12 questions across maths, English, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning, with a worked answer for every one. Do it on screen, or print it and mark it together. No account and no email address.
Let your child try each question first. Tap an option on screen, or tick it on the printout.
Read the working together. Ask them to say why each wrong option is wrong, in their own words.
Notice which kind of question lost marks. That is the one to practise next, a little at a time.
The paper
Question 1Aim for about 60 seconds
Find the missing number that makes both sides equal.
91 + 726 = ? + 722
Show the worked answer
Answer: C, 95
How to work it out
The left side is 91 + 726 = 817.
So ? + 722 = 817, and ? = 817 − 722 = 95.
A quicker way: 722 is 4 less than 726, so ? must be 4 more than 91.
Why the other options are wrong
A (91): This assumes 726 and 722 are the same; they differ by 4.
B (4): This is only the difference between 726 and 722.
D (87): The right side's number is 4 smaller, so the missing number must be 4 bigger, not smaller.
E (817): This is the total of the left side. The right side already has 722 in it, so the missing number is smaller.
Question 2Aim for about 60 seconds
What is 434 as an improper fraction?
Show the worked answer
Answer: B, 194
How to work it out
Each whole is 44, so 4 wholes are 164.
Add the 34: 16 + 3 = 19, giving 194.
Why the other options are wrong
A (34): This drops the whole number altogether.
C (74): This just adds the whole number to the top. Each whole is worth 4 parts, not 1.
D (164): This multiplies the whole number by the top instead of by the bottom.
E (1916): This multiplies the bottom as well; the bottom number stays the same.
Question 3Aim for about 60 seconds
What is 60% of 400?
Show the worked answer
Answer: A, 240
How to work it out
Find 10% first: 400 ÷ 10 = 40.
Build 60% from that: 240.
Why the other options are wrong
B (280): This is 70% of 400: one 10% step too many.
C (40): This is 10% of 400; build 60% from it.
D (160): This is 40% of 400, the part left over, not 60%.
E (480): This is double the correct answer, 240. Check whether you doubled when you should not have.
Question 4Aim for about 60 seconds
Aisha buys 4 tennis balls at 69p each and a water bottle for £2.05. They pay with £5. How much change do they get?
Show the worked answer
Answer: E, £0.19
How to work it out
Tennis balls: 4 × 69p = £2.76.
Total: £4.81.
Change: £5.00 − £4.81 = £0.19.
Why the other options are wrong
A (£0.38): This is double the correct answer, £0.19. Check whether you doubled when you should not have.
B (£2.26): This counts only one of the 4 tennis balls; all 4 must be paid for.
C (£0.09): This is 10p too little change; check the total spent.
D (£1.19): This is £1 too much change; check the total spent.
Question 5Aim for about 45 seconds
Which word best completes the sentence?
Can you pass me _____ pencils, please?
Show the worked answer
Answer: D, those
How to work it out
“those” is the word that fits: Can you pass me those pencils, please?
Why the other options are wrong
A (there): “There” is a place, not a word that points to a noun.
B (this): “This” is singular; “pencils” is plural.
C (that): “That” is singular; “pencils” is plural.
E (them): “Them” is not used before a noun in standard English.
Question 6Aim for about 45 seconds
Which sentence is punctuated correctly?
Show the worked answer
Answer: C, It's time for the children's lunch.
How to work it out
The correct sentence is: It's time for the children's lunch.
An apostrophe shows missing letters (can’t) or that something belongs to someone (the cat’s).
Why the other options are wrong
A (It's time for the childrens lunch.): The first apostrophe is right, but “children’s” needs one before the s to show the lunch belongs to the children.
B (Its time for the childrens' lunch.): “Its” needs an apostrophe here (it is), and “children’s” takes the apostrophe before the s, because children is already plural.
D (Its' time for the children's lunch.): The apostrophe is after the s. The short form of “it is” is “it’s”, with the apostrophe where the i is missing.
Question 7Aim for about 45 seconds
What does the word “tedium” mean?
Show the worked answer
Answer: B, boredom from dullness
How to work it out
“Tedium” (noun) means boredom from dullness.
For example: Games on the phone relieved the tedium of the queue.
Why the other options are wrong
A (great enjoyment and energy): That is what “gusto” means, an unrelated word. “tedium” means boredom from dullness.
C (a natural ability): That is what “aptitude” means, an unrelated word. “tedium” means boredom from dullness.
D (determination to keep going): That is what “tenacity” means, an unrelated word. “tedium” means boredom from dullness.
Question 8Aim for about 35 seconds
Which word is closest in meaning to “end”?
Show the worked answer
Answer: D, conclude
How to work it out
“conclude” has a similar meaning to “end”.
Why the other options are wrong
A (gentle): “gentle” means “kind, soft and careful”, which is a different idea from “end”.
B (silver): “end” and “conclude” mean the same. “silver” is a different kind of word and is not linked to either.
C (window): “end” and “conclude” mean the same. “window” is a different kind of word and is not linked to either.
E (polite): “polite” means “having good manners”, which is a different idea from “end”.
Question 9Aim for about 35 seconds
Find the next number in this series.
14, 42, 22, 39, 30, 36, ?
Show the worked answer
Answer: C, 38
How to work it out
Two series take turns: 14, 22, 30 (add 8) and 42, 39, 36 (take away 3).
The next number continues the first: 38.
Why the other options are wrong
A (46): Adds 8 twice to 30. Only one step of 8 is needed to get from 30 to the next number of this series.
B (33): This is the next number of the other series (take away 3 from 36), but it is the turn of the series that goes up by 8, from 30.
D (48): 48 is 10 too big. The series that goes up by 8 reaches 30 and then 38: add exactly 8 to 30.
E (37): 37 is 1 too small. The series that goes up by 8 reaches 30 and then 38: add exactly 8 to 30.
Question 10Aim for about 35 seconds
Read the clues. Who is the oldest?
Cara is younger than Finn.
Hal is older than Finn.
Cara is older than Esme.
Dev is older than Hal.
Show the worked answer
Answer: B, Dev
How to work it out
Put the clues in order from oldest to youngest: Dev, Hal, Finn, Cara, Esme.
Who is the oldest: Dev.
Why the other options are wrong
A (Cara): Cara is fourth from the oldest end, in the middle of the line, so is neither the oldest nor the youngest.
C (Hal): Hal is second from the oldest end, in the middle of the line, so is neither the oldest nor the youngest.
D (Finn): Finn is third from the oldest end, in the middle of the line, so is neither the oldest nor the youngest.
E (Esme): Esme is the youngest, the other end of the line. The question asks for the oldest.
Question 11Aim for about 45 seconds
Which figure comes next in the series?
?
Show the worked answer
Answer: D
How to work it out
The flag turns 135° clockwise each step and the shading alternates; one dot is added each time.
Why the other options are wrong
A: The angle is right but the shading is wrong: it alternates grey and unshaded, and the last figure was unshaded, so this one should be grey.
B: This turns one step too far: the next angle is 180°, but this is at 315°.
C: This repeats the last figure's angle (45°). The shape should turn 135° clockwise again, to 180°.
E: The dots go 1, 2, 3, 4 so the next has 5; this has 4, the same as the last figure.
Question 12Aim for about 45 seconds
Which figure is the odd one out?
Show the worked answer
Answer: A
How to work it out
In each figure the number of dots matches the number of sides of the shape, except the odd one out.
Shading and angle are distractors.
Why the other options are wrong
B: This grey square (turned to 180°) has 4 sides and 4 dots, so it follows the rule. Only one figure's dots differ from its sides.
C: This grey hexagon (turned to 90°) has 6 sides and 6 dots, so it follows the rule. Only one figure's dots differ from its sides.
D: This black pentagon (turned to 90°) has 5 sides and 5 dots, so it follows the rule. Only one figure's dots differ from its sides.
E: This unshaded pentagon (upright (0°)) has 5 sides and 5 dots, so it follows the rule. Only one figure's dots differ from its sides.
Your score
A short taster is not a prediction of any real test result. Prism does not guarantee a school place.
No. It is a short taster written by Prism in the style of the tests, not taken from any school’s or publisher’s papers. Real tests differ by area and school, so use it to see how your child approaches each type of question, not to predict a result.
How long should my child take?
About 10 minutes for all 12 questions. Younger children can do it in two sittings, and it works best as a calm conversation about the working, not a race.
What does my child get from the answers?
Every question has a step-by-step answer and, where it applies, a plain explanation of why each wrong option is tempting. That is where most of the learning happens.
Do we need to sign up?
No. The paper and the PDF are free and need no account or email address. If you want a plan built around what your child found hard, the free assessment is the next step.
Want a plan built around what your child found hard?
Prism starts with a free assessment across maths, English, verbal and non-verbal reasoning, then builds a weekly plan for your target schools. Parents follow progress free.