Hidden words and letter moves: 11 Plus verbal reasoning practice
Find hidden words, move and insert letters, and climb word ladders.
CoreIn almost every paper that tests this subjectAbout 35 seconds a question in the test
The big idea
GL papers test how well you see words inside other words. A hidden word runs across the gap between two neighbouring words: in “her eyes” the word “here” is hidden. In a move-a-letter question one letter leaves the first word and joins the second, and both must still be real words. In an insert-a-letter question one letter finishes the first word and starts the second. A word ladder changes one letter at a time.
Tips that save marks
For hidden words, cover the gap with your finger and read across it, pair by pair.
For moving letters, try each letter of the first word in turn and check both words.
Say each new word aloud: it must be a real word you know.
A worked example
Which letter completes both words: lif ( ) nded?
Try letters that could end “lif”: e gives “life”.
Does e start the second word? “ended”: yes.
So the letter is E.
Now try five
Try each one before you look at the answer: answering from memory is what makes it stick. Tap an option to check it. Most children get three or four right at first; five out of five means move on to the next topic.
Question 1Aim for about 35 seconds
Which one letter completes the word in front of the brackets and starts the word after them, in both pairs?
pos ( ) eam nes ( ) hen
Show the worked answer
Answer: D, T
How to work it out
T makes post and team, and nest and then.
The same letter must work in all four places.
Why the other options are wrong
A (X): X does not make four real words.
B (P): P does not make four real words.
C (K): K does not make four real words.
E (D): D does not make four real words.
Question 2Aim for about 35 seconds
Which one letter completes the word in front of the brackets and starts the word after them, in both pairs?
windo ( ) arn hollo ( ) eakly
Show the worked answer
Answer: C, W
How to work it out
W makes window and warn, and hollow and weakly.
The same letter must work in all four places.
Why the other options are wrong
A (Q): Q does not make four real words.
B (E): E does not make four real words.
D (S): S does not make four real words.
E (O): O does not make four real words.
Question 3Aim for about 35 seconds
A four-letter word is hidden across the end of one word and the start of the next. Which two words hide it?
Can you recommend a good book about space?
Show the worked answer
Answer: C, you recommend
How to work it out
“your” is hidden in “you recommend”: read the letters straight across the gap.
Check each pair of neighbouring words in turn, joining the last letters of one word to the first letters of the next.
Why the other options are wrong
A (book about): No real four-letter word runs across the gap between these two words.
B (good book): No real four-letter word runs across the gap between these two words.
D (Can you): No real four-letter word runs across the gap between these two words.
E (recommend a): No real four-letter word runs across the gap between these two words.
Question 4Aim for about 35 seconds
Which one letter completes the word in front of the brackets and starts the word after them, in both pairs?
windo ( ) orth blo ( ) rath
Show the worked answer
Answer: B, W
How to work it out
W makes window and worth, and blow and wrath.
The same letter must work in all four places.
Why the other options are wrong
A (A): A does not make four real words.
C (D): D does not make four real words.
D (P): P does not make four real words.
E (N): N does not make four real words.
Question 5Aim for about 35 seconds
Change one letter at a time to turn the first word into the last. Every step must be a real word. Which word goes in the middle?
FINE → ? → KIND
Show the worked answer
Answer: D, FIND
How to work it out
FINE → FIND (one letter changed) → KIND (one more letter changed).
Why the other options are wrong
A (FIVE): FIVE is one step from FINE, but it needs two more changes to reach KIND.
B (NINE): NINE is one step from FINE, but it needs two more changes to reach KIND.
C (FIRE): FIRE is one step from FINE, but it needs two more changes to reach KIND.
E (LINE): LINE is one step from FINE, but it needs two more changes to reach KIND.
Want a plan built around the topics your child finds hardest?
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.