Talent Q* Elements

Verbal Guide

Test Breakdown & Solving Tips

Contents
Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 2

Technical characteristics of the test ................................................................................ 2

Test breakdown .............................................................................................................. 3

Passages........................................................................................................................ 3

Questions ....................................................................................................................... 3

Answer choices .............................................................................................................. 4

Choosing the correct answer .......................................................................................... 5

Strategies ....................................................................................................................... 5

Reading the passage first ............................................................................................... 6

Reading the questions first ............................................................................................. 6

Summary ........................................................................................................................ 7

* Talent Q and other trademarks are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of the
trademark holders are affiliated with JobTestPrep or this website.

Copyright https://www.jobtestprep.co.uk 1
Introduction
The Talent Q Elements Verbal test assesses your understanding of written information and
your ability to draw conclusions based on this information. It is targeted at professional and
management level candidates.

This guide reviews the underlying logic of the test, and will describe certain skills that can
assist you in solving this test. The more you practice, the more familiar you will become with
the test, and you’ll be able to solve the questions more easily and confidently.

Technical characteristics of the test

The test comprises of five passages each followed by three multiple choice questions. The
total number of questions is 15. There is no overall time limit for the test, but there is a time
limit for each question: 75 seconds for the first question on each passage of text and 60
seconds for each subsequent question. If you have the right answer before the time is up,
you can click the “validate” button and move on to the next question. If time runs up before
you clicked the “validate” button, do not worry – your answer will still be recorded, and you
will move to the next question automatically. If, however, time runs out and you have not
marked any answer, the question will be marked as unanswered. You cannot change your
answers to previous questions. Once you move on to the next question, there is no going
back. The total time limit of the test is 16 minutes.

The passage appears on the left side of the screen, and the questions on the
right. Each question has six possible answers, either one or two of which are
correct (more on that below).

Note that the Talent Q test is adaptive. What this means is that whether or not you answer
correctly on a question determines the question you will be getting next: If you answer a
question correctly, the next one will be more difficult, and an incorrect answer will lead to an
easier question. This is meant to create a situation where you do not have any indication
regarding your level of performance, as each question continues to challenge you. This
should not change the way that you prepare for the test – the most important thing for you
as a candidate is to be familiar with this type of test, and be aware that it is meant to
challenge you. Don't panic just because all questions seem difficult; Adaptive tests are
designed to be challenging, and it does not necessarily mean you're doing badly. The key is
to keep calm and approach each question with as much attention as possible. As you can't
go back to previous questions, try to put each question behind you the moment you submit
your answer and fully focus on the next question.

As the real test may be very different for each candidate, our practice tests are not
adaptive, but cover a wide range of difficulty levels to expose you to as many difficulty
levels and question types as we can, providing the fullest possible preparation for the real
test.

There are a few additional differences between our TQ-style practice tests and the real test
you should be aware of:

Copyright https://www.jobtestprep.co.uk 2
 • Validation button - The real test includes a “validate answer” button, for use after
choosing your answer. This button is not included in the practice. In the real test, you
will be required to press this button in order to move to the next question. Please
make sure to do that within the time limit, as if you do not press it, your answer will
not be recorded.
• Clock warning - In the real test, there is a warning when the time limit set to a
question is about to end. When you start each question, you will be shown the total
amount of time allocated for the question. A warning will appear when you have 30
seconds remaining followed by a countdown for the final 15 seconds. Remember you
will need to press the “validate answer” button before the time is up, or the test will
simply move on to the next question without recording your answer.
• Scoring - The real test is based on percentile scores matching you against other
candidates in a similar situation who have taken this test before. The percentile
scoring is built up from Talent Q’s database, to which we’ve got no access, so we
cannot replicate it. Our scoring tells you about your own progress as you prepare.
You’ll be able to see how much you’ve improved over time and practice.
• Reviewing previous questions - Unlike the real test, our practice tests allow you to
go back to previous questions, though we strongly advise against using that option
when preparing for this test. The more you replicate and get used to the real test
conditions, the easier it will be for you on test day.

Test Breakdown

Passages
The passages tend to deal with topics of consumerism, regulation and finance. The texts
are rarely difficult and they do not require any prior knowledge. However, the most stressful
part of the test is the tight time limit.

The texts can get very long, meaning slowly reading the whole passage through is often
impossible within the time limit. Their structure can also be confusing, requiring a lot of
attention to detail. The passages tend to include an immense amount of information, many
details, facts and figures. Sentences also tend to be long, but the vocabulary is usually not
complex. It’s important to understand the text and how it’s constructed, even if there is no
time to fully read it.

Questions
The questions, too, are not usually very difficult to answer on their own; rather, it is the time
limit that makes choosing the correct answer a challenge. Make sure you read the
questions carefully and fully understand them, so you do not miss any important detail.

The questions tend to ask about:

• The summary of the text ('what is described in the passage?') - This type of
question might take some time to answer as you need to read and understand the
entire passage. This can be challenging due to the very strict time limit, though never
impossible.

Copyright https://www.jobtestprep.co.uk 3
 • Smaller details in the text – These questions tend to refer to just one paragraph.
Locating the relevant information in the text is usually easier in these questions, but
the answer choices can still be very confusing (read more below). You can scan
through the text looking up one or two of the question's key words, and it’s likely you
will find the answer relatively quickly. However, the distractors might include details
that do appear in the text to confuse you, although they are not related to the
question at all.
• Quote questions – this type refers to a specific person’s statement. The best
strategy here will be to look for the person’s name or for quote marks, and find the
information there. Note a person’s name or quotes might appear in several places in
the text.
• Logical inferences from the text ('what is the underlying assumption…' or 'what
conclusion can be drawn…') – this type can be more difficult as it requires a more
complex process than just locating the answer in the text. This process might be
even more challenging given the time limit. If this is the first question on the passage,
spend some time familiarising with the text. If this is not the first question see if you
can use knowledge gained in the previous questions. Make sure when answering,
that the inference you are making is valid, does not rely on information that is not in
the text, and refers to the question you are on.

There are many different question types, but it is particularly important to mention two of
them:

• Negative phrase questions – questions about things that do NOT appear in the text
('which of the following is NOT mentioned…'). In these questions, it is important to
read all the distractors. Most distractors will be true based on the text, and you will
need to figure out which one is not true or not mentioned in the text.
• Questions with two answers – some questions require choosing two separate
answers. It is always clearly indicated where there is one correct answer and where
there are two. Make sure you read the question carefully so as not to miss anything.

Answer choices
There are several types of incorrect answers:

• Opposite to the information in the text – this is a very confusing distractor, as the
wording may be very similar to the text but the meaning will be completely opposite.
• Not mentioned in the text at all – information that is not mentioned in the text
cannot be the correct answer – even if it is true, based on common knowledge.
• Inaccurate paraphrasing of information that appears in the text – a distractor that
on first glance may seem to be quoting the text, but in fact includes some information
that isn’t in the text and, therefore, cannot be the correct answer.
• Unsupported inference – an answer that might be true based on the text, but is not
necessarily true.

Copyright https://www.jobtestprep.co.uk 4
There are also several types of correct answers:

• Exact quote from the text (rarely used).

• Accurate paraphrasing of information specifically mentioned in the text.
• Logical inference – a conclusion that can be drawn from the text.

Choosing the correct answer

The first thing you have to do is read the question carefully and make sure you understand
it. Is the question leading you to a specific part of the text, such as a quote by a specific
person, or do you need to understand the full text? Do you need to check every paragraph
to find the information or can you look for one specific keyword? Are you looking for one or
two correct answers? And finally, are you looking for something that is found in the text or
something that is NOT?

The next step is to locate the information you need in the text. If a term, an abbreviation or
a name appears in the question – where does it appear first in the text? Is a description
attached, before or after? Conjunctures and qualifiers can also help you locate the
information. Note that for some questions, especially those asking for two answers, you
might need to locate the information in more than one place.

Once you’ve located the information you need, go back to the answers and find the
corresponding answer choice. If the question requires understanding of the entire text, note
the structure of the text first. Are all paragraphs about the same topic? Does the text begin
with a general summary and the following paragraphs merely expand on it? Is it a
pro/against text? Then you can refer to the text and eliminate at least some of the
distractors.

Always verify that is indeed the relevant information for the question. As mentioned above,
distractors can include information that appears in the text but not in our relevant context,
making them the wrong answer. Also, if the question is a negative phrase question, you are
looking for information we CAN’T find in the text. So if the information in the answer choice
is mentioned in the text, you can eliminate it.

Since some distractors can be very confusing, it is important to make sure that the answer
you have selected is the correct one. A distractor might be very similar to what the text is
saying, but with a whole different meaning to it.

Note that your answers should be based solely on the text. A distractor that includes
information that isn’t in the text and cannot be inferred from it is not the correct answer. In
addition, note that extreme distractors (“X is never…”, “always…", "must…” etc.) are rarely
the correct answer.

Strategies
There are two main strategies you can use. Both are described on our video tutorial,
“Solving verbal reasoning questions”, which is also included in this pack. You might

Copyright https://www.jobtestprep.co.uk 5
want to watch the video tutorial before taking the practice test, to further familiarise yourself
with the test and the strategies.

These are:

1. Read the passage first and then the question

2. Read the question first and then look for the information in the text

Each strategy works well for some people. You should try each of them at
least once before deciding what works best for you.

Reading the passage first

Reading the passage first is a good method for candidates who are able to read fast and
are able to memorise and remember details after one reading only. When reading the
passage first, remember to allocate time to reading and understanding the question. The
first question’s time limit is 75 seconds, compared with 60 seconds for the following two.
This extra time can give you a chance to familiarise yourself with the text.

First, scan the passage and create a mental map of the information. This map can include:

• What is the passage's main topic?

• In each paragraph, which topic comes up?
• Is the text’s structure that of a summary in the first and last paragraphs, and details in
the middle paragraphs? Or does each paragraph mention a different topic?

Note where names, abbreviations, acronyms, qualifiers and conjunctures appear, as these
can help you locate information needed to answer the questions.

Make sure you understand the passage. If the text is confusing or the words
are unclear, re-read the relevant section. Always mind the time
limit, and leave yourself enough time to read, understand and answer the
questions.

Reading the questions first

If you read the question first, start by reading and understanding the question. Then go to
the text, scan it and try to find the relevant information. Scan the passage and note which
topic shows in each paragraph. Try scanning for the word that appears in the question, but
remember the wording may be different (look for synonyms or words with similar
meanings).

When you find a sentence with the relevant information, try to not read only that sentence. If
you’ve got enough time, try to read two sentences before and two after, to make sure you
fully understand the context.

Remember the information you gathered for the next question. This can save you time
when reading the next question and looking for the information necessary to answer it.

Copyright https://www.jobtestprep.co.uk 6
Remembering where the information was located can help you find the relevant paragraph
with little need to go over the entire text once more.

Summary
When you prepare for this test, remember that familiarising yourself with the question types
and answer choices is the most important part of preparation and will help you the most.
When practising, remember to read the question thoroughly and fully understand it. When
choosing the correct answer, make sure to note the below:

• Rely only on the text. Some of the distractors are based on common knowledge,
but a distractor that includes information that isn’t in the text is not the correct
answer. So do not make assumptions or generalisations. Rely only on the
information that explicitly appears in the text.
• Refer back to the text for each question and make sure you did not miss anything
important, as questions tend to ask about very specific details in the text.
• Note the question’s logic when choosing your answer. Is the question a negative or
positive phrase? Are you looking for the answer in the text – or are you looking for
something that ISN’T in the text?

Some more useful tips:

• You can use the keyboard shortcut ctrl+f, to help you locate a specific word in the
text, enabling you to find the information you are looking for in the text.
• Mind the quality of your preparation. Learn from each question - remember
themes, passage structures, tricks that helped you of hindered you along the way.
• Both accuracy and speed are taken into account in the real test. Try to spend as
little time as possible on each question, but avoid moving forward before you’re sure
of your answer.
• Keep calm and always focus on the question on hand. Don’t let the previous
questions stay on your mind. The test is designed to be stressful – take that into
account. Do your best to remain calm, read the question thoroughly, and answer
according within the time limit.

We hope this guide will be useful to you and will help you prepare and practise for the test.
Now, you can start practising. Our pack includes three Talent Q Verbal Elements style
tests, as well as additional practice tests and guides. If you have any questions during
practice, do not hesitate to come back to this guide and consult it.

Good luck!

JobTestPrep Team

Copyright https://www.jobtestprep.co.uk 7
Copyright https://www.jobtestprep.co.uk 8