Word codes questions appear in almost every GL-style verbal-reasoning paper. If CAT = DBU, decode or encode another 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
If CAT = DBU, decode or encode another 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
Compare each letter of the plain word with its coded letter and write the shift (+1, −2…). Apply the same per-position shifts to the target word. Write the alphabet at the top of your rough paper first — it halves the time.
Worked example
If BUS = EXV (+3 each letter), CAR becomes FDU.
The traps
Assuming one uniform shift when positions have different shifts; counting past Z without wrapping.
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.