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Practice Materials

11+ & SATs Resources

Preparation materials for the 11+ (CEM and GL Assessment formats) and Year 6 SATs. Written with the aim of building genuine skills, not just paper familiarity.

“The 11+ is not just a test of knowledge — it is a test of speed, accuracy, and composure under pressure. The best preparation builds all three. Rushing through papers without fixing underlying weaknesses is one of the most common and costly mistakes.”

— Dr Krishan P. Chauhan

Verbal Reasoning

CEM & GL Assessment · Key question types explained

VR Strategy: Verbal reasoning tests vocabulary, logic, and language patterns. The best preparation is wide reading combined with targeted vocabulary building. Aim for 7–9 minutes on each section in timed practice.

Word Analogies

Question type
Complete the analogy: APPLE is to FRUIT as LION is to ________. (MAMMAL / ANIMAL / WILD / PREDATOR)

Solution / Guidance

1The relationship: APPLE is a type of FRUIT (specific to general)
2LION is a type of MAMMAL (specific to general)
3Answer: MAMMAL
4ANIMAL would also seem correct, but MAMMAL is the more precise equivalent of FRUIT (a category within animals)
Tip: Always identify the exact relationship before looking at the options. Then test each option against that same relationship.
Question type
Find the word that completes both pairs: FIRE _____ / _____ WORK

Solution / Guidance

1The word must follow FIRE and precede WORK
2FIRE + WORK = FIREWORK ✓
3WORK + ____? No... try different approach
4Try: FIRE + PLACE + WORK? No
5Try FIRE + SIDE = FIRESIDE? SIDEWORK? No
6Try FIRE + MAN = FIREMAN, MANWORK? No
7Answer: WORK → FIREWORK / WORKOUT
8Wait — reconsider: FIRE + SIDE and SIDEBOARD? The answer depends on the specific options given.
Tip: Compound word questions require you to think of all compound words containing each component. Work methodically through common prefixes and suffixes.

Code Questions

Question type
If CAT = 312, what is the code for BAT? (Using the same code)

Solution / Guidance

1Work out the code: C=3, A=1, T=2
2B is not in CAT, but we can work out the pattern: C=3 means the 3rd letter of the alphabet
3A=1 means the 1st letter; T=2 means the 2nd letter
4So the code = position of the letter in the word (not alphabet)
5BAT: B is 1st letter of BAT, A is 2nd, T is 3rd
6Wait — reconsider: CAT=312 means C is coded 3, A is coded 1, T is coded 2
7For BAT: B corresponds to C’s position code, A stays 1, T stays 2
8If only using the given letters: BAT = 412 (B=4 by analogy, since B comes before C)
9Check: this type requires the examiner to provide A–Z codes or specify the rule more precisely
Tip: Code questions always give you enough information to decode the rule. Write out what each letter equals before attempting the answer.

Non-Verbal Reasoning

CEM & GL Assessment · Spatial and pattern reasoning

NVR Strategy: Non-verbal reasoning tests spatial thinking and pattern recognition. Unlike verbal reasoning, content knowledge is irrelevant — it is entirely about how quickly and accurately your brain processes visual information. Improve through volume of practice combined with deliberate reflection on errors.

Key Question Types

Similarities

Identify which shape from a set shares a property (size, shading, number of sides, rotation) with a given shape. Approach: list the properties of the given shape systematically before looking at the options.

Series

Identify the pattern of change from one shape to the next. Look for: rotation (how many degrees?), addition or removal of elements, shading changes, and size changes.

Matrices

A 2×2 or 3×3 grid of shapes with one missing. Look for the rule across rows, then check it works down columns. The correct answer satisfies both directions.

Odd One Out

Four shapes share a property; one does not. Systematically compare each shape on: number of sides, shading, symmetry, size, and orientation. The odd one out breaks one rule.

Most common NVR error: Students rush through NVR and make careless mistakes on straightforward questions. Slow down on the first 10 questions to build accuracy. Speed naturally follows accuracy — not the other way around.

11+ Mathematics

CEM & GL Assessment · Up to KS2 / early KS3 level

11+ level
A shopkeeper buys 60 apples for £12. He sells them at 30p each. How much profit does he make?

Solution / Guidance

1Total cost: £12.00
2Total revenue: 60 × 30p = 60 × £0.30 = £18.00
3Profit = £18.00 − £12.00 = £6.00
Tip: Work in consistent units. Convert pence to pounds (or vice versa) before calculating.
11+ level
What is 35% of 240?

Solution / Guidance

1Method 1: 10% of 240 = 24; 30% = 72; 5% = 12; 35% = 72 + 12 = 84
2Method 2: 240 × 0.35 = 84
Tip: Being able to find 10%, 5%, and 1% quickly and add them is often faster than the decimal method under exam pressure.
11+ level
A rectangle has perimeter 36 cm. Its length is twice its width. Find the area.

Solution / Guidance

1Let width = w, length = 2w
2Perimeter = 2(length + width) = 2(2w + w) = 6w = 36
3w = 6 cm; length = 12 cm
4Area = 12 × 6 = 72 cm²
Tip: Set up an equation with one unknown. This is fundamental algebra that appears in many 11+ maths questions.
11+ level
In a class of 30 students, 40% are boys. How many girls are there?

Solution / Guidance

1Boys: 40% of 30 = 0.4 × 30 = 12
2Girls: 30 − 12 = 18
Tip: Always check: boys + girls = total. If they do not add up, you have made an error.

11+ English Comprehension

CEM & GL Assessment · Reading for inference and vocabulary

Comprehension strategy: Always read the passage twice before answering: once for overall understanding, once more carefully. The answers are always in the text — you are being tested on your ability to find and interpret them, not on general knowledge.

Vocabulary in Context

Question type
The word ‘melancholy’ in paragraph 2 most closely means: (A) angry (B) deeply sad (C) confused (D) frightened

Solution / Guidance

1Strategy: Do not rely on prior knowledge of the word alone. Read it in context.
2Look at surrounding words: what is the character experiencing? What happened just before?
3‘Melancholy’ means a deep, settled sadness
4Answer: (B) deeply sad
Tip: Context clues are your best tool for vocabulary questions. The surrounding sentences often tell you the emotion or situation even if you do not know the word.

Inference Questions

Extended response
‘How can you tell that the character was nervous?’ — How to approach this type of question.

Solution / Guidance

1Find the evidence in the text: look for physical descriptions (trembling hands, dry mouth), behaviour (pacing, checking the clock), and word choices by the narrator
2Quote directly: ‘We can tell the character was nervous because...’ + evidence from the text
3Explain what the evidence shows: ‘...which suggests that...’
4Do not just state your opinion — evidence + explanation is the formula
Tip: The P.E.E. structure: Point, Evidence, Explanation. Every answer should follow this format.

KS2 SATs Preparation

Year 6 · Mathematics, Reading & GPS · National Curriculum Assessments

Paper 1: Arithmetic

30 minutes. Four operations with whole numbers, fractions, decimals, and percentages. Speed and accuracy are critical. Practice mental arithmetic and written column methods daily.

Papers 2 & 3: Reasoning

40 minutes each. Problem-solving, geometry, statistics, and algebra. Show all working — method marks are available even if the final answer is wrong.

Reading & GPS

Reading: inference and retrieval from unseen texts. GPS: grammar terminology, punctuation rules, and vocabulary. Learn the required grammar terminology precisely.

SATs Maths (Reasoning)
A school has 360 pupils. 45% of them walk to school. How many pupils do NOT walk to school?

Solution / Guidance

145% walk, so 100% − 45% = 55% do not walk
255% of 360: find 10% first: 360 ÷ 10 = 36
350% = 180; 5% = 18; 55% = 180 + 18 = 198 pupils
Tip: Always re-read the question. It asks for those who do NOT walk — a common trap. Underline key words.
SATs Grammar
Tick the sentence that uses a comma correctly: (A) The dog, ran across the field. (B) After the rain, the garden looked beautiful. (C) She ate, the cake quickly. (D) He was, very tired.

Solution / Guidance

1Option (A): the comma separates the subject (dog) from the verb (ran) — incorrect
2Option (B): the comma follows the subordinate clause ‘After the rain’ — correct
3Option (C): the comma separates the verb from its object — incorrect
4Option (D): the comma interrupts the predicate without reason — incorrect
5Answer: (B)
Tip: A comma after a fronted adverbial is a specific KS2 grammar requirement. Learn this rule.

Timing & Exam Strategy

For both 11+ and SATs

1

Know Your Time Per Question

In the 11+, you typically have 50–60 seconds per question. Calculate this before the exam. If a question is taking more than 90 seconds, mark it and move on. Return at the end.

2

Never Leave a Question Blank

There is no negative marking in the 11+ or SATs. An educated guess is always better than no answer. Eliminate the obviously wrong options first, then choose from what remains.

3

Check Your Work Strategically

Do not check every answer — you will not have time. Identify the questions you were uncertain about and check those first. Then use any remaining time on the others.

4

Manage Exam Anxiety

A slow, deep breath (4 seconds in, 4 seconds hold, 4 seconds out) activates the parasympathetic nervous system and reduces the cortisol response. This is not a cliché — it is physiology. Practise it before the exam.

5

The Power of Timed Practice

Untimed practice builds knowledge. Timed practice builds performance. You need both. Only begin timed practice when you can consistently answer the questions correctly without the clock — otherwise you are just practising getting things wrong quickly.

Starting early makes all the difference.

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