If you are a student or a graduate on the hunt for that dream career with some of the top employers in the UK, you might have heard of a wide range of Aptitude Tests, ranging from Situational Judgement Tests, Abstract Reasoning Tests to Basic Comprehension Tests. In an ocean of psychometric assessment methods, what does a Basic Comprehension Test involve, why is it so commonly used and how do you become a top performer and prove your suitability for a chosen entry-level role? Let’s take a closer look at these tests and some additional useful resources to make you an expert.
Defining Basic Comprehension Tests and how they work
Similar to Basic Numeracy Tests, these aim to to assess your skills at the most foundational level; but with regards to your verbal reasoning ability and also your fluency in the language of your chosen role, rather than your way with numbers and mathematical concepts. They measure how well you understand, comprehend and filter key information from an abundance of texts. When looking for talents in early career programmes, employers often require someone who excels, at the very least, in GCSE level language and embodies linguistic intelligence. Basic Comprehension Tests, those which are time limited, normally allow you between 45 seconds to 2 minutes to answer a question; whereas those which are only time recorded give candidates as long as they need to come up with an answer. However, the quicker and more accurate you are with the majority or all of your responses, the more likely you are to be selected for the next stage of the recruitment process, like interviews or assessment centres. These tests are often in multiple choice format, and always come with very detailed instructions, no matter the publisher. Language concepts like vocabulary, spelling, word association, idioms and metaphors are some of those which you will encounter frequently when doing Basic Comprehension Tests.
The first steps to become an expert
Practice makes perfect, and setting up a schedule to do this regularly can drastically improve your dexterity when it comes to pinpointing the necessary information from big paragraphs of text in the tests. With this type of test, it is often recommended to read the instructions carefully to avoid missing out on any button of the test window, to have a quick scan of all information presented and also to read the questions first before going through the paragraphs. This is an effective strategy to speed up the process of looking for words or phrases that contain the information you need for your answers and it also helps reduce distraction, especially after a long period of time focusing, to boost your general accuracy. As the tests also look to explore traits like detail-orientation and objectivity in a candidate, it is crucial not to rely upon outside knowledge and to take the verbal data given to you at face value and this will better your chances of acing Basic Comprehension Tests, or any Verbal Reasoning Tests for that matter.