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Psychometric Test (PET) study materials
Psychometric Test (PET) study resources

Psychometric Test (PET) practice questions

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Question 1Verbal Reasoning

A passage states: 'All auditors in the firm are certified. Some certified staff are remote workers.' Which conclusion follows necessarily?

  1. Some auditors may be remote workers. Correct answer.
  2. All certified staff are auditors.
  3. All remote workers are auditors.
  4. No auditor is a remote worker.

Explanation

The premises allow overlap between auditors and remote workers but never require it, so only a possibility can be inferred. 'Some certified staff are remote workers' does not state that any of those certified staff are auditors. Therefore the only defensible conclusion is that some auditors may be remote workers.

Question 2Verbal Reasoning

Read the argument: 'Every project that passed review had a documented risk log. Project Kestrel passed review. Therefore Project Kestrel had a documented risk log.' What is the logical form of this argument?

  1. Argument from analogy
  2. Affirming the consequent
  3. Denying the antecedent
  4. Affirming the antecedent (modus ponens) Correct answer.

Explanation

The argument takes a conditional ('if passed review, then risk log') and asserts the antecedent for a specific case, which validly yields the consequent. That structure is modus ponens. Because the conditional is applied directly to Kestrel, the conclusion follows with certainty.

Question 3Verbal Reasoning

Which word is closest in meaning to 'terse' as used in the sentence 'Her terse reply ended the discussion'?

  1. Courteous
  2. Ambiguous
  3. Lengthy
  4. Abrupt Correct answer.

Explanation

'Terse' describes speech that is brief to the point of seeming curt, so 'abrupt' captures the same clipped quality. The sentence's effect of ending the discussion supports a brusque tone rather than mere brevity. The other options describe length, politeness, or clarity, none of which is the core sense.

Question 4Verbal Reasoning

Choose the word that best completes the sentence: 'The committee's findings were ______, resting on a single small survey and no corroborating data.'

  1. impartial
  2. tenuous Correct answer.
  3. exhaustive
  4. conclusive

Explanation

The clause after the blank explains the weakness of the findings, so the missing word must mean shaky or weakly supported. 'Tenuous' means insubstantial or flimsy, which fits a conclusion based on one small survey. The other options either assert strength or describe neutrality, neither of which the evidence supports.

Question 5Verbal Reasoning

A report claims: 'Employee satisfaction rose last quarter because the new break room opened.' Which statement, if true, most weakens this causal claim?

  1. Most employees use the break room at least once a day.
  2. The break room contains two coffee machines.
  3. The break room was repainted twice during the quarter.
  4. Satisfaction had already been rising for six months before the break room opened. Correct answer.

Explanation

A causal claim is weakened when the supposed effect began before the proposed cause occurred. If satisfaction was already rising for six months, the break room cannot explain the earlier trend. This introduces a plausible alternative explanation for the rise.

Question 6Verbal Reasoning

In the sequence AZ, BY, CX, DW, what comes next?

  1. EU
  2. FV
  3. EV Correct answer.
  4. DV

Explanation

The first letter advances one step forward through the alphabet (A, B, C, D, so E), while the second letter moves one step backward (Z, Y, X, W, so V). Applying both rules gives EV. The pattern is consistent across all four given pairs.

Question 7Verbal Reasoning

Which sentence uses 'principal' correctly for the intended meaning?

  1. He spoke principal about the budget.
  2. The principal of the argument was lost on the audience.
  3. She hoped to principal the meeting next week.
  4. The principal reason for the delay was a missing signature. Correct answer.

Explanation

'Principal' as an adjective means main or most important, which fits 'the principal reason'. As a noun it refers to a head or a sum of money, and it is never a verb or adverb. Only the first sentence uses the adjective form correctly.

Question 8Verbal Reasoning

Which sentence contains a dangling modifier?

  1. Having reviewed the data, the forecast was revised by the analyst. Correct answer.
  2. The analyst, having reviewed the data, revised the forecast.
  3. After reviewing the data, the analyst revised the forecast.
  4. Having reviewed the data, the analyst revised the forecast.

Explanation

A participle at the start of a sentence must describe the subject that follows. In the second sentence the subject is 'the forecast', which cannot review data, so the modifier dangles. The other sentences attach the reviewing action to the analyst, who can perform it.

Question 9Verbal Reasoning

A passage states: 'All senior analysts must complete compliance training. Priya has not completed compliance training.' What can be concluded?

  1. Priya will complete training next month.
  2. Some senior analysts have not completed training.
  3. Priya is not a senior analyst. Correct answer.
  4. Priya is a senior analyst.

Explanation

The rule is a conditional: senior analyst implies completed training. Priya fails the consequent, so by valid contraposition she cannot be a senior analyst. The conclusion follows necessarily from the two premises.

Question 10Verbal Reasoning

Read the argument: 'If the server had been patched, the breach would not have occurred. The breach occurred. Therefore the server was not patched.' Which pattern does this argument follow?

  1. Circular reasoning
  2. Modus ponens
  3. Denying the consequent (modus tollens) Correct answer.
  4. Affirming the consequent

Explanation

The argument takes a conditional, observes that the consequent (no breach) is false, and concludes the antecedent (patching) is false. That valid pattern is denying the consequent, or modus tollens. It is the contrapositive of the original conditional.

Question 11Verbal Reasoning

Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to 'candid'?

  1. Open
  2. Blunt
  3. Frank
  4. Evasive Correct answer.

Explanation

'Candid' means open and straightforward in speech. Its opposite is a word suggesting concealment or avoidance, which 'evasive' supplies. The other options are near-synonyms of candid rather than antonyms.

Question 12Verbal Reasoning

Select the word that best fits: 'Although the proposal was ______ on paper, its implementation required resources the team did not possess.'

  1. mandatory
  2. redundant
  3. feasible Correct answer.
  4. lavish

Explanation

The contrast signalled by 'although' sets a positive appearance against a practical obstacle. 'Feasible' means workable, which fits something that looks achievable on paper but fails in practice. The other options do not create the required contrast between apparent workability and real constraint.

Question 13Verbal Reasoning

A study finds that students who eat breakfast score higher on tests. Which statement best explains why this correlation may not be causal?

  1. Tests are scored by different teachers.
  2. Students who eat breakfast may also study more regularly, which raises scores. Correct answer.
  3. Some students skip breakfast on weekends.
  4. Breakfast foods vary widely in nutritional content.

Explanation

A correlation may reflect a third factor that influences both variables. If regular studiers are more likely to eat breakfast and to score higher, studying explains the link. This is a confounding variable, which undermines the causal interpretation.

Question 14Verbal Reasoning

A manager argues: 'Our new software must be better because more people downloaded it than any competitor.' Which assumption does this argument rely on?

  1. The software is cheaper than its competitors.
  2. Download counts reflect product quality rather than marketing reach. Correct answer.
  3. Competitors did not advertise at all.
  4. All downloads came from new users.

Explanation

The argument moves from popularity (downloads) to quality, which only works if downloads are a reliable indicator of quality. If downloads instead reflect heavy marketing, the conclusion collapses. That hidden link is the assumption the argument needs.

Question 15Verbal Reasoning

In the sequence 3, 6, 11, 18, 27, what is the next term?

  1. 35
  2. 40
  3. 36
  4. 38 Correct answer.

Explanation

The differences between consecutive terms are 3, 5, 7, and 9, increasing by two each time. The next difference is therefore 11, giving 27 + 11 = 38. Checking the pattern against every term confirms the rule.

Question 16Verbal Reasoning

Which sentence correctly distinguishes 'affect' from 'effect'?

  1. The new policy will effect all staff equally.
  2. The new policy had a strong affect on the outcome.
  3. The new policy will have a positive affect on morale.
  4. The new policy will affect all staff equally. Correct answer.

Explanation

'Affect' is normally a verb meaning to influence, while 'effect' is normally a noun meaning a result. Only the third sentence uses 'affect' as a verb with the meaning of influencing staff. The other sentences misuse the two words.

Question 17Verbal Reasoning

Identify the sentence in which the pronoun reference is ambiguous.

  1. When the director met the auditor, she outlined the new policy. Correct answer.
  2. The director met the auditor to outline the new policy.
  3. The director and the auditor discussed the new policy.
  4. After the meeting, the director outlined the new policy.

Explanation

The pronoun 'she' could refer to either the director or the auditor, since both are female-capable nouns in the sentence. Good writing replaces such a pronoun with a specific noun. The other sentences avoid a pronoun whose antecedent is unclear.

Question 18Verbal Reasoning

A passage notes: 'No employee who skipped the safety briefing was permitted on the floor. Ravi was permitted on the floor.' What follows?

  1. Some employees skipped the briefing.
  2. Ravi conducted the safety briefing.
  3. Ravi skipped the safety briefing.
  4. Ravi attended the safety briefing. Correct answer.

Explanation

The rule states that skipping the briefing implies being barred from the floor. Since Ravi was permitted, he cannot have skipped it, so by contraposition he attended. The conclusion is forced by the premises.

Question 19Verbal Reasoning

Which option best captures the meaning of 'The proposal was met with a lukewarm reception'?

  1. The proposal received only moderate enthusiasm. Correct answer.
  2. The proposal was warmly welcomed.
  3. The proposal was never discussed.
  4. The proposal was rejected outright.

Explanation

'Lukewarm' literally describes something only slightly warm, and figuratively means lacking enthusiasm. A lukewarm reception therefore indicates mild or moderate interest rather than strong support or outright rejection. The phrase implies the proposal was received but not excitedly.

Question 20Verbal Reasoning

An editorial states: 'Either the company reduces costs or it will lose market share. It has not reduced costs. Therefore it will lose market share.' Which criticism, if true, would most undermine the argument?

  1. The company's competitors also face rising costs.
  2. The company has reduced costs in previous years.
  3. Market share is difficult to measure precisely.
  4. Reducing costs is one of several ways the company could protect market share. Correct answer.

Explanation

The argument treats the disjunction as exhaustive, assuming cost reduction is the only route to keeping market share. If other strategies also protect market share, the conclusion does not follow from failing to cut costs. This attacks the hidden premise rather than the conclusion directly.

Question 21Verbal Reasoning

A researcher argues: 'Cities with more libraries have higher literacy rates, so building libraries raises literacy.' Which two flaws does this reasoning most clearly contain?

  1. Using a false dilemma, and appealing to popularity.
  2. Confusing correlation with causation, and ignoring a possible reverse or third-factor explanation. Correct answer.
  3. Appealing to authority, and using a hasty generalisation.
  4. Begging the question, and attacking the person.

Explanation

The inference from a correlation to a cause is the first flaw. The second is that wealthier or more educated cities may support both libraries and literacy, a third factor, or high literacy may drive library funding. Together these undermine the causal conclusion.

Question 22Verbal Reasoning

Read the passage: 'The panel's report was praised for its candour, yet critics noted that its recommendations were so hedged with caveats that no manager could act on them.' Which statement best expresses the passage's overall point?

  1. The report was actionable but poorly written.
  2. The report was honest but practically unusable. Correct answer.
  3. The report was dishonest and therefore unusable.
  4. The report was honest and highly actionable.

Explanation

The passage sets praise for honesty against criticism that the recommendations were too qualified to act on. The contrast word 'yet' signals that the second clause qualifies the first. The combined point is honesty paired with practical weakness.

Question 23Verbal Reasoning

A negotiator reasons: 'If we lower the price, we win the contract. If we win the contract, we hire more staff. Therefore, if we lower the price, we hire more staff.' Which logical principle validates this inference?

  1. Hypothetical syllogism (transitivity of implication) Correct answer.
  2. Modus tollens
  3. Argument from ignorance
  4. Disjunctive syllogism

Explanation

The argument chains two conditionals so that the consequent of the first becomes the antecedent of the second. This valid chaining is hypothetical syllogism, sometimes called the transitivity of implication. The conclusion links the first antecedent to the final consequent.

Question 24Verbal Reasoning

A survey reports that 70 percent of respondents support a policy, but the sample was drawn entirely from subscribers to a single magazine. Which criticism is most precise?

  1. Surveys should never report percentages.
  2. Seventy percent is too high a figure to be plausible.
  3. The sample is likely biased, so the support figure may not reflect the wider population. Correct answer.
  4. The policy itself may be poorly designed.

Explanation

Generalisations require a sample representative of the target population. Drawing only magazine subscribers introduces selection bias, because subscribers may share views that differ from the public's. The percentage may be accurate for that group yet misleading as a general claim.

Question 25Verbal Reasoning

In the sequence 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, ___, the pattern of differences is 4, 6, 8, 10. Which pair of statements is correct about the next term and the underlying rule?

  1. The next term is 44, and the differences increase by three.
  2. The next term is 42, and the terms follow n(n+1) for n = 1, 2, 3, and so on. Correct answer.
  3. The next term is 40, and the terms double each time.
  4. The next term is 42, and the terms follow n squared plus one.

Explanation

The differences rise by two each step, so the next difference is 12 and the next term is 42. The terms also match n(n+1): 1x2=2, 2x3=6, 3x4=12, and 6x7=42. Both the difference rule and the formula agree on 42.

Question 26Verbal Reasoning

A hiring notice states: 'The candidate must submit their portfolio by Friday.' Which revision removes the grammatical disagreement while keeping the sentence formal in register?

  1. The candidate must submit his or her portfolio by Friday. Correct answer.
  2. The candidate must submit there portfolio by Friday.
  3. The candidate must submit they're portfolio by Friday.
  4. The candidate must submit its portfolio by Friday.

Explanation

The singular subject 'candidate' requires a singular possessive form; 'his or her' supplies one and stays formal. 'Their' with a singular antecedent is the disagreement the item asks to remove. The other options introduce spelling or reference errors rather than fixing agreement.

Question 27Verbal Reasoning

Which pair of words is related in the same way as 'frugal : wasteful'?

  1. rapid : swift
  2. silent : quiet
  3. costly : expensive
  4. cautious : reckless Correct answer.

Explanation

'Frugal' and 'wasteful' are opposites, since one describes careful use of resources and the other describes squandering them. Only 'cautious : reckless' reproduces an antonym relationship. The remaining pairs are synonyms, which is the wrong relation.

Question 28Verbal Reasoning

A report notes: 'The audit was thorough; ______, several ledger entries remained unexplained.' Which connective fits the blank and signals the intended contrast?

  1. similarly
  2. meanwhile
  3. therefore
  4. however Correct answer.

Explanation

The second clause concedes a limitation that runs against the praise in the first clause, so a contrastive connective is needed. 'However' marks that reversal cleanly. The other choices signal consequence, similarity, or time, none of which fits the logical turn.

Question 29Verbal Reasoning

Which option states the contrapositive of 'If the sensor detects motion, the alarm sounds'?

  1. If the sensor does not detect motion, the alarm does not sound.
  2. The sensor detects motion or the alarm sounds.
  3. If the alarm does not sound, the sensor did not detect motion. Correct answer.
  4. If the alarm sounds, the sensor detected motion.

Explanation

The contrapositive of 'If P then Q' is 'If not Q then not P', and it is logically equivalent to the original. Denying the consequent and denying the antecedent are the two classic invalid moves. Only the first option negates and swaps the terms correctly.

Question 30Verbal Reasoning

Read the passage: 'The committee reviewed forty applications. It shortlisted nine candidates, interviewed six, and extended offers to two.' Which statement is best supported?

  1. The committee extended offers to all interviewees.
  2. The committee reviewed fewer than forty applications.
  3. Every shortlisted candidate was interviewed.
  4. Most applicants were eliminated before the interview stage. Correct answer.

Explanation

Nine of forty applications survived to the shortlist, so the large majority were eliminated before interviews. The passage never says all shortlisted candidates were interviewed, and two offers from six interviews contradicts the third claim. The count of forty is stated directly.

Question 31Verbal Reasoning

Which sentence uses 'complement' correctly for its standard meaning?

  1. The manager offered a sincere complement on the presentation.
  2. Please complement the form before submitting it.
  3. The two figures complement in the final column of the table.
  4. The new analytics dashboard will complement the existing reporting suite. Correct answer.

Explanation

'Complement' means to complete or go well with something, which fits a dashboard that adds to a reporting suite. 'Compliment' is the word for praise, and 'complete' is the word for finishing a form. The third option misuses the verb's required object.

Question 32Verbal Reasoning

Which option most precisely replaces the underlined phrase in: 'The team made a decision to postpone the launch.'

  1. did a decision about postponing
  2. took a decision that postponed
  3. decided to postpone Correct answer.
  4. made a postponing decision on

Explanation

The nominalisation 'made a decision to' can be reduced to the verb 'decided to', which is tighter and keeps the meaning intact. The other options are wordier or ungrammatical. Concise verb forms generally outperform noun-heavy phrasing in formal writing.

Question 33Verbal Reasoning

A passage reads: 'The pilot programme ran for six months in three regions. Participation rose in each region, but the report cautions that volunteers were self-selected.' Which conclusion is most defensible?

  1. The programme caused participation to rise in all three regions.
  2. The pilot should be extended to every region immediately.
  3. The rise in participation may reflect who chose to join rather than the programme itself. Correct answer.
  4. Self-selection guarantees that the results are invalid.

Explanation

The caution about self-selection warns that motivated volunteers may explain the increase, so causal claims are premature. The passage reports a rise but does not license the stronger causal conclusion. Saying the results are wholly invalid overstates the caveat, and immediate expansion ignores it.

Question 34Verbal Reasoning

Which sentence places the modifier so that it clearly describes the analyst?

  1. Having reviewed the figures, three anomalies were flagged by the analyst.
  2. The analyst flagged three anomalies having reviewed the figures.
  3. Having reviewed the figures, the analyst flagged three anomalies. Correct answer.
  4. Three anomalies were flagged by the analyst having reviewed the figures.

Explanation

A participial phrase at the start of a sentence attaches to the subject that follows it. Only the first option puts 'the analyst' directly after the phrase, so the analyst is the one who reviewed. The other versions leave the phrase dangling or ambiguously placed.

Question 35Verbal Reasoning

In the sequence of letter pairs AE, GJ, OQ, XZ, what pattern governs the first letters?

  1. Each first letter advances by 5, then 7, then 9 positions. Correct answer.
  2. Each first letter doubles its previous step.
  3. Each first letter advances by 4 positions throughout.
  4. Each first letter advances by 6 positions throughout.

Explanation

A to G is five steps, G to O is seven, and O to X is nine, so the gaps grow by two each time. The second letters follow the same spacing pattern. The constant-step options cannot produce the increasing gaps observed.

Question 36Verbal Reasoning

An argument runs: 'Every validated model in the registry was peer reviewed. Model K was peer reviewed. Therefore model K is validated.' Which flaw does this argument commit?

  1. It generalises from an unrepresentative sample.
  2. It begs the question by assuming the conclusion.
  3. It affirms the consequent of a conditional. Correct answer.
  4. It denies the antecedent of a conditional.

Explanation

The premise has the form 'if validated, then peer reviewed'. Concluding 'validated' from 'peer reviewed' reverses the implication, which is affirming the consequent. Peer review may be necessary without being sufficient. The other fallacies describe different structural errors.

Question 37Verbal Reasoning

Choose the word that best completes: 'Her remarks were so ______ that even her critics conceded the force of her argument.'

  1. opaque
  2. perfunctory
  3. cogent Correct answer.
  4. tangential

Explanation

The clause 'even her critics conceded' signals that the remarks were persuasive and well reasoned, which is what 'cogent' means. The contrast with reluctant critics requires a positive evaluation. The remaining adjectives all describe weak or irrelevant remarks.

Question 38Verbal Reasoning

A memo states: 'The vendor's estimate was rejected, not because it was expensive, but because it was incomplete.' What does the memo identify as the reason for rejection?

  1. The vendor was unfamiliar to the team.
  2. The estimate was too costly.
  3. The estimate arrived after the deadline.
  4. The estimate lacked necessary detail. Correct answer.

Explanation

The construction 'not because X but because Y' explicitly sets aside cost and names incompleteness as the reason. Incompleteness in an estimate means missing detail. The other options are either the rejected reason or facts never mentioned.

Question 39Verbal Reasoning

Which sentence uses the semicolon correctly in a formal report?

  1. The audit closed on Friday; and the findings will be published next week.
  2. The audit closed on Friday; because the findings will be published next week.
  3. The audit closed; Friday the findings will be published next week.
  4. The audit closed on Friday; the findings will be published next week. Correct answer.

Explanation

A semicolon joins two independent clauses that are closely related and not already joined by a conjunction. The first option pairs two complete clauses correctly. Using a coordinating or subordinating conjunction right after the semicolon breaks that rule, and the last option splits a single clause awkwardly.

Question 40Verbal Reasoning

A study reports that employees who use standing desks take more steps per day. A critic notes that employees chose their own desks. Which statement best characterises the critic's point?

  1. Employees who take more steps are assigned standing desks at random.
  2. The study's measurement of steps is certainly inaccurate.
  3. The observed association may be explained by self-selection rather than the desks. Correct answer.
  4. Standing desks have been proven ineffective.

Explanation

When participants choose their own condition, pre-existing differences such as activity habits can drive the outcome. The critic's remark therefore targets confounding by self-selection. It does not challenge measurement or prove ineffectiveness, and it contradicts the fact that assignment was not random.

Question 41Verbal Reasoning

Which option best restates 'The board's endorsement was conditional on further due diligence'?

  1. The board approved the plan only if more checks were completed. Correct answer.
  2. The board rejected the plan after completing due diligence.
  3. The board endorsed the plan without any further checks.
  4. The board postponed all discussion of due diligence.

Explanation

'Conditional on' means the endorsement depends on the stated requirement, so approval holds only if further checks occur. The restatement must preserve both the approval and its condition. The other options reverse the approval, remove the condition, or misdescribe the board's action.

Question 42Verbal Reasoning

A passage argues: 'Either the shipment was delayed at the port or the warehouse lost the paperwork. The warehouse records show the paperwork was received. Therefore the shipment was delayed at the port.' Which inference pattern is used?

  1. Affirming the consequent
  2. Disjunctive syllogism Correct answer.
  3. Hasty generalisation
  4. Circular reasoning

Explanation

The argument presents two alternatives, eliminates one with evidence, and concludes the other, which is disjunctive syllogism. The elimination step is what makes the pattern valid. The other options describe fallacies or errors that do not match this structure.

Question 43Verbal Reasoning

Which sentence correctly uses 'fewer' rather than 'less'?

  1. The revised process produced fewer errors than the original. Correct answer.
  2. The team spent fewer time on testing this quarter.
  3. The revised process required less steps than the original.
  4. There was fewer downtime after the migration.

Explanation

'Fewer' applies to countable items such as errors, while 'less' applies to uncountable quantities such as time or downtime. Only the first option pairs 'fewer' with a countable noun. The others use 'fewer' with mass nouns or 'less' with a plural count noun.

Question 44Verbal Reasoning

Read the passage: 'The consultant's report was detailed and well sourced. Nevertheless, the steering group postponed its decision, citing unresolved questions about cost.' What is the steering group's attitude toward the report?

  1. It accepts the report's quality but finds a separate issue unresolved. Correct answer.
  2. It considers the report irrelevant to the decision.
  3. It endorses the report's cost estimates without reservation.
  4. It rejects the report as poorly sourced.

Explanation

The concession in the first sentence and the contrast marked by 'nevertheless' show that quality is granted while cost questions block a decision. The attitude is qualified acceptance, not rejection. The other options contradict either the praise or the stated reservation.

Question 45Verbal Reasoning

A manager argues: 'Our training budget should be cut because last year's trainees scored no better than untrained staff.' Which unstated assumption is essential to the argument?

  1. Training budgets are the largest expense in the department.
  2. Trainees generally enjoy the training they receive.
  3. The training received last year was comparable to the training being funded now. Correct answer.
  4. Untrained staff never receive informal on-the-job coaching.

Explanation

The argument transfers a result about last year's training to the current budget, which only works if the programmes are comparable. If the training has changed substantially, the past comparison says nothing about present value. The other statements are neither needed nor supported.

Question 46Verbal Reasoning

In the sequence 5, 11, 23, 47, 95, what rule generates each term?

  1. Add successive even numbers to the previous term.
  2. Double the previous term and add one. Correct answer.
  3. Multiply the previous term by three and subtract four.
  4. Add twelve to the previous term each time.

Explanation

Each term equals twice its predecessor plus one: 5×2+1=11, 11×2+1=23, and so on through 95. Testing the rule against two or three consecutive terms confirms it. The alternative rules fail at the second or third step.

Question 47Verbal Reasoning

A policy states: 'Only staff who complete the security module may access the archive.' Ravi accessed the archive. Which conclusion follows?

  1. Ravi has not completed the security module.
  2. Ravi completed the security module. Correct answer.
  3. Ravi accessed the archive more than once.
  4. Everyone who completed the module accessed the archive.

Explanation

The rule makes module completion a necessary condition for access, so anyone who accessed must have completed it. This is a valid application of the conditional. The converse claim about all completers and the frequency claim are not licensed.

Question 48Verbal Reasoning

Which sentence avoids a misplaced modifier?

  1. The analyst wrote the summary and resigned on Monday.
  2. Resigning on Monday, the summary was written by the analyst.
  3. The summary was written by the analyst resigning on Monday.
  4. The analyst who wrote the summary resigned on Monday. Correct answer.

Explanation

A relative clause placed immediately after 'the analyst' makes clear who resigned. The second option leaves it unclear whether the summary or the resignation happened on Monday. The participial versions attach 'resigning' to the summary, producing an illogical modifier.

Question 49Verbal Reasoning

An argument claims: 'Countries with stricter environmental rules have cleaner air. Therefore stricter rules cause cleaner air.' Which criticism most directly weakens the causal claim?

  1. Cleaner air is desirable for public health.
  2. Air quality is measured with different instruments.
  3. Wealthier countries tend to adopt both stricter rules and cleaner technologies. Correct answer.
  4. Some countries enforce their rules unevenly.

Explanation

If wealth independently drives both regulation and cleaner technology, the observed association may be confounded rather than causal. That is the most direct challenge to the inference. The desirability of clean air is irrelevant, and the other points do not supply an alternative explanation for the pattern.

Question 50Verbal Reasoning

The word 'sanction' can mean both 'to approve' and 'to penalise'. Which statement best describes this feature?

  1. It is a euphemism, so both meanings soften bad news.
  2. It is a contranym, so context alone determines the intended meaning. Correct answer.
  3. It is a malapropism, so one meaning is an error.
  4. It is a homophone, so the two meanings sound different.

Explanation

A word with two opposite senses is a contranym, and readers must rely on context to disambiguate. 'Sanction' is the standard example, since approval and penalty are contrary senses. The other labels describe sound-alike words, misused words, or softening language, none of which applies.