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🇬🇧 RAF Airman/Airwoman Selection Test (AST) · flashcards
RAF Airman/Airwoman Selection Test (AST) Verbal Reasoning Flashcards
50 question-and-answer cards covering Verbal Reasoning as it is examined in RAF Airman/Airwoman Selection Test (AST). 24 of them are printed below, taken from across the deck — no signup, no paywall on the preview.
24 sample cards from the Verbal Reasoning deck
Sampled from the end of the deck, so these are different cards from the ones shown on the syllabus page.
Distinguish 'your' and 'you're'.
'Your' = belonging to you (your bag); 'you're' = contraction of 'you are' (you're late).
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).
Distinguish 'principal' and 'principle'.
'Principal' = main/most important, or the head of a school; 'principle' = a fundamental rule or belief.
Distinguish 'stationary' and 'stationery'.
'Stationary' = not moving; 'stationery' = writing materials such as paper and pens (remember the 'e' for envelope).
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).
Continue the letter sequence: A, C, E, G, ?
I. Each letter advances by 2 (skip one letter each step).
Continue the letter sequence: B, D, G, K, ?
P. The gaps increase: +2, +3, +4, then +5 from K gives P.
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).
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.
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.
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).
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.
Group these by rule: lion, eagle, shark, sparrow — into 'can fly' vs 'cannot fly'.
Can fly: eagle, sparrow. Cannot fly: lion, shark.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
What this deck covers
The Verbal Reasoning deck follows the RAF Airman/Airwoman Selection Test (AST) Verbal Reasoning syllabus — 4 chapters and 15 topics — so questions land on material that is genuinely examinable rather than trivia around it. That works out to roughly 12.5 cards per chapter.
Answers are written to be recallable, not just readable — averaging about 130 characters, which is long enough to carry the reasoning and short enough to say out loud.
A deck like this earns its keep on the second and third pass. Read the syllabus first so you know the shape of the subject, then use the cards to find the specific facts that have not stuck.
Verbal Reasoning flashcards FAQ
How many Verbal Reasoning flashcards are in this RAF Airman/Airwoman Selection Test (AST) deck?
50 cards. This page previews 24 of them, sampled evenly across the deck so you can judge the difficulty before installing anything.
Are these RAF Airman/Airwoman Selection Test (AST) flashcards free?
Yes. The preview here is free to read with no signup, and the full 50-card deck is free inside the Examius app.
What do the Verbal Reasoning cards cover?
They follow the RAF Airman/Airwoman Selection Test (AST) Verbal Reasoning syllabus — 4 chapters and 15 topics — so the questions track what is actually examinable.
How should I use these flashcards?
Read the syllabus first so you know the shape of the subject, then drill the deck. Examius schedules each card with spaced repetition, so cards you keep missing come back sooner and ones you know drift further apart.