Royal Navy Recruiting Test (RT) Verbal Ability Test Syllabus

Verbal Ability Test syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Verbal Ability Test in Royal Navy Recruiting Test (RT), not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Vocabulary and Word Knowledge

   4 topics

   • Synonyms
     • Selecting closest meaning
     • Distinguishing near-synonyms
   • Antonyms
     • Identifying direct opposites
     • Avoiding distractor near-opposites
   • Word meanings in context
   • Common military and everyday vocabulary
2. 2

   Spelling and Word Forms

   4 topics

   • Correcting misspelled words
     • Common spelling rules and exceptions
     • Frequently confused homophones
   • Identifying the correctly spelt option
   • Prefixes and suffixes
   • Singular and plural forms
3. 3

   Grammar and Sentence Structure

   4 topics

   • Subject-verb agreement
   • Correct word order in sentences
   • Completing sentences with the right word
   • Tense consistency
4. 4

   Comprehension and Verbal Logic

   4 topics

   • Reading short passages for meaning
   • True, false or cannot tell judgements
     • Distinguishing stated fact from inference
     • Recognising insufficient information
   • Identifying the main point
   • Drawing conclusions from text

Verbal Ability Test flashcards for Royal Navy Recruiting Test (RT)

19 of 50 cards from the Verbal Ability Test deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What is a synonym, and what is a synonym for the word "brave"?

   A synonym is a word that has the same or nearly the same meaning as another word. A synonym for "brave" is "courageous" (also valiant, bold, fearless).

2. What is an antonym, and what is the antonym of "expand"?

   An antonym is a word that means the opposite of another word. The antonym of "expand" is "contract" (also shrink, reduce).

3. Give a synonym and an antonym for the word "conceal".

   Synonym: hide (also cover, mask). Antonym: reveal (also expose, disclose).

4. What does "deploy" mean in a military context, and give a synonym?

   To deploy means to move troops, ships or equipment into position ready for action. Synonym: position (also station, dispatch).

5. What does the word "reluctant" mean, and what is its antonym?

   Reluctant means unwilling or hesitant to do something. Its antonym is "willing" (also eager, keen).

6. In the sentence "The captain gave a curt reply," what does "curt" mean?

   Curt means brief and rude or abrupt in manner, especially in speech.

7. Define the military term "reconnaissance" and give an everyday synonym.

   Reconnaissance is military observation of an area to gather information about the enemy or terrain. Everyday synonym: scouting (also survey, exploration).

8. What does "morale" mean, and how does it differ from the word "moral"?

   Morale means the confidence, enthusiasm and spirit of a person or group. "Moral" (different word) relates to principles of right and wrong behaviour.

9. Give a synonym for "diminish" and an antonym for it.

   Synonym for "diminish": decrease (also reduce, lessen). Antonym: increase (also grow, augment).

10. What is the common military meaning of "muster"?

    To muster means to assemble or gather troops together, especially for inspection, roll-call or battle. As a noun it is the assembly itself.

11. Identify the correctly spelt word: "seperate", "separate", "seperete", or "separete".

    "separate" is the correct spelling. Remember it contains the word "a rat": sep-a-rate.

12. Which is the correct spelling: "recieve" or "receive"? State the rule that applies.

    "receive" is correct. The rule is "i before e except after c", so after "c" it is "ei".

13. Correct the misspelled word: "definately".

    The correct spelling is "definitely" (it contains the word "finite").

14. Identify the correctly spelt option: "accommodate", "accomodate", "acommodate", or "acomodate".

    "accommodate" is correct. It has double c and double m.

15. Correct the misspelled word: "occured".

    The correct spelling is "occurred" (double c and double r).

16. Which is correctly spelt: "neccessary" or "necessary"? Give a memory aid.

    "necessary" is correct: one c and two s. Memory aid: a shirt needs one Collar and two Sleeves.

17. Correct the misspelled word: "embarass".

    The correct spelling is "embarrass" (double r and double s).

18. Identify the correctly spelt word: "goverment", "government", "govenment", or "governmment".

    "government" is correct. Remember it contains "govern" plus "-ment", so keep the "n".

19. What is a prefix? Give the meaning of the prefix "re-" with an example.

    A prefix is a group of letters added to the start of a word to change its meaning. "re-" means "again" or "back", e.g. "return" = turn back.

See more Verbal Ability Test flashcards →

Planning Verbal Ability Test for Royal Navy Recruiting Test (RT)

Verbal Ability Test (Royal Navy Recruiting Test (RT)) FAQ