Compound words questions appear in almost every GL-style verbal-reasoning paper. Join a word from each list to make one real word. Like every VR type, they stop being hard the moment your child has a fixed method — here it is.
What the question looks like
Join a word from each list to make one real word. Papers typically include 3–5 of these per test, worth the same marks as any other question — which makes fast, reliable technique on the common types the highest-value preparation there is.
The method
Try every pairing quickly and SAY the result in your head — compounds sound right (rain+bow, foot+path). Cross out used words to shrink the grid as you go.
Worked example
Lists: (light, rain, sun) + (bow, house, flower) → rainbow, lighthouse, sunflower.
The traps
Writing plausible-looking non-words (rainflower); ignoring less common but valid compounds.
How to practise this type
Little and often wins: five questions of this type daily for a week beats fifty in one sitting. Our free verbal-reasoning worksheets are organised by exact question type, and the Arena's VR mode gives instant feedback with XP. When the type feels automatic, fold it back into full timed mock papers so pacing develops alongside accuracy. For the full landscape, see the 21 VR types overview.