All Practice Exams

Free Practice Questions for Kent Test

Exam-style questions and explanations by OpenExamPrep.

✓ No registration✓ No credit card
100+ Questions
100% Free

Loading practice questions...

Exam Review

Key Facts: Kent Test Exam

2 booklets

English & Maths, and Reasoning (verbal, non-verbal and spatial)

Kent Test familiarisation booklet

25 + 25 min

English and maths each get a 5-minute practice then a 25-minute test

Kent Test familiarisation booklet

4 to 5 min

Length of each non-verbal and spatial reasoning subtest

Kent Test familiarisation booklet

Top 25%

Kent grammar schools provide for children in about the top 25% of the ability range

Kent County Council - Register for the Kent Test

332 or more

Total across the three standardised scores needed for a 2025 grammar school assessment

Kent County Council - Kent Test results

108 minimum

No single standardised score could fall below 108 in the 2025 threshold

Kent County Council - Kent Test results

69 to 141

Range of each standardised score, giving a maximum total of 423

Kent County Council - Kent Test results

No fee

Kent County Council does not charge to register for or sit the Kent Test

Kent County Council - The Kent Test

100

Free original practice questions here

OpenExamPrep

The Kent Test decides grammar school eligibility in Kent, using materials produced by GL Assessment for Kent County Council. Children sit two booklets at the start of Year 6: English & Maths (a 5-minute practice plus a 25-minute test for each subject) and Reasoning (about an hour covering verbal, non-verbal and spatial reasoning). A separate 40-minute writing exercise, including 10 minutes of planning, is not marked but may be used by a local headteacher panel. For the 2025 test the qualifying standard was an aggregate of 332 or more with no single standardised score below 108, on a 69 to 141 scale per subject. This 100-question bank provides original multiple-choice practice across all four assessed skill areas.

Sample Kent Test Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the Kent Test exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Read: 'Tom had been awake since dawn, packing and re-packing his rucksack. By the time the coach arrived he had checked his kit list four times.' How does Tom feel about the trip?
A.Bored and uninterested
B.Nervous and eager
C.Angry at his parents
D.Frightened of the coach
Explanation: Tom is awake very early, keeps re-packing, and checks his list four times. This behaviour shows excitement mixed with nerves about an important trip. Inferring feeling from a character's actions is a key comprehension skill.
2Read: 'The market stalls were a riot of colour: scarlet peppers, golden corn and deep purple aubergines glistened in the morning sun.' What is the main impression the writer creates?
A.A dull, empty market
B.A bright, lively scene
C.A cold winter morning
D.A quiet, sleepy village
Explanation: Words like 'riot of colour', 'scarlet', 'golden', 'glistened' and 'morning sun' build a bright, vivid and lively picture of the market. Recognising the overall mood created by descriptive language is an important reading skill.
3In the sentence 'The explorer was undaunted by the towering cliffs ahead,' the word 'undaunted' most nearly means:
A.Frightened
B.Unafraid
C.Exhausted
D.Confused
Explanation: 'Undaunted' means not discouraged or not made afraid by something difficult. The prefix 'un-' reverses 'daunted' (made fearful), so an undaunted explorer faces the cliffs without fear.
4Which word is the closest synonym for 'rapid'?
A.Slow
B.Quick
C.Heavy
D.Quiet
Explanation: A synonym is a word with a similar meaning. 'Rapid' means happening very fast, so 'quick' is the closest match.
5Which word is the antonym (opposite) of 'generous'?
A.Kind
B.Giving
C.Mean
D.Friendly
Explanation: An antonym is a word with the opposite meaning. 'Generous' means willing to give freely, so its opposite is 'mean', meaning unwilling to share or give.
6Choose the word that correctly completes the sentence: 'Neither the teacher nor the pupils _____ ready for the surprise inspection.'
A.was
B.were
C.is
D.be
Explanation: With 'neither ... nor', the verb agrees with the nearer subject. The nearer subject is 'pupils' (plural), so the plural verb 'were' is correct.
7Which sentence uses an apostrophe correctly?
A.The dogs bowl was empty.
B.The dog's bowl was empty.
C.The dogs' bowl's were empty.
D.The dog's bowl's was empty.
Explanation: To show that the bowl belongs to one dog, the apostrophe goes before the 's': 'the dog's bowl'. 'Bowl' is a plain plural here with no possession, so it needs no apostrophe.
8Which word in this sentence is an adverb? 'The river flowed quickly past the ancient bridge.'
A.river
B.flowed
C.quickly
D.ancient
Explanation: An adverb usually describes how a verb happens and often ends in '-ly'. 'Quickly' tells us how the river flowed, so it is the adverb.
9Which word is spelled correctly?
A.definately
B.definitely
C.definitley
D.definatly
Explanation: The correct spelling is 'definitely'. It contains the word 'finite' in the middle, which helps you remember the 'i' rather than an 'a': de-finite-ly.
10Read: 'Although it had rained all morning, the children were determined to hold their picnic.' What does the word 'although' tell us?
A.The rain stopped the picnic
B.There is a contrast between the rain and the picnic
C.The picnic was in the evening
D.The children disliked the rain
Explanation: 'Although' is a conjunction that signals a contrast: despite the bad weather, the children still want their picnic. Recognising how linking words shape meaning is an important reading skill.

About the Kent Test Exam

The Kent Test is the selective eligibility test Kent County Council uses to decide whether a grammar school is a suitable option for a child. The materials are produced by GL Assessment. Children sit it at the start of Year 6 in two booklets: English & Maths, where each section is a 5-minute practice followed by a 25-minute test, and Reasoning, which takes about an hour and contains verbal, non-verbal and spatial reasoning sections. Answers go on separate computer-marked answer sheets. A separate 40-minute writing exercise, including 10 minutes of planning, is not marked but may be used by a local headteacher panel at the headteacher assessment stage. Results are three standardised scores - English, maths and reasoning - plus an aggregate; each score runs from 69 to 141. For the 2025 test the qualifying standard was a total of 332 or more with no single score lower than 108.

Exam sponsor: Kent County Council (test materials produced by GL Assessment). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Two multiple-choice booklets plus a writing exercise. The English & Maths booklet has an English section and a maths section, each a 5-minute practice followed by a 25-minute test. The Reasoning booklet has verbal, non-verbal and spatial reasoning sections. Kent County Council and GL Assessment publish no per-section question counts. The writing exercise is not marked and may be used by a local headteacher panel at the headteacher assessment stage.

Time Limit

Each booklet takes about an hour. English is 5 minutes practice plus a 25-minute test and maths is 5 minutes practice plus a 25-minute test. Verbal reasoning has a 10-minute timed practice and a 20-minute test; the non-verbal and spatial reasoning sections are split into subtests of 4 to 5 minutes each with untimed practice. The writing exercise allows 40 minutes including 10 minutes of planning.

Passing Score

No fixed pass mark is set in advance. For the 2025 test, a grammar school assessment required a total of 332 or more with no single score lower than 108. The three standardised scores each run from 69 to 141, giving a maximum total of 423. The 2026 threshold is published in October 2026, and a qualifying score does not guarantee a place because each school applies its own admissions criteria.

Exam / Certification Fees

Kent County Council does not charge a fee to register for or sit the Kent Test.

Exam sponsor website

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

1 of 3 standardised scores

English

English section of the English & Maths booklet: a 5-minute practice then a 25-minute test. Practice here covers main idea, inference, vocabulary in context, sentence completion, grammar, punctuation, spelling, synonyms and antonyms.

1 of 3 standardised scores

Maths

Maths section of the English & Maths booklet: a 5-minute practice then a 25-minute test with no calculator. Practice here covers place value, four operations, factors and multiples, fractions, decimals, percentages, ratio, measures, time, money, area, perimeter, angles, coordinates, data handling and multi-step word problems.

Part of the reasoning score

Verbal Reasoning

First section of the Reasoning booklet, with a 10-minute timed practice and a 20-minute test. Practice here covers synonyms and antonyms, odd one out, analogies, double-meaning words, letters in brackets, hidden words, letter sequences, letter and number codes, and deduction.

Part of the reasoning score

Non-Verbal & Spatial Reasoning

The non-verbal and spatial sections of the Reasoning booklet, split into subtests of 4 to 5 minutes each. Practice here covers series, odd one out, analogies, matrices, shape codes, hidden target shapes, rotation, reflection, symmetry and cube nets, described in words for text-based practice.

Preparing for the Kent Test Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: No fixed pass mark is set in advance. For the 2025 test, a grammar school assessment required a total of 332 or more with no single score lower than 108. The three standardised scores each run from 69 to 141, giving a maximum total of 423. The 2026 threshold is published in October 2026, and a qualifying score does not guarantee a place because each school applies its own admissions criteria.
  • Assessment: Two multiple-choice booklets plus a writing exercise. The English & Maths booklet has an English section and a maths section, each a 5-minute practice followed by a 25-minute test. The Reasoning booklet has verbal, non-verbal and spatial reasoning sections. Kent County Council and GL Assessment publish no per-section question counts. The writing exercise is not marked and may be used by a local headteacher panel at the headteacher assessment stage.
  • Time limit: Each booklet takes about an hour. English is 5 minutes practice plus a 25-minute test and maths is 5 minutes practice plus a 25-minute test. Verbal reasoning has a 10-minute timed practice and a 20-minute test; the non-verbal and spatial reasoning sections are split into subtests of 4 to 5 minutes each with untimed practice. The writing exercise allows 40 minutes including 10 minutes of planning.
  • Exam / certification fees: Kent County Council does not charge a fee to register for or sit the Kent Test. Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

Kent Test: Suggested Study Strategy

1Practise marking a separate answer sheet, because the Kent Test is computer-marked and the answer is recorded by drawing a pencil line through the box beside your choice.
2Work through the official Kent County Council familiarisation booklet first so the instructions and question layouts are familiar before any timed practice.
3For English, learn to point to the exact words in a passage that prove an answer, and practise choosing the word that makes best sense in the sentence as a whole.
4For maths, revise everything taught up to the start of Year 6 and show working clearly, because no calculator is allowed and several questions need more than one step.
5For verbal reasoning, learn the recurring types such as double-meaning words, letters in brackets, hidden words, letter sequences and codes so you recognise them instantly.
6For non-verbal and spatial reasoning, remember the sections are split into short 4 to 5 minute subtests, so practise starting fast and never dwelling on one item.
7Rehearse the writing exercise to the official timing of 40 minutes including 10 minutes of planning.

Frequently Asked Questions

What subjects are on the Kent Test?

The Kent Test is in two booklets. The English & Maths booklet has an English section and a maths section. The Reasoning booklet has three sections: verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning and spatial reasoning. There is also a separate writing exercise that is not marked.

How long is the Kent Test?

Each booklet takes about an hour. English is a 5-minute practice plus a 25-minute test, and maths is a 5-minute practice plus a 25-minute test. Verbal reasoning has a 10-minute timed practice and a 20-minute test, and the non-verbal and spatial sections are split into subtests of 4 to 5 minutes each. The writing exercise allows 40 minutes including 10 minutes of planning.

What is the Kent Test pass mark?

There is no fixed pass mark set in advance. For the 2025 test, children needed a total score of 332 or more with no single score lower than 108 to be given a grammar school assessment. Each standardised score runs from 69 to 141, so the highest possible total is 423. Kent County Council publishes each year's threshold in October.

What year do children sit the Kent Test?

Children register in Year 5 and sit the Kent Test at the start of Year 6 in September, for entry to a Kent grammar school in Year 7 the following September. For the 2026 test, Kent primary pupils sat it on Thursday 10 September 2026 and other pupils over the weekend of 12 and 13 September 2026.

Who sets and administers the Kent Test?

Kent County Council administers the Kent Test, and the test materials are produced by GL Assessment. Kent primary pupils usually sit it at their own school, while children who do not attend a Kent primary school sit it at a Kent test centre.

Does the writing exercise count towards the score?

No. Kent County Council states that the writing exercise is not marked, but it may be used by a local headteacher panel as part of the headteacher assessment stage. It allows 40 minutes including 10 minutes of planning time.

Are these official Kent County Council or GL Assessment questions?

No. These are original OpenExamPrep questions modelled on the assessed skill areas. Kent County Council and GL Assessment publish their own official familiarisation booklet separately.