UCAT Verbal Reasoning 2026
Traditionally, the lowest-scoring section of the UCAT, this section requires you to quickly read the text and logically answer questions. Despite the time pressure, plan and practice lots of UCAT verbal reasoning questions to boost your score.
Practising UCAT Verbal Reasoning questions and working with our UCAT Tutors will help you learn the best verbal reasoning strategies.
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What Is UCAT Verbal Reasoning?
Verbal Reasoning is the first section of the UCAT exam, so it is paramount that you go in with confidence to start strongly and protect your overall score. It is one of the three cognitive subtests (alongside Decision Making and Quantitative Reasoning) that are each scored from 300 to 900 and added together to give your total UCAT score out of 2700. Abstract Reasoning was removed from the UCAT in 2025, so Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making and Quantitative Reasoning are now the only scored cognitive subtests. We will outline how to score well in Verbal Reasoning below.
The UKCAT Verbal Reasoning subtest assesses your ability to read and think carefully about the information presented in passages. To score well you must determine whether specific conclusions can be drawn from the information presented.
You are not expected to use prior knowledge to answer the questions. You have 22 minutes (plus 1 minute 30 seconds for instructions) to answer 44 questions, which works out at roughly 30 seconds per question. These 44 questions are split across 11 passages, with four questions attached to each passage.
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Why Include UCAT Verbal Reasoning?
Doctors and dentists need excellent verbal reasoning skills in dealing with patients and complex clinical situations. Understanding and reading the situation and then communicating clearly what needs to be said to both healthcare professionals and patients in a simple manner is critical.
UCAT Verbal Reasoning Questions are designed in a manner that will allow you to demonstrate your skills in handling complex information presented amongst large swathes of information. This is a skill that you will continue developing at medical school.
Medical practitioners must be able to interpret research papers and publications and try to integrate this into their clinical practice. This requires excellent UCAT verbal reasoning techniques.
👉🏻 Read more: Top Tips For UCAT Verbal Reasoning
UCAT Verbal Reasoning Timing
22 minutes (with 1.5 minutes of instructions not included within this time). In terms of the time you have per verbal reasoning question, you have 30 seconds per question to answer the 44 questions.
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Maximum UCAT Verbal Reasoning Score
Maximum UCAT Verbal Reasoning Score: 900
Minimum UCAT Verbal Reasoning Score: 300
Remember to contact our UCAT Tutors to find out more about how we can boost this score.
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Average UCAT Verbal Reasoning Score
Verbal Reasoning has traditionally been the lowest-scoring of the cognitive subtests, but average scores have risen in recent years. In 2025 the mean Verbal Reasoning score was 602 (out of 900), broadly in line with 2024 and well above the long-run average of the mid-570s seen in earlier years.
- 2015 Verbal Reasoning UCAT Average Score: 577
- 2016 Verbal Reasoning UCAT Average Score: 573
- 2017 Verbal Reasoning UCAT Average Score: 570
- 2018 Verbal Reasoning UCAT Average Score: 567
- 2019 Verbal Reasoning UCAT Average Score: 565
- 2020 Verbal Reasoning UCAT Average Score: 570
- 2021 Verbal Reasoning UCAT Average Score: 572
- 2022 Verbal Reasoning UCAT Average Score: 567
- 2023 Verbal Reasoning UCAT Average Score: 591
- 2024 Verbal Reasoning UCAT Average Score: 601
Verbal Reasoning remains the lowest-scoring of the three cognitive subtests, sitting below Decision Making and Quantitative Reasoning. This is likely because, as well as being the first section, it is the hardest to manage time in. This is why you must ensure that you practice lots of timed questions to build both speed and accuracy.
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UCAT Verbal Reasoning Question Types
The UCAT Verbal Reasoning Questions contains eleven passages, each of which has four questions. Some of these questions assess critical reasoning skills, where candidates must draw inferences and conclusions from the passage. Each passage of text must be read carefully.
The questions will contain a stem which may be an incomplete statement or a question, which will have four answer options to choose from. The candidate is required to pick the most suitable response, only one response may be picked.
There are two UCAT verbal reasoning questions:
For the two question types, see our dedicated walkthroughs of True, False, Can't Tell questions and inference questions, which are the two areas candidates most often lose marks on.
- TYPE 1 Verbal Reasoning Questions - A passage followed by True/False/Can't Tell.
- TYPE 2 Verbal Reasoning Questions - A text followed by picking from statements. You need to determine a general summary of the passage to answer the question
Since 2013 - the overall trend has been to have more type two verbal reasoning questions. We recommend practising both types of questions to help ensure that you are best prepared for the Verbal Reasoning UKCAT exam. Both question types are multiple-choice, which is helpful if you are running out of time.
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UCAT Verbal Reasoning Question Example:
Passage 1
In the 21st Century, many people aged over 65 are perfectly capable of working and are likely to live longer than individuals did in previous times. If people work after the age of 65, there is more chance that they will be financially self-sufficient when they retire.
Compulsory retirement ages have long been banned in the USA, and we should get rid of them in the UK, also. Following their footsteps would similarly be good for individuals and our country. We should ignore those employers who complain that they would be unable to get rid of older and inefficient employees.
After all, those who are incompetent to do a job can be dismissed on the grounds of merit, rather than of age. Dismissing candidates based on age also raises discrimination issues, opening a metaphorical can of worms in regards to unfair dismissal.
Which of the following expresses the main conclusion of the above argument?
1. It is unfair to keep people working after age 65
2. People who are incompetent to do a job can be dismissed.
3. Raising the retirement age would be good for the country.
4. The UK should abolish compulsory retirement ages.
5. Those who work beyond the age of 65 can be financially self-sufficient.
ANSWER: 4
In this question, you are searching for the main conclusion of the above paragraph. This means there will be more than one valid point, but your task is to detect the highest-ranking conclusion.
Answer 1 is wrong; the passage encourages more people over the age of 65 to continue working, so it is a direct contradiction.
Answer 2 is true according to the passage, but it is not the overall topic - the overall topic is in regards to the age of retirement, so this answer is not the main conclusion.
Answer 3 is incorrect - the passage says that removing the compulsory retirement age is good for the country, not simply raising it.
Answer 4 is the main conclusion of the paragraph as it discusses the UK and the suggestion that it should abolish compulsory retirement.
Answer 5 is also correct but it is not a conclusion in itself; it provides evidence and support for the main conclusion, which is Answer 4.
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How To Boost Your Verbal Reasoning Score
We recommend learning strategies to overcome time constraints, as it has the lowest average score of any section in the UCAT. There are many tricks to help you skim the question and not have to read entire chunks of text.
Two skim-and-scan techniques do most of the heavy lifting under time pressure. Learn the keyword scanning technique to jump straight to the relevant part of a passage, and practise skimming versus scanning so you can read faster without losing comprehension. For the question types themselves, our complete Verbal Reasoning strategy guide walks through every approach in detail.
Some candidates prefer to read the passage first, which is a good technique but sometimes it can be time-consuming. On our UCAT courses, we teach both of these methods.
By increasing the amount of ucat verbal reasoning practice that you undertake, you will be able to speed up and develop your verbal reasoning techniques during your practice tests and practice from question banks.
Practising under timed conditions is the single biggest lever on your Verbal Reasoning score, so build it into every revision session.
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UCAT Verbal Reasoning Tips in 2026
Here we have collated some of our senior UCAT tutors' most strategic UKCAT Verbal Reasoning test tips that we teach on our UCAT Courses and in our 1-1 UCAT Tutoring.
UCAT Verbal Reasoning strategies and tips in 2026
- Do not draw on existing knowledge in verbal reasoning to answer the question, assume that you are unfamiliar with the content.
- On the official UCAT website, you will find free verbal reasoning practice tests that you can do to boost your score.
Alongside the official practice tests, you can drill timed questions on our free UCAT Skills Trainer to build speed and accuracy under exam conditions.
- Make sure that you concentrate from the start - it is the first section of the UKCAT and traditionally has the lowest average scores amongst candidates. Make sure that you use these tips for verbal reasoning in the UCAT to boost your score.
- Practice speed reading skills during your preparation by reading articles for the UCAT verbal reasoning test in the newspapers, and see whether you can extract the key facts quickly. This is a time-pressured section where there is not a lot of time to read the question, with a very tight time limit.
- Think about how you will time yourself during this section. Try and work out a strategy whereby you might allocate a certain amount of time to each passage, which will help prevent you from getting bogged down and running out of time in the UCAT test.
- Pay attention to the wording in UCAT questions. This will usually provide a hint towards the answer.
- The UCAT Verbal Reasoning section is not based on your ability to understand the English language (regardless of your mother tongue).
- In type 1 questions it is often easy to first work out if the statement is true or false before considering cannot say.
- Consider contacting our UCAT tutors and joining our UCAT course for more information.
- Do not get bogged down by UCAT verbal reasoning questions that are incomprehensible - this typically means it is a trick question - the best thing to do is move on and come back if time allows!
For more ukcat verbal reasoning tips contact our UCAT experts.
👉🏻 Read more: Top Tips For UCAT Verbal Reasoning
Note: Abstract Reasoning was removed from the UCAT in 2025, so there is no longer an Abstract Reasoning subtest to revise for.
👉🏻 Read more: Top Tips For UCAT Quantitative Reasoning
Frequently asked questions
What is UCAT Verbal Reasoning?
UCAT Verbal Reasoning is the first of the UCAT's four subtests. It assesses your ability to read passages quickly and judge whether specific conclusions can be drawn from the text. You are not expected to use any outside knowledge, only the information in front of you. It is one of the three cognitive subtests scored from 300 to 900 that make up your total UCAT score out of 2700.
How many questions are in UCAT Verbal Reasoning and how long do you get?
UCAT Verbal Reasoning has 44 questions to answer in 22 minutes, plus 1 minute 30 seconds for instructions beforehand. The 44 questions are spread across 11 passages, with four questions per passage. That gives you roughly 30 seconds per question, which is why timing strategy and fast reading are so important in this section.
What is the average UCAT Verbal Reasoning score?
The 2025 mean UCAT Verbal Reasoning score was 602 out of 900, broadly in line with 2024. Verbal Reasoning is traditionally the lowest-scoring of the three cognitive subtests, so a strong VR score helps you stand out. Earlier years averaged in the mid-570s, so average performance has risen over time.
What is a good UCAT Verbal Reasoning score?
Because the 2025 mean was around 602, a Verbal Reasoning score in the low-to-mid 600s already places you above average, and roughly 620 or higher is competitive. Scores above 700 are strong and into the top deciles. What counts as good also depends on the other two cognitive subtests, since universities usually look at your total score out of 2700 rather than VR alone.
What is the maximum UCAT Verbal Reasoning score?
The maximum UCAT Verbal Reasoning score is 900 and the minimum is 300, the same scaled range used for Decision Making and Quantitative Reasoning. Your three cognitive subtest scores are added together to give a total between 900 and 2700. Situational Judgement is reported separately as a band from 1 to 4 and does not add to the 2700 total.
What are the two types of UCAT Verbal Reasoning questions?
There are two question types. Type 1 gives a passage followed by a statement you must mark as True, False or Can't Tell based only on the text. Type 2 (free-text or best-answer questions) gives a passage and asks you to choose the most suitable response from four options, such as the main conclusion or a correct summary. In recent years more questions have been Type 2, so practise both.
Is Abstract Reasoning still part of the UCAT?
No. Abstract Reasoning was removed from the UCAT in 2025. The test now has four subtests: Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making, Quantitative Reasoning and Situational Judgement. The first three are scored from 300 to 900 and added to give a total out of 2700, while Situational Judgement is reported as a band from 1 to 4.
How do I improve my UCAT Verbal Reasoning score?
The biggest gains come from timing and reading technique. Practise large volumes of timed questions, learn keyword scanning so you jump straight to the relevant text, and develop skimming and scanning so you read faster without losing meaning. Decide in advance whether you read the passage or the question first, never get stuck on one item, and answer only from what the text actually says.
Should I read the passage or the question first in Verbal Reasoning?
Both approaches work and the best one is personal. Reading the question first lets you scan the passage for keywords and target your search, which usually saves time. Reading the passage first can improve comprehension but is often slower. Try both methods in practice, time yourself, and commit to whichever consistently gives you more correct answers within the 30-second-per-question limit.
Is there negative marking in UCAT Verbal Reasoning?
No. There is no negative marking anywhere in the UCAT, including Verbal Reasoning. An unanswered question scores zero, exactly the same as a wrong answer, so you should never leave a question blank. If you are running out of time, flag and guess on the remaining questions rather than losing the chance of a correct answer.
Why does the UCAT test verbal reasoning?
Doctors and dentists must read and interpret complex written information quickly, from patient notes and guidelines to research papers, and communicate clearly under pressure. Verbal Reasoning is designed to test how well you handle dense information and draw sound conclusions from it, which are core skills for safe clinical practice. That is why medical and dental schools value a strong VR performance.
How can I get faster at UCAT Verbal Reasoning?
Speed comes from technique plus practice. Use keyword scanning to locate the relevant sentence rather than reading every word, and practise skimming and scanning on news articles to extract key facts quickly. Drill timed sets so 30 seconds per question feels natural, set a rough time budget per passage, and move on from any question that is taking too long, returning only if time allows.
What is the best strategy for True, False, Can't Tell questions?
First decide whether the statement is clearly True or clearly False using only the passage, before considering Can't Tell. Choose Can't Tell when the text neither confirms nor contradicts the statement, which is common when a claim goes beyond what is written. Watch for absolute words like always or never, and never bring in outside knowledge, only what the passage actually states.
Do I need a strong English background to score well in Verbal Reasoning?
No. UCAT Verbal Reasoning does not test your command of the English language or vocabulary, regardless of your first language. It tests logical reading and reasoning: whether a conclusion follows from a passage. The skills that matter most are speed reading, careful attention to wording, and disciplined timing, all of which improve substantially with focused, timed practice.
How does Verbal Reasoning fit into my total UCAT score?
Verbal Reasoning is one of three cognitive subtests, each scored from 300 to 900. Your VR, Decision Making and Quantitative Reasoning scores are added together to give a total between 900 and 2700, which is the figure most universities use. Situational Judgement is reported separately as a band. Because VR is usually the lowest-scoring section, lifting it can have an outsized effect on your total.
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