Verbal Reasoning
Verbal Reasoning measures how precisely you handle word meaning and logical relationships. Questions typically ask you to complete analogies, spot the odd word out, choose synonyms or antonyms in context, finish sentences, or judge which conclusion follows from a short set of statements. General knowledge is rarely required; the marks come from identifying the exact relationship being tested.
Build the bridge before looking at options
For analogies, state the link in a short sentence: 'a chisel is the tool a sculptor uses.' Then apply the same sentence to each option. Keep the direction of the relationship: 'dog : puppy' is adult-to-young, so 'cow : calf' fits, while 'calf : cow' reverses it.
Quantifiers in verbal logic
'All A are B' does not mean 'all B are A.' 'Some A are B' does not imply 'some B are not A' unless stated. Only accept a conclusion that must be true in every case consistent with the premises.
Odd-one-out and sentence completion
For odd-one-out, find a property shared by four options (word class, register, category, prefix meaning) and name why the fifth lacks it. In sentence completion, use the grammar and the contrast signals ('although,' 'therefore') before choosing by meaning alone.
Worked example: Sculptor : chisel :: surgeon : ? Options: scalpel, hospital, patient, medicine. Bridge: a chisel is the hand tool a sculptor uses to do the work. A scalpel is the hand tool a surgeon uses. 'Hospital' is a workplace, 'patient' is the object of care, and 'medicine' is a treatment, so none preserves the tool relationship. Answer: scalpel.
Traps: picking a word merely associated with the prompt; reversing the analogy; ignoring 'EXCEPT' or 'NOT'; treating a plausible conclusion as a certain one.