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

The Verbal Reasoning syllabus for RAF Airman/Airwoman Selection Test (AST) in full: 4 chapters, 15 topics and 11 sub-topics, every one listed below, plus 50 Verbal Reasoning flashcards with answers.

4Chapters
15Topics
11Sub-topics
50Flashcards

Verbal Reasoning syllabus: all 4 chapters

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics.

  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. 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. 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. 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

RAF Airman/Airwoman Selection Test (AST) Verbal Reasoning flashcards — 50 questions with 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.

Show the other 30 Verbal Reasoning flashcards

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

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

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

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

  3. What is the recommended method for solving odd-one-out items?

    Look for the rule/category that links the majority of the words; the word that breaks that single shared rule is the answer. Beware of multiple possible groupings and pick the strongest.

  4. Why must you read all options in an odd-one-out before deciding?

    Because the linking rule only becomes clear once you see the whole set; an early guess may fit a weaker pattern than the one shared by most words.

  5. What are 'commonly confused words' and why do they matter in the spelling element?

    Word pairs that sound alike or look similar but differ in meaning/spelling (homophones), e.g. their/there/they're. The test checks you choose the correctly spelled and correct-meaning word.

  6. Distinguish 'their', 'there', and 'they're'.

    'Their' = possession (their car); 'there' = a place or existence (over there / there is); 'they're' = contraction of 'they are'.

  7. Distinguish 'your' and 'you're'.

    'Your' = belonging to you (your bag); 'you're' = contraction of 'you are' (you're late).

  8. Distinguish 'affect' and 'effect'.

    'Affect' is usually a verb meaning to influence (it affects me); 'effect' is usually a noun meaning the result (the effect was clear).

  9. Distinguish 'principal' and 'principle'.

    'Principal' = main/most important, or the head of a school; 'principle' = a fundamental rule or belief.

  10. Distinguish 'stationary' and 'stationery'.

    'Stationary' = not moving; 'stationery' = writing materials such as paper and pens (remember the 'e' for envelope).

  11. In a letter sequence, what should you check first when looking for the pattern?

    The gap (number of letters skipped) between each letter in the alphabet, checking whether it is constant or changing, and the direction (forward or backward).

  12. Continue the letter sequence: A, C, E, G, ?

    I. Each letter advances by 2 (skip one letter each step).

  13. Continue the letter sequence: B, D, G, K, ?

    P. The gaps increase: +2, +3, +4, then +5 from K gives P.

  14. Continue the alternating sequence: A, Z, B, Y, C, ?

    X. One series goes forward from the start of the alphabet (A, B, C) and the other backward from the end (Z, Y, X).

  15. How do you decode a simple letter code such as 'shifting each letter forward by one'?

    Apply the reverse of the stated rule: if encoding shifts each letter +1 (A→B), decode by shifting each letter back by 1 (B→A). Identify the consistent shift, then reverse it.

  16. If CAT is coded as DBU, what is the coding rule and how would DOG be coded?

    Each letter moves +1 in the alphabet. So DOG becomes EPH.

  17. If a word code uses A=1, B=2, ..., Z=26, what number string represents 'BAD'?

    2, 1, 4 (B=2, A=1, D=4).

  18. What is the first step when 'categorising and grouping words by a rule'?

    Identify the classification rule (e.g. by meaning, part of speech, number of syllables, or shared feature), then assign each word to the group it satisfies.

  19. Group these by rule: lion, eagle, shark, sparrow — into 'can fly' vs 'cannot fly'.

    Can fly: eagle, sparrow. Cannot fly: lion, shark.

  20. When following multi-step verbal instructions, why is order important?

    Each instruction may depend on the result of the previous one; performing steps out of sequence (or skipping a step) gives the wrong final answer. Execute strictly in the stated order.

  21. Apply the instructions: 'Take the letters in CARE, remove the C, then reverse the rest.' What is the result?

    ERA. Removing C leaves ARE; reversed, ARE becomes ERA.

  22. What is the best general approach to multi-step instruction questions to avoid errors?

    Track the state after each step (write it down if allowed), do one operation at a time, and re-read the final instruction to confirm what output is actually required.

  23. Why is pacing important in the RAF AST, and what does it imply per question?

    The AST is strictly timed with many questions, so you must keep a steady pace; spending too long on one question risks leaving easier later questions unanswered. Aim to average well under the per-question time budget.

  24. What should you do if you get stuck on a single verbal reasoning question under time pressure?

    Make your best-supported guess (after eliminating distractors), mark it, and move on, returning only if time remains. Never let one question eat the time for several others.

  25. What is the recommended order for tackling a passage-based question: passage first or question first?

    Read the question stem (and statement) first, so you know what you are looking for, then scan the passage purposefully for the relevant information.

  26. Why does reading the question stem before the passage save time?

    It focuses your reading on the specific detail or relationship being asked about, preventing you from absorbing every detail and letting you locate the answer faster.

  27. What is a 'negatively worded' question and why is it tricky?

    A question containing a negative such as 'which is NOT true', 'EXCEPT', or 'least likely'. It reverses what you are selecting, so the obvious 'true' options become wrong answers.

  28. What technique helps you manage negatively worded questions?

    Underline or mentally flag the negative word (NOT/EXCEPT/LEAST), then evaluate each option as true/false and pick the one that breaks the expected pattern — e.g. the single false option when asked which is NOT true.

  29. For an EXCEPT question listing four options where three share a property, how do you find the answer?

    Identify the property the question expects; the correct answer is the one option that does NOT have that property (the exception).

  30. Summarise the all-purpose strategy for any RAF AST verbal reasoning question.

    Read the stem first (note any negatives), use only the passage's information, judge True/False/Cannot Say strictly, eliminate distractors, make a reasoned choice, and keep moving to stay on pace.

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

What is in the RAF Airman/Airwoman Selection Test (AST) Verbal Reasoning syllabus?

RAF Airman/Airwoman Selection Test (AST) Verbal Reasoning is split into 4 chapters: Comprehension and Logical Deduction, Word Relationships and Vocabulary, Logical Sequences and Coded Language and Exam Technique for Verbal Items. Together they contain 15 topics and 11 sub-topics.

How many chapters are in RAF Airman/Airwoman Selection Test (AST) Verbal Reasoning?

4 chapters, containing 15 topics and 11 sub-topics. The largest chapter is Comprehension and Logical Deduction, with 4 topics.

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

Yes — a 50-card Verbal Reasoning deck, printed in full in the flashcards section of this page and available in the Examius app with spaced repetition. The free plan covers one exam of your choice, including its flashcards; Examius Pro, a one-time purchase, unlocks every other exam and deck.