CAT4 – Verbal Reasoning

What includes in the CAT4 Verbal Reasoning?

The CAT4 Verbal Reasoning section is composed of subtests that assess different aspects of language and verbal reasoning skills.

The specific subtests included in the Verbal Reasoning section may vary depending on the level of the test and the testing organization, but generally, verbal analogies and verbal classification are included. These subtests, along with examples, are explained below.

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Verbal Analogies

This subtest assesses a student’s ability to infer the relationship between the first two words and then to identify a word that creates a second word-pair that is related in the same way as the first word-pair. The reasoning process used to solve Verbal Analogies is the same as that used to solve Nonverbal Analogies and Number Analogies.

Examples of Verbal Analogy questions are below from lower-level questions to higher-level questions.

Instruction:  Look at the first two words.  They are related in some way.  Look at the third word.  Choose a word in the answer row that goes with the third word the same way the first two words go together.

Example 1:
Pig  →  Piglet  :  Duck

A. Kitten      B. Puppy       C. Duckling      D. Swim         E.  Calf

Answer:  C. Duckling – A piglet is a baby pig. A duckling is a baby duck.

Example 2:
Swing  →  Playground  :  Carousel

A. Carnival      B. Rollercoaster       C. Noisy       D. Game         E.  Rotate

Answer:  A. Carnival – A swing is a piece of equipment found at a playground.  A carousel is a piece of equipment found at a carnival.

Example 3:
Podiatrist  →  Feet  :  Neurologist

A. Brain       B. Skin       C.  Nose       D. Heart         E.  Doctor

Answer:  A. Brain – A podiatrist is a doctor that treats the feet. A Neurologist is a doctor that treats the brain.

Example 4:
Ovation  →  Silence  :  Expenditure

A. Time       B. Savings       C. Feeling       D. Training         E.  Ending

Answer:  B. Savings – An ovation is the opposite of silence. An expenditure is the opposite of savings.

Verbal Classification

This subtest assesses a student’s ability to group words into categories based on shared characteristics.

Examples of Verbal Classification questions are below from lower-level questions to higher-level questions.

Instruction:  The first 3 words are alike in some way. Choose one word from the selection of five that goes with the first 3 words in the same way.

Example 1:
Green          Pink          Yellow

A. Color      B. Red    C. Crayon       D. Paint         E. Chalk

Answer:  B. Red – Green, pink, yellow, and red are all colors.

Example 2:
Heading           Greeting          Body

A. Letter      B. Envelope    C. Closing       D. Persuade         E. Document

Answer:  C. Closing – Heading, greeting, body, and closing are all parts of a letter.

Example 3:
Noun           Verb          Adjective

A. Sentence      B. Language    C. Words       D. Adverb         E. Punctuation

Answer:  D. Adverb – Noun, verb, adjective, and adverb are all parts of speech.

Example 4:
Shrine           Altar          Chapel

A. Verse      B. Hymn    C. Temple       D. Religion        E. Pray

Answer:  C. Temple – Shrine, altar, chapel, and temple are all places of worship.

Overall, the Verbal Reasoning section of the CAT4 is designed to assess a student’s ability to sort words into groupings, notice patterns and similarities in language, and to conceptualize.

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