What are Shifts in Verbal Reasoning Tests

Shifts in verbal reasoning tests are small sometimes subtle changes to information that transform the meaning of the arguments. They are often incorporated into the text passages or statements to test attention to detail, critical thinking or information processing skills. Shifts are main building blocks of verbal reasoning and are often incorporated into aptitude tests administered by major graduate employers. This chapter will examine how to answer verbal reasoning test questions that involve shifts. It will give you valuable advice on how to improve your test taking tactics and strategies.

How meaning of the argument is transformed

Often psychometric test publishers incorporate shifts into number of questions throughout the verbal aptitude test. A good example to demonstrate shifts is in the below example. Read the sentence and take no more than 30 seconds to evaluate the question as true, false or cannot tell.

Text: In the last 10,000 years, humans spread across the planet and changed the face of Earth with cities and farms, destroying some plants and animals and domesticating others.
Statement: Humans first appeared on the planet during the last 10,000 years.

Have you concluded that the extract provides enough information to mark the question as true? Note that the text states that humans spread across the planet over the past 10,000 years however it does not put forward the date as when humans first appeared on the planet. Possibly, there could be humans as far back as 2 million years ago but passage does not provide any firm date. Hence, the text does not support the information provided in the statement neither the argument contradicts the information in the text and as such the correct answer is therefore can’t tell. Remember, in your verbal reasoning tests when you come across statements that are similar to passage but few of the words have changed it may be shift and hence pay attention and evaluate statement carefully.

Further tips for verbal tests

To further demonstrate shifts in the context of verbal reasoning tests read the following extract and take no more than 30 seconds to mark your answer.

Text: During the Mesozoic Era life was diversifying rapidly where the dominant animals on both land and sea were reptiles, the most famous of which are the dinosaurs.
Statement: In Mesozoic Era the dinosaurs accounted for most reptiles.

How did you mark the statement, did you mark it as can’t tell, if yes then well done your answer was correct, if not don’t panic and note the following. The text states that dinosaurs are most famous reptiles from Mesozoic Era. Some test takers may be tricked and mark the statement as true under the time pressure of verbal ability tests however notice that extract does not provide enough information to conclude that dinosaurs account for most reptiles. Perhaps there were other species of reptiles that outnumbered dinosaurs but might not be as famous. Remember, to answer the question correctly you cannot bring your own understanding into the text. The only information you have to work with to base your conclusion is the information provided within the passage.

Remember, shifts in verbal reasoning tests can be difficult to spot especially if you do not pay enough attention to what you read, which for some test takers can be difficult under time constraints as they tend to panic and thus lose the track of what they read about.