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VR techniques 5 min read · 2026-07-12

11+ Verbal Reasoning: Insert a letter — method, example and traps

How to solve insert a letter questions in the 11+: a fixed method, a worked example, the classic traps, and free practice worksheets.

Insert a letter questions appear in almost every GL-style verbal-reasoning paper. One letter completes the end of one word and starts the next. Like every VR type, they stop being hard the moment your child has a fixed method — here it is.

What the question looks like

One letter completes the end of one word and starts the next. 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

The same letter must finish word A and begin word B. Run the likely candidates (S, T, E, D, R, N, Y) against both sides — the constraint pair kills wrong options fast.

Worked example

hea( ? )ight → heaT + Tight? No: heat/tight both work with T. Answer: T.

The traps

Testing only against one of the two words; forgetting less common letters like K or W.

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.

Practise insert a letter free →