British Army Cognitive Test (BARB) Foundational Numeracy and Literacy Skills Syllabus

How does multiplying a whole number by $10$ affect each digit's place value?

Every digit moves one place to the left, increasing its value tenfold. E.g. $57 \times 10 = 570$: the $5$ moves from tens to hundreds and the $7$ from units to tens.

What is the value of $2$ in the number $20{,}913$, and how is the structure read?

The $2$ is in the ten-thousands place, value $20000$. The number reads 'twenty thousand, nine hundred and thirteen'.

In BARB-style instructions test items, what does 'reading and interpreting a short statement' require you to do?

Read the statement carefully, identify the key facts and relationships (who, what, order, position), and answer a question based only on the information given, not assumptions.

If a statement says 'John is taller than Mike, and Mike is taller than Sam', who is shortest?

Sam. The chain is John > Mike > Sam, so Sam is the shortest.

What is the key strategy for interpreting a positional statement like 'The red box is to the left of the blue box'?

Fix the described relationship exactly as stated and visualise the layout: red on the left, blue on the right. Do not reverse the relationship or add extra items.

When a statement uses 'before' and 'after', how do you determine sequence?

'Before' means earlier in the order; 'after' means later. E.g. 'B comes after A and before C' gives the order A, B, C.

Define 'word recognition' and why it matters for spelling tasks.

Word recognition is the ability to instantly identify a written word and know whether it is spelled correctly. It lets you quickly select the correctly spelled option in spelling tests without sounding out each letter.

What is the spelling rule 'i before e', and what common exception applies?

'i before e except after c' (when the sound is 'ee'). So 'believe', 'field', but 'receive', 'ceiling'. Exceptions include 'weird', 'seize', and words where the sound is not 'ee' like 'their' and 'weigh'.

Which is correctly spelled: 'definately' or 'definitely'? State the rule.

'Definitely' is correct. It contains the word 'finite'; there is no letter 'a' in it.

Which is correct: 'seperate' or 'separate'? Give a memory aid.

'Separate' is correct. Remember 'there is a rat in sepaRATe' — the middle is spelled 'a-r-a'.

What is the rule for doubling the final consonant when adding '-ing' or '-ed' (e.g. 'run', 'stop')?

For a one-syllable word ending in a single vowel + single consonant, double the consonant: 'run' to 'running', 'stop' to 'stopped'. Do not double after two vowels: 'rain' to 'raining'.

What is the difference between 'their', 'there', and 'they're'?

'Their' shows possession (their car). 'There' refers to a place (over there). 'They're' is a contraction of 'they are' (they're late).

What does 'following written instructions precisely' demand in a BARB/Army context?

Doing exactly what the instruction says, in the stated order, without adding, omitting, or changing steps — because in operational settings small deviations can cause errors or danger.

If an instruction reads 'Circle the third letter from the left in the word HELMET', what is the answer?

The letter 'L'. Counting from the left: H(1), E(2), L(3).

Why is it important to identify keywords like 'not', 'only', 'except', and 'all' in written instructions?

These words completely change the meaning and the required action. Missing 'not' or 'except' reverses what you should do, leading to the wrong answer.

An instruction says 'Select every number that is even and greater than 10' from $4, 12, 15, 20$. Which qualify?

$12$ and $20$. Both conditions must hold: even AND greater than $10$. $4$ is even but not $>10$; $15$ is $>10$ but odd.

What is 'sustained attention' and why do BARB-style drills train it?

Sustained attention is the ability to stay focused on a task over a continuous period without lapses. Drills train it because the test is timed and requires consistent accuracy across many items without fatigue errors.

Name a common technique used in sustained-attention drills to maintain focus.

Vigilance/target-detection drills: continuously scanning a stream of stimuli and responding only to a defined target (e.g. press when you see a specific letter), which builds the ability to stay alert and avoid lapses.

What is 'working memory' (holding information in mind), and how is it used in BARB?

Working memory is temporarily storing and manipulating information in your head. BARB uses it in tasks where you must remember statements, positions, or numbers for a few seconds while you reason and answer.

Give a practical strategy to hold a short sequence (e.g. '7, 2, 9, 4') in mind.

Chunking and rehearsal: group digits ('72', '94') and silently repeat them. Grouping reduces the number of items to remember from four to two.

What is 'chunking' and how much can typical working memory hold?

Chunking is grouping individual items into larger meaningful units. Typical working memory holds about $7 \pm 2$ items, so chunking lets you effectively remember more by reducing item count.

How does reducing distraction improve test performance?

Distractions consume limited attention and working-memory capacity. Minimising them (quiet environment, ignoring irrelevant detail, focusing on the task) frees mental resources, increasing both speed and accuracy.

What is the trade-off between speed and accuracy, and how should you manage it in BARB?

Going too fast causes careless errors; too slow means unfinished items. Aim for a steady pace that keeps accuracy high while completing items — practice shifts this balance so you can be both fast and accurate.

What technique helps improve processing speed for repetitive number/letter tasks?

Timed practice with feedback: repeatedly doing drills under a clock builds automaticity, so recognition and calculation become faster and require less conscious effort.

Compare 'accuracy' and 'speed' as performance measures in cognitive tests.

Accuracy is the proportion of correct answers; speed is how many items you complete per unit time. A good score needs both — many tests reward correct answers given quickly, penalising rushed mistakes.

What is the half of $250$, and what mental method gives it instantly?

$125$. Halve the hundreds and the rest: half of $200$ is $100$, half of $50$ is $25$, so $100 + 25 = 125$.

How do you find $25\%$ of a number mentally, e.g. $25\%$ of $80$?

$25\%$ is one quarter, so divide by $4$: $\frac{80}{4} = 20$. (Or halve twice: $80 \to 40 \to 20$.)

How do you find $10\%$ and then $20\%$ of a number mentally, e.g. of $150$?

$10\%$ is dividing by $10$: $\frac{150}{10} = 15$. Double it for $20\%$: $15 \times 2 = 30$.

What is the difference between odd and even numbers, and how do you tell quickly?

Even numbers are divisible by $2$ (end in $0, 2, 4, 6, 8$); odd numbers are not (end in $1, 3, 5, 7, 9$). You only need to check the last digit.

When estimating a sum of many numbers, what is 'rounding to compatible numbers'?

Rounding each value to nearby figures that combine easily. E.g. estimate $48 + 23 + 19$ as $50 + 20 + 20 = 90$, close to the exact $90$.

What three-step approach should you use to answer any short written-instruction question accurately?

1) Read the whole instruction carefully, noting keywords (not, only, every, order). 2) Identify exactly what is being asked. 3) Carry out the steps in the stated order and check your answer against the instruction before responding.