Free Garda Trainee Aptitude Assessment Exam Flashcards

The statement is directly stated in, or fully supported by, the passage. No outside assumption is needed to reach it.

The passage states the opposite of the claim, or the claim directly contradicts a fact given in the passage.

The passage does not give enough information to call the statement true or false. Do not use outside knowledge to fill the gap.

"Must be true" is fully supported by the text and is the only valid conclusion. "Could be true" is merely possible but unproven — only a "must be true" reading answers a True/False/Cannot Say item correctly.

Words such as all, only, some, never, and unless change what a statement actually claims. Check them closely before choosing a verdict.

Answer using only facts stated in the passage. Outside knowledge, real-world likelihood, or personal assumptions must not influence your verdict.

Marking a statement "true" because it sounds likely or matches real-world experience, when the passage never actually states it.

After missing a question, identify exactly which assumption you added or which qualifier (all/only/some/never) you overlooked, then apply that fix to the next similar item.

Part divided by whole, then multiplied by 100. Used to express one quantity as a proportion of another.

A comparison of two related parts to each other, simplified to its lowest terms (for example 3:2). Distinct from a proportion, which compares a part to the whole.

An amount measured per unit or per time period. Always match units before comparing two rates.

Sum of all values divided by the number of values. Watch for an outlier value that can skew the result.

Subtract the smaller value from the larger value. When multiple time periods are given, check the direction — is it an increase or a decrease?

A part's size relative to the total group. Different from a ratio, which compares parts to each other rather than to the whole.

Sanity-check the likely size and direction of an answer before doing exact arithmetic. This catches an answer that is the wrong order of magnitude or has the wrong sign.

Read row and column labels carefully, match units before comparing values, and note the trend direction over time before answering.

Do not confuse a raw difference (for example, 10 more units) with a rate or a percentage change — they answer different questions and are not interchangeable.

A Stage 1 job-simulation component using realistic Garda-specific scenarios and situational judgement items. It is not a knowledge test with one single "correct" answer.

Answer each item as you genuinely are, based on your real past behavior, not as the candidate you think An Garda Síochána wants to see.

Keep your answers aligned with each other throughout the questionnaire. Contradictory answers across similar items can flag an unreliable response pattern.

Trying to fake a "perfect" personality profile tends to produce inconsistent answers across the questionnaire — a common and avoidable mistake.

Steer away from always/never-type extreme answers unless they truly reflect your real behavior. Extreme responses are rarely the most realistic choice.

Base each questionnaire answer on how you have actually responded in real situations, not on how you guess the "ideal" recruit would respond.

When a scenario shows a safety risk, addressing the safety issue first is rated as the most effective response.

Ignoring a described problem, or blaming another person for it, are rated the least effective response choices in situational judgement items.

A timed Stage 1 task assessing clear written communication, which may reference the Garda Code of Ethics. The live prompt, length, and time limit come from your own candidate familiarisation material.

Before writing, identify exactly what is being asked, who the audience is, and what outcome is being requested.

List your key points in logical order before drafting full sentences. Planning improves structure more than writing speed does.

Use clear, plain language rather than ornate vocabulary. A strong response is judged on clarity and accuracy, not on impressive wording.

Where relevant, reference the An Garda Síochána Code of Ethics in a written response to show awareness of professional standards.

Before finishing, scan the response for errors, omissions, contradictions, and gaps. A rushed ending can undermine an otherwise strong draft.

The Written Exercise is a timed, structured writing task. The Assessment Questionnaire is an untimed, honest self-report with no single correct answer.

Situation, Task, Action, Result — the structure publicjobs recommends for answering competency-based interview questions with real evidence.

Briefly describe the context and goal of the real example you are using to answer the interview question.

State what you personally needed to do in that situation — your own specific responsibility, not the team's general goal.

Describe the concrete steps you personally took. This is the part of the answer that shows your own judgement and behavior.

State the outcome of your action and how you know it worked — a provable result, not just a stated intention.

A stock of real, truthful examples from work, education, volunteering, or personal experience — not a memorized script — used to answer varied competency interview questions.

A truthful, detailed example withstands follow-up probing questions from the interview board. A vague or embellished answer does not.

A Stage 2 live scenario assessing real-time communication and task-focused decision-making, conducted remotely via Zoom alongside the competency-based interview.

In a role-play scenario, listen fully to understand the situation before responding.

Ask a concise clarifying question when information in the role-play scenario is missing or ambiguous, rather than guessing.

Restate your understanding of the situation before you act on an important point.

Close a role-play response by stating the decision reached and the next steps. This shows clear resolution of the task.

Online: verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning, an assessment questionnaire, and a written exercise. The current campaign has no abstract-reasoning component.

A competency-based interview and a role play, both conducted remotely via Zoom.

Comes after interview success and publicjobs eligibility checks. Includes the Physical Competency Test (PCT), medical and substance-misuse assessment, and vetting.

Your candidate portal communication governs first, then the current campaign booklet, then official Garda.ie pages. Third-party pages are for general skill practice only, never for logistics.

Both the Assessment Questionnaire and the competency-based interview evaluate qualities such as responsibility, teamwork, judgement under pressure, respectful communication, and public service.

The Stage 3 fitness assessment. Current format, criteria, and demonstration videos are published on the official Garda careers fitness page — do not train to thresholds found on unofficial forum posts.