Every question here is written by Prism in the style of the tests. None is copied from a real paper, and a fresh one is drawn each time a child practises.
From foundation to exam standard
Two questions at each level. Tap an option to check it.
Foundation where a child in Year 3 or 4 starts
Question 1Aim 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?
The detective examined the clues carefully before making an arrest.
Show the worked answer
Answer: E, clues carefully
How to work it out
“scar” is hidden in “clues carefully”: 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 (carefully before): Reading across the gap in “carefully before” gives YBEF, LYBE, LLYB, and none of these is a real word.
B (the clues): Reading across the gap in “the clues” gives ECLU, HECL, THEC, and none of these is a real word.
C (an arrest): Reading across the gap in “an arrest” gives NARR, ANAR, and none of these is a real word.
D (detective examined): Reading across the gap in “detective examined” gives EEXA, VEEX, IVEE, and none of these is a real word.
Question 2Aim 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?
She was meticulous when building the model ship.
Show the worked answer
Answer: E, the model
How to work it out
“them” is hidden in “the model”: 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 (when building): Reading across the gap in “when building” gives NBUI, ENBU, HENB, and none of these is a real word.
B (model ship): Reading across the gap in “model ship” gives LSHI, ELSH, DELS, and none of these is a real word.
C (was meticulous): Reading across the gap in “was meticulous” gives SMET, ASME, WASM, and none of these is a real word.
D (building the): Reading across the gap in “building the” gives GTHE, NGTH, INGT, and none of these is a real word.
Standard the 11 Plus standard, Year 5
Question 3Aim for about 35 seconds
Which one letter completes the word in front of the brackets and starts the word after them, in both pairs?
marke ( ) imid lif ( ) aste
Show the worked answer
Answer: D, T
How to work it out
T makes market and timid, and lift and taste.
The same letter must work in all four places.
Why the other options are wrong
A (D): With D the first pair would read “MARKED” and “DIMID”, and one of the four words would not be real. T makes all four.
B (U): With U the first pair would read “MARKEU” and “UIMID”, and one of the four words would not be real. T makes all four.
C (Z): With Z the first pair would read “MARKEZ” and “ZIMID”, and one of the four words would not be real. T makes all four.
E (Q): With Q the first pair would read “MARKEQ” and “QIMID”, and one of the four words would not be real. T makes all four.
Question 4Aim for about 35 seconds
Which of these words can NOT be made from CAME by changing just one letter?
Show the worked answer
Answer: C, BAKE
How to work it out
BAKE differs from CAME in two letters (the first and third), so it needs two changes.
Each of the others is one letter away from CAME.
Why the other options are wrong
A (LAME): LAME comes from CAME by changing the first letter, C, to L.
B (CAVE): CAVE comes from CAME by changing the third letter, M, to V.
D (CARE): CARE comes from CAME by changing the third letter, M, to R.
E (CASE): CASE comes from CAME by changing the third letter, M, to S.
Exam standard what the papers ask in Year 6
Question 5Aim for about 35 seconds
Which one letter can be moved from the first word into the second word to make two new words? The other letters stay in the same order.
WITCH LOSE
Show the worked answer
Answer: E, C
How to work it out
Take C out of WITCH to leave WITH, and put it into LOSE to make CLOSE.
Why the other options are wrong
A (T): Taking T out of WITCH leaves WICH, and putting it into LOSE would not give two real words together.
B (H): Taking H out of WITCH leaves WITC, and putting it into LOSE would not give two real words together.
C (W): Taking W out of WITCH leaves ITCH, and putting it into LOSE would not give two real words together.
D (I): Taking I out of WITCH leaves WTCH, and putting it into LOSE would not give two real words together.
Question 6Aim 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?
Only a gullible person would believe the moon is made of cheese.
Show the worked answer
Answer: D, the moon
How to work it out
“them” is hidden in “the moon”: 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 (believe the): Reading across the gap in “believe the” gives ETHE, VETH, EVET, and none of these is a real word.
B (a gullible): Reading across the gap in “a gullible” gives AGUL, and none of these is a real word.
C (gullible person): Reading across the gap in “gullible person” gives EPER, LEPE, BLEP, and none of these is a real word.
E (Only a): Reading across the gap in “Only a” gives NLYA, and none of these is a real word.
The kinds of question in this topic
Each kind asks something different of a child, even when the numbers or shapes look alike.
Which word cannot be made
Four words are one letter away from the given word; one is not.
Standard
Question 7Aim for about 35 seconds
Which of these words can NOT be made from BOLD by changing just one letter?
Show the worked answer
Answer: D, HOLE
How to work it out
HOLE differs from BOLD in two letters (the first and fourth), so it needs two changes.
Each of the others is one letter away from BOLD.
Why the other options are wrong
A (HOLD): HOLD comes from BOLD by changing the first letter, B, to H.
B (GOLD): GOLD comes from BOLD by changing the first letter, B, to G.
C (BOLT): BOLT comes from BOLD by changing the fourth letter, D, to T.
E (COLD): COLD comes from BOLD by changing the first letter, B, to C.
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.