RAF Airman/Airwoman Selection Test (AST) Verbal Reasoning Syllabus

Verbal Reasoning syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Verbal Reasoning in RAF Airman/Airwoman Selection Test (AST), not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Comprehension and Logical Deduction

   4 topics

   • Reading short passages for meaning
     • Identifying explicitly stated facts
     • Distinguishing fact from opinion
   • Drawing valid conclusions from a passage
     • Conclusions that must be true
     • Conclusions that cannot be true
     • Conclusions that may or may not be true (insufficient information)
   • True / False / Cannot Say question format
     • Avoiding assumptions beyond the text
     • Spotting trap wording and overstatement
   • Eliminating distractor answers
2. 2

   Word Relationships and Vocabulary

   4 topics

   • Synonyms and antonyms
     • Shades of meaning
     • Context-dependent synonyms
   • Verbal analogies (A is to B as C is to D)
   • Odd-one-out word groups
   • Spelling and commonly confused words
3. 3

   Logical Sequences and Coded Language

   4 topics

   • Letter sequences and patterns
     • Skip patterns and alternating series
   • Simple letter and word codes
   • Categorising and grouping words by rule
   • Following multi-step verbal instructions
4. 4

   Exam Technique for Verbal Items

   3 topics

   • Time pressure and pacing per question
     • When to skip and return
   • Reading the question stem before the passage
   • Managing negatively worded questions

Verbal Reasoning flashcards for RAF Airman/Airwoman Selection Test (AST)

22 of 50 cards from the Verbal Reasoning deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. In RAF AST Verbal Reasoning, what is the core skill being tested?

   The ability to understand written information in a short passage and use logic to draw correct conclusions from it, rather than relying on outside/general knowledge.

2. When reading a short passage for meaning, what is the golden rule about using outside knowledge?

   Answer ONLY from information given in the passage. Ignore what you personally know to be true in the real world; if it is not stated or implied by the text, you cannot use it.

3. What distinguishes a 'valid conclusion' from an invalid one in verbal reasoning?

   A valid conclusion must follow logically and necessarily from the statements in the passage. If it merely could be true, or requires an assumption not in the text, it is not valid.

4. In the True / False / Cannot Say format, when do you answer TRUE?

   When the statement must be true based solely on the information in the passage (it is directly stated or logically follows from it).

5. In the True / False / Cannot Say format, when do you answer FALSE?

   When the statement contradicts the passage, i.e. the passage's information shows the statement cannot be true.

6. In the True / False / Cannot Say format, when do you answer CANNOT SAY?

   When the passage gives insufficient information to judge the statement as definitely true or definitely false.

7. What is the most common mistake people make with 'Cannot Say' questions?

   Using real-world knowledge or assumptions to decide True/False when the passage simply does not provide enough information. If the text doesn't settle it, the answer is Cannot Say.

8. Give a quick test for choosing between False and Cannot Say.

   Ask: does the passage actively contradict the statement? If yes, choose False. If the passage is simply silent or only partially relevant, choose Cannot Say.

9. What is a 'distractor' in a multiple-choice verbal reasoning question?

   An incorrect answer option deliberately written to look plausible, often using familiar words from the passage or a half-true idea, to tempt you away from the correct answer.

10. Name three common types of distractor used in verbal reasoning answers.

    (1) True-but-irrelevant statements, (2) options that overstate/exaggerate beyond the passage, and (3) options that reverse or slightly alter a fact from the passage.

11. What process helps you eliminate distractors efficiently?

    Process of elimination: rule out clearly wrong options first (contradicted or unsupported), narrowing to the best-supported answer, which raises your odds even when unsure.

12. Why are absolute words like 'always', 'never', 'all', or 'none' often warning signs in answer options?

    Passages rarely support absolute claims; a single exception makes an absolute statement false, so options with extreme wording are frequently distractors.

13. Define synonym and antonym.

    A synonym is a word with the same or very similar meaning to another word (e.g. big / large). An antonym is a word with the opposite meaning (e.g. big / small).

14. Give the antonym test strategy when two options seem close.

    Substitute each candidate into the sense of the original word; the true antonym should produce the clearest opposite meaning in context, not just a loosely contrasting one.

15. What is a verbal analogy and how is it written?

    A relationship puzzle written as 'A is to B as C is to D' (A:B::C:D). You identify the relationship between A and B, then find D so that C:D shares the same relationship.

16. Solve the analogy: Hand is to Glove as Foot is to ?

    Sock (or shoe). The relationship is 'body part to the covering worn on it'.

17. Solve the analogy: Hot is to Cold as Up is to ?

    Down. The relationship is 'opposite/antonym'.

18. List four common relationship types tested in verbal analogies.

    Synonyms, antonyms (opposites), part-to-whole, and category-to-member; others include cause/effect, object/function, and degree/intensity.

19. Solve the analogy: Puppy is to Dog as Kitten is to ?

    Cat. The relationship is 'young animal to adult animal'.

20. What is an 'odd-one-out' question?

    You are given a group of words and must identify the one that does not belong, because the others share a common category, property, or rule that it lacks.

21. Find the odd one out: Rose, Tulip, Oak, Daisy.

    Oak. The others are flowers; an oak is a tree.

22. Find the odd one out: Apple, Banana, Carrot, Grape.

    Carrot. The others are fruits; a carrot is a vegetable.

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