UK Civil Service Verbal and Numerical Test Practice
Try a Civil Service verbal passage and numerical data questions. Learn when to choose Cannot say and find the official guidance on timing and calculators.
Download Brain Preflight on the App StoreBy Brain Preflight, the app developer · Updated 14 November 2026
Key facts
| Item | What the official source says |
|---|---|
| Tests | Civil Service Verbal Test and Civil Service Numerical Test; you may be invited to one or both |
| Timing | Not timed; most people take between 15 and 45 minutes for each test |
| Format | Adaptive: a right answer may make the next question harder, a wrong answer easier; you cannot skip a question or go back |
| Length | Varies from one candidate to another, because the tests adapt |
| Trial questions | Some questions are unscored trial items; you cannot tell which |
| Verbal Test | A passage and a statement; answer True, False or Cannot say |
| Numerical Test | Graphs, tables or other numerical information, then a question with several possible answers; GOV.UK suggests having a calculator, rough paper and a pen to hand |
Checked against the official source on 12 November 2026: GOV.UK: preparing for the Civil Service verbal and numerical tests.
Can I try Civil Service-style questions with answers?
Passage. The enquiry desk opens at 09:00 on weekdays. Staff answer written enquiries within five working days. Enquiries about pensions are passed to a separate team, which sets its own deadlines.
Verbal: “The enquiry desk opens at 08:00 on Mondays.” True, False or Cannot say?
False. Monday is a weekday, and the passage says the desk opens at 09:00 on weekdays. The statement is contradicted.
Verbal: “The enquiry desk is open on Saturdays.” True, False or Cannot say?
Cannot say. The passage gives the weekday opening time and says nothing about weekends. Absence of information is not a contradiction.
Verbal: “A written enquiry about pensions is answered within five working days.” True, False or Cannot say?
Cannot say. Pension enquiries go to a separate team with its own deadlines, which the passage does not give. They could be shorter or longer than five days.
Numerical: a team handled 1,200 cases in 2025 and 1,380 in 2026. What was the percentage increase?
15%. The increase is 180 cases. Divide by the starting value: 180 ÷ 1,200 = 0.15. Dividing by 1,380 instead answers a different question.
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Download Brain Preflight on the App StoreFrequently asked questions
Are the Civil Service Verbal and Numerical Tests timed?
No. GOV.UK says the tests are not timed and that most people take between 15 and 45 minutes for each one. They adapt to your performance, and you cannot skip a question or go back.
What does “Cannot say” mean in the Civil Service Verbal Test?
It means the passage neither supports nor contradicts the statement. Choose False only when the passage says the opposite; choose Cannot say when the passage is silent or incomplete on the point.
Can I use a calculator in the Civil Service Numerical Test?
Yes. GOV.UK suggests having a calculator, rough paper and a pen to hand. The difficulty is in choosing the right figures from the graph or table.
Official sources
Sources checked on 12 November 2026. Your invitation and the organiser’s current page take precedence over this guide.
Independent app developed by Brain Preflight. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the Civil Service or the UK Government. Practice results are not official test results.