ISEE Verbal Reasoning study guide
ISEE Verbal Reasoning · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE), administered by ERB, is an admission assessment used by independent schools. According to ERB, it is accepted by over 1,200 independent schools around the world and is described as a trusted and predictive admission assessment for students in Grades 2–12. The ISEE Verbal Reasoning study guide has 5 sections and about 1,779 words.
01ISEE Verbal Reasoning: Synonyms and Sentence Completions
ISEE Verbal Reasoning (Upper and Middle Levels: 40 questions in 20 minutes) has two formats. Synonyms ask for the answer choice closest in meaning to a capitalized word.
363 words, about 2 min02ISEE Quantitative Reasoning: Comparisons and Word Problems
Quantitative Reasoning (Upper and Middle Levels: 37 questions in 35 minutes) is not a computation test. It mixes quantitative comparison items with multi-step word problems and measures number sense, estimation, and reasoning.
362 words, about 2 min03ISEE Reading Comprehension: Six Passages, Thirty-Six Questions
Reading Comprehension (Upper and Middle Levels: 36 questions in 35 minutes) presents six passages - humanities, social studies, and science - each followed by questions on main idea, detail, inference, vocabulary in context, author’s purpose, tone, and passage organization. Two question families.
378 words, about 2 min04ISEE Mathematics Achievement: Content and Computation
Mathematics Achievement (Upper Level: 47 questions in 40 minutes) is the content section: arithmetic, fractions/decimals/percents, ratios and proportions, exponents and roots, algebra (linear equations, inequalities, factoring, functions), geometry (angles, triangles, circles, area, volume, Pythagorean theorem, coordinates), measurement and unit conversion, and data and probability (mean, median, mode, range, simple probability, graph reading). No calculator; no penalty for guessing.
327 words, about 2 min05ISEE Essay: A 30-Minute Writing Sample
The ISEE Essay gives you 30 minutes and one prompt asking you to describe an experience, a person, a goal, or an opinion. It is not scored by the ISEE, but a copy is sent to the schools you apply to, so it functions as a writing sample and a glimpse of your voice.
349 words, about 2 min