The 11+ tests four areas, and knowing what each one is actually measuring (rather than the dry textbook description) helps you focus practice where it counts. In most regions today the paper is set by GL Assessment, which since the phasing-out of CEM's separate 11+ tests around 2022-2023 has become the dominant provider. GL papers are usually multiple-choice, marked on a separate answer sheet, tightly timed at roughly a minute a question, with no calculator. This guide walks through English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning — what each really assesses, the question types to expect, and where to build practice that mirrors the real exam.
Why four subjects, and how they are weighted
Grammar schools and many consortia want a rounded picture of a child's reasoning, not just what they have been taught in class. English and Maths track the National Curriculum, so a strong Year 5 or Year 6 pupil already has a head start. Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning are the wildcards — they are rarely taught in primary school, so they reward familiarity and pattern recognition built through deliberate practice. Not every region tests all four in equal measure. Some grammar areas weight Maths and English more heavily; others give reasoning a large share. Always check your target school's format on the grammar school directory and the 11+ process guide before you plan revision.
| Subject | What it measures | Typical pace |
|---|---|---|
| English | Reading comprehension, vocabulary, SPaG | ~1 min per question |
| Maths | Number, arithmetic, geometry, word problems | ~1 min per question |
| Verbal Reasoning | Logic and patterns with words and letters | ~30-45 sec per question |
| Non-Verbal Reasoning | Logic and patterns with shapes | ~30-45 sec per question |
English
The English paper is built around one or more comprehension passages — usually fiction, but sometimes non-fiction or poetry — followed by multiple-choice questions. Roughly half the marks reward retrieval and inference: finding facts stated in the text, then reading between the lines for meaning the author only implies. The rest cover vocabulary-in-context, word classes, punctuation, spelling patterns and cloze (sentence-completion) tasks. Strong readers tend to do well here without heavy drilling, but everyone benefits from learning to read actively — underlining who, what, where and why as they go, and always checking the answer against the exact words on the page rather than a hunch.
- Inference — "How does the character feel?" answered from clues, not stated outright.
- Vocabulary-in-context — choosing the meaning a word carries in this sentence.
- Cloze — filling a gap with the word that fits grammar and sense.
- SPaG spotting — identifying the error or the correct punctuation mark.
Maths
The Maths paper spans the full primary curriculum and pushes a little beyond it: number and place value, the four operations, factors, multiples and primes, fractions, decimals, percentages, ratio and proportion, algebra and function machines, sequences, angles, area, perimeter and volume, coordinates, averages (mean, median, mode and range), data handling, probability, time and timetables, money and measures. The killer is multi-step word problems, where the maths is easy but the reading is the trap. Speed matters as much as accuracy: at a minute a question there is no time to labour. Teach your child a routine such as RUCSAC — Read, Underline, Choose, Solve, Answer, Check — and drill it until it is automatic. Build the pace on our free worksheets and time it against a full mock paper.
Verbal Reasoning
This is the "logic with words" paper, and GL famously uses a fixed bank of about 21 question types. It is less about reading speed and more about spotting the rule quickly. The most common families are:
- Word meaning — synonyms, antonyms, closest-meaning and odd-one-out.
- Letters and codes — letter sequences, letter/number codes, word codes and move-a-letter.
- Hidden and compound words — spotting a word buried across two others.
- Number logic — number sequences, number connections and simple equations.
- Deduction — logic puzzles and days-dates-time reasoning.
Because the types repeat, familiarity pays off fast. A child who has met all 21 formats stops wasting seconds working out what is being asked and spends them solving. Our GL practice papers group questions by type so weak spots stand out.
Non-Verbal Reasoning
The "logic with shapes" paper, and often the great equaliser — children who struggle with literacy frequently shine here. Expect series, analogies, matrices, odd-one-out and most-alike, plus spatial types: reflection, rotation, symmetry, hidden shapes, figure completion, counting elements, shape codes, and folding or hole-punching questions that test 3D visualisation. The trick is to name the changing feature — is it the number of sides, the shading, the rotation, the position? — and check it holds across every option before answering.
How to build a balanced plan
Start early in Year 4 or Year 5 with a "little and often" routine — short daily sessions beat weekend marathons. Rotate all four subjects across the week so reasoning never gets neglected, and sit a timed mock at the end of Year 5 summer to expose gaps while there is still time to fix them. Use the revision hub to target the specific question types your mock results flag, and keep an eye on the key dates for your area so registration deadlines never catch you out.
Frequently asked questions
Do all schools test all four subjects?
No. Most GL regions test English, Maths, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning, but the weighting varies and some areas drop or combine papers. Consortia such as CSSE in Essex use their own format with free-response maths. Always confirm your target school's exact structure on the grammar school directory.
Which subject is hardest to prepare for?
Reasoning usually feels hardest at first because it is not taught in school, but it is also the most improvable — familiarity with the fixed question types brings quick gains. Multi-step Maths word problems tend to be the persistent challenge under time pressure.
Is the exam still based on CEM papers?
No. CEM's separate 11+ tests were largely phased out around 2022-2023, and most former CEM regions moved to GL Assessment or bespoke papers. Quest Arena's practice reflects this current post-CEM, GL-led landscape.