The 11+ tests four areas. Knowing what each one is actually measuring (rather than the dry textbook description) helps you focus practice where it counts.
English
Comprehension passages with multi-choice questions, plus vocabulary, grammar and SPaG-style spotting. Strong readers tend to do well here without much specific drilling — but everyone benefits from learning to read actively.
Maths
Number operations, fractions, percentages, ratio, time, geometry, area, perimeter and multi-step word problems. Speed matters as much as accuracy. Practice now with our maths bank to see the pace required.
Verbal Reasoning
The "logic with words" paper. Codes, analogies, hidden words, compound words, odd-one-out, antonyms, sequences. Less about reading speed, more about pattern recognition.
Non-Verbal Reasoning
The "logic with shapes" paper. Series, rotation, reflection, matrices, analogies. Children who struggle with literacy often shine here — it's the great equaliser.