, articles, prepositions and tense consistency — that error-spotting questions repeat.
- 03
Skim comprehension passages for structure first, then read the questions, then re-read only the relevant lines.
- 04
Keep a vocabulary log of new words with a sample sentence, and revise it weekly rather than cramming lists.
- 05
Eliminate obviously wrong options first; verbal questions usually have two close choices, so narrowing improves your odds.
Related tests
Frequently asked questions
What is a verbal ability test?
Grammar, vocabulary and comprehension questions that screen written-English skills for client-facing and analyst roles. This page covers what it measures, 10 worked sample questions with answers, and 5 ways to prepare — then you can sit a timed role test or a free certification on OnJob.
Choose the correct sentence: (A) Each of the students have a book. (B) Each of the students has a book.
Option B is correct. 'Each' is singular, so it takes the singular verb 'has' even though 'students' is plural — the subject is 'each', not 'students'.
Pick the synonym of 'meticulous': careless, thorough, hasty, vague.
'Thorough' is the synonym. Meticulous means showing great attention to detail, which is the opposite of careless, hasty or vague.
Can I take the test on this page, or do I have to sign up?
You can take it right here. The practice test above has 8 multiple-choice questions, marks itself the moment you press "Check my score", and shows the working for every answer. No account, no email and no download. Signing up is only needed for OnJob's timed role tests and certification tests.
Are these verbal ability test questions free to practise?
Yes. Every sample question and answer on this page is free to read. With a free OnJob account you can also take timed role tests and certification tests. Personalised AI role and skill tests are part of the paid plans.
Practise your verbal ability test under real conditions
The test above is self-marked and free. The next step is a timed role test on OnJob, with coding problems that run on a code runner, and then a free certification recruiters can verify.