120+ Free Civil Service Verbal Test Practice Questions
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Key Facts: Civil Service Verbal Test Exam
3 options
True / False / Cannot Say
GOV.UK Civil Service online tests
Untimed
No time limit
GOV.UK / HMRC candidate FAQ
15-45 min
Typical completion time
GOV.UK preparing for the tests
Percentile
Score reported vs norm group
Civil Service candidate FAQ
£0
Candidate fee
Civil Service Jobs
No fixed
Pass mark set per role
GOV.UK Civil Service online tests
The Civil Service Verbal Test is the UK Civil Service's online verbal reasoning assessment. Candidates read a passage and judge whether a statement is true, false, or cannot be said. It is untimed and adaptive, and most people finish in 15-45 minutes. There is no fee and no fixed pass mark; scores are reported as a percentile and the recruiter sets the cut-off after the deadline.
Sample Civil Service Verbal Test Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to test your Civil Service Verbal Test exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 120+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1Passage: "The Civil Service Verbal Test is an online assessment used in the recruitment process for many UK government roles. It presents candidates with a passage of text followed by a statement. Candidates must decide whether the statement is true, false, or whether it cannot be said based only on the information in the passage." Statement: Candidates taking the Civil Service Verbal Test choose between three response options for each statement.
2Passage: "The library opens at 9am on weekdays and at 10am on Saturdays. It is closed all day on Sundays and on public holidays." Statement: The library opens at 9am on Saturdays.
3Passage: "All staff in the finance team completed the new data-protection training in March. The training was delivered online over two sessions." Statement: Every member of the finance team enjoyed the training.
4In the Civil Service Verbal Test, when should you select 'Cannot Say' for a statement?
5Passage: "The new recycling scheme collects paper, glass and plastic every Tuesday. Garden waste is collected separately on the first Tuesday of each month." Statement: Glass is collected weekly under the new recycling scheme.
6Passage: "The report recommends that the department invest in cyber-security training. It notes that staff awareness is currently the single biggest factor in preventing data breaches." Statement: According to the report, staff awareness is the most important factor in preventing data breaches.
7Passage: "Sales of electric vehicles rose by 40% last year, while sales of diesel vehicles fell. Petrol vehicle sales remained roughly the same." Statement: Diesel vehicle sales increased last year.
8Passage: "The conference will be held in Manchester in October. Delegates travelling from London are advised to book train tickets in advance to secure cheaper fares." Statement: Train tickets booked in advance are cheaper than tickets bought on the day for the London to Manchester route.
9Passage: "Three of the five regional offices have already moved to the new case-management system. The remaining two offices will migrate by the end of the quarter." Statement: All five regional offices use the new case-management system today.
10Passage: "The museum offers free entry to its permanent collection. Special exhibitions, however, require a paid ticket." Statement: Visitors must pay to see the permanent collection.
About the Civil Service Verbal Test Exam
The Civil Service Verbal Test (CSVT) is an online verbal reasoning assessment used in recruitment for many UK Civil Service roles. Candidates read a short passage of text and decide whether a following statement is true, false, or whether it cannot be said based only on the information in the passage. The test is taken online and unsupervised through the Civil Service Jobs application centre, is not timed, and is computer-adaptive — questions get harder after correct answers and easier after incorrect ones. Results are reported as a percentile compared with a norm group rather than a raw pass/fail score.
Assessment
Question count not published by the exam provider
Time Limit
Untimed (most finish in 15-45 minutes)
Passing Score
No fixed pass mark; percentile cut-off set per role
Exam Fee
Free (no candidate fee) (UK Civil Service (Civil Service Jobs / Civil Service HR), delivered online via the CS Jobs platform)
Civil Service Verbal Test Exam Content Outline
True / False / Cannot Say Judgements
Read a passage and judge whether a statement is true, false, or cannot be said using only the information given.
Inference & Logical Conclusions
Draw valid conclusions from written information, including proportions, comparisons, conditions, and paraphrased meaning.
Common Traps & Test Technique
Avoid outside knowledge, watch qualifier words such as all, most and up to, separate correlation from causation, and respect the scope of the passage.
How to Pass the Civil Service Verbal Test Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: No fixed pass mark; percentile cut-off set per role
- Assessment: Question count not published by the exam provider
- Time limit: Untimed (most finish in 15-45 minutes)
- Exam fee: Free (no candidate fee)
Keys to Passing
- Work through all 120 available questions
- Review every answer and explanation
- Track weak areas and revisit them
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
Civil Service Verbal Test Study Tips from Top Performers
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Civil Service Verbal Test?
The Civil Service Verbal Test (CSVT) is an online verbal reasoning assessment used in UK Civil Service recruitment. You read a passage of text and decide whether a statement is true, false, or cannot be said based only on the information in the passage.
Is the Civil Service Verbal Test timed?
No. The test is not timed. Most candidates complete it within 15 to 45 minutes. The test is adaptive, so it adjusts difficulty to your performance, but your score is not affected by how long you take.
How is the Civil Service Verbal Test scored?
Your score is based on the number and difficulty of the questions you answer correctly. It is compared with a norm group and reported as a percentile. A percentile of 70, for example, means you scored better than 70% of the comparison group.
What is the pass mark for the Civil Service Verbal Test?
There is no fixed pass mark. After the application deadline, the recruiter reviews all applicants' scores and sets a cut-off based on the number of places available and the impact on protected groups. The cut-off varies by role.
How much does the Civil Service Verbal Test cost?
Nothing. The Verbal Test is part of the free Civil Service Jobs application process. Candidates pay no fee to take it, although optional third-party practice materials may cost money.
What does 'Cannot Say' mean?
Choose Cannot Say when the passage does not give enough information to judge the statement as definitely true or definitely false. It is a judgement about the passage, not about how the statement is worded. Never use outside knowledge to decide.
Do I need specialist knowledge for the test?
No specialist knowledge or experience is needed. Every answer must be based only on the passage provided. Bringing in general knowledge or assumptions is one of the most common causes of wrong answers.
Can I retake the Civil Service Verbal Test?
A completed score is generally used as submitted within a single campaign and cannot be reattempted to improve it. When you apply for a different vacancy that uses the test, you usually take it again rather than re-using a previous score.