Insert a letter questions appear in almost every GL-style verbal-reasoning paper, and they are among the most learnable of the lot. One single letter must complete the end of one word and, at the same time, begin the next. Once your child has a fixed, repeatable method, this type stops being a puzzle and becomes a quick, reliable source of marks. This guide gives you that method, a fully worked example, the traps that catch tired children, and where to practise it free.
What an insert-a-letter question looks like
You are shown two words, each with a bracket where a letter is missing. The missing letter is the same for both, and it sits at the very end of the first word and the very start of the second. In Bond's A-to-U labelling of GL Verbal Reasoning types, this is one of the "insert a letter" families that sit alongside its close cousins: hidden words, move a letter, and compound words. GL never tells you in advance which of the roughly 21 question types will appear in a given paper, so recognising this format instantly is half the battle.
A typical paper carries three to five of these questions, each worth exactly the same mark as any other question. That matters: because the method is so dependable once learned, insert-a-letter is one of the highest-value types to drill. Time invested here converts almost directly into extra raw marks, which in turn lift the Standardised Age Score (SAS) the school actually sees.
The fixed method
Teach your child this exact sequence and use it every single time:
- Read both word-stems aloud. Say the ending of word A and the beginning of word B so the ear helps the eye.
- Test the same letter on both sides. The letter must make word A a real word AND make word B a real word. One out of two is not enough.
- Run the common consonants first. Try the frequent finishers and starters — S, T, D, R, N, E, Y, P — before reaching for rarer letters.
- Confirm both words are genuine. Before you write it down, check that neither word is a near-miss or a non-word.
The golden rule is the middle one: always check both words. Most wrong answers in this type come from a child who found a letter that fits the first word, felt relieved, and never tested the second.
A fully worked example
Find the letter that ends the first word and starts the second:
hea ( ? ) ight
Work through the candidates. Try R: "hear" is a real word, but "right" is too — so R gives hear and right. Wait: does R end the first stem and start the second? "hea" + R = "hear" (yes), and R + "ight" = "right" (yes). Both are real, so R is a strong candidate. Now double-check nothing better fits: T gives "heat" and "tight" — both real too. When two letters both work, GL will have written the stems so only one produces two valid words in the answer options given; on the page you simply pick the option offered. Here, testing methodically shows the type in action: never stop at the first word that works, and always confirm the second.
Try this pattern yourself: boo ( ? ) ent. The letter T makes "boot" and "tent" — both real. That is your answer.
Common traps and how to dodge them
- Testing only one word. The single biggest error. Insist on the "both words real" check before writing anything.
- Forgetting rarer letters. After S, T, D and R, remember that K, W, H, G and even X occasionally solve the pair. If nothing common works, sweep the rest of the alphabet calmly.
- Being fooled by a plausible non-word. "brue" or "flem" look word-shaped but are not real. Read them aloud and ask, "Is that actually a word?"
- Panicking on the clock. These are fast marks. If one resists after a few candidates, mark it, skip, and return — don't let it eat the time budget of five other questions.
Timing and pacing
GL verbal-reasoning papers are tightly timed at roughly 35 to 50 seconds per question, no calculator, answers marked on a separate multiple-choice sheet. Insert-a-letter questions should sit at the fast end of that range once the method is automatic. The table below gives a realistic target.
| Stage | Target time | What good looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Year 4 foundation | 60–75 seconds | Method followed slowly, both words checked |
| Year 5 build | 40–50 seconds | Common letters tried first, fewer re-reads |
| Year 6 timed | 25–35 seconds | Near-instant recognition, skip-and-return used |
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, so you can drill insert-a-letter in isolation, then the Arena's VR mode gives instant feedback with XP so mistakes become learning rather than guesswork. When the type feels automatic, fold it back into full timed mock papers so pacing develops alongside accuracy. For the wider picture of every named type, read our 21 VR types overview, and use the revision hub to sequence the confusable pairs — insert a letter versus move a letter — which children most often mix up.
Frequently asked questions
How is insert a letter different from move a letter?
Insert a letter adds one new letter that ends word one and starts word two. Move a letter takes an existing letter out of one word and adds it to another so both stay real. Different rule, different check.
Does GL tell you this type will appear?
No. GL does not disclose which of its question types feature in a given paper, so children practise the full range and recognise each format on sight.
What if two letters both seem to work?
On a real multiple-choice paper the answer options are written so only one letter produces two genuine words among the choices given. Test each option against both words and the single correct one stands out.