Case studies and written tasks: what you are asked to produce, and how long you get
Written tasks are where many strong applicants stumble, because they are rarely practised. Employers describe mini reports, case studies, urgent written briefings and task-based assessments. This page collects what each says, with the times they state.
Free Reasoning practice test
- 50 questions
- 45 minutes
- Instant score
By the LifeScore Editorial Team · Updated · How we check facts
Who says what, side by side
Each row comes from that employer's own page on this site. 10 employers, checked October 2026. Stated means the employer says it. Candidates report means we found it only in candidate accounts.
| Employer | The stage, in its words | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Revature | Programming, SQL and writingBasic programming, one or two coding questions, an SQL question and an email-writing section | Candidates report |
| Grant Thornton UK | Written case study (Around twenty minutes)You review data and write a mini report, on a computer or laptop | Stated by Grant Thornton UK |
| BT Group | Online assessment (Untimed, with one week to complete. Estimates of the time needed range from about 35 to 50 minutes)Five written questions scored with AI support and one recorded video question reviewed by a recruiter | Stated by BT Group |
| Linklaters | Assessment centreThe day begins with a written case study, followed by a competency-based interview and a commercial interview | Stated by Linklaters |
| Clifford Chance | Assessment dayA case study with a written exercise, a combined case study and competency interview with a Partner and a Senior Associate, and a group exercise | Stated by Clifford Chance |
| Pinsent Masons | Assessment centreThree exercises over one day, in person: a one-to-one interview, a business simulation exercise and a case study | Stated by Pinsent Masons |
| Arup | Online assessment centre (UK and Ireland) (Outcome in about two weeks)An interview, a technical exercise and a case study exercise | Stated by Arup |
| Metropolitan Police | Online assessment (One minute to prepare and five to record each interview answer. Results usually within three weeks)Three timed exercises: a competency-based interview, a written task and a briefing exercise | Stated by Metropolitan Police |
| Teach First | Task-based assessment (To be completed within five days)A task that arrives by email the next working day after you submit the form | Stated by Teach First |
| Zurich UK | Digital job simulationA simulated piece of work for shortlisted candidates, with video and written responses | Stated by Zurich UK |
What the written tasks ask you to produce
Grant Thornton says its second stage lasts around twenty minutes and has you review data and write a mini report. Clifford Chance says its assessment day includes a case study with a written exercise, and Linklaters says its day begins with a written case study. The Metropolitan Police has you act as a constable and complete an urgent written task for a line manager. Teach First sends a task-based assessment the working day after you apply, to be completed within five days.
The tasks differ in length and purpose, but they share a shape: read material, decide what matters, and write something a busy reader can use.
Reading is half of it
A written task is won or lost on the reading. If you misread a table, or miss the one clause in the brief that changes the answer, good prose cannot save you. Spend the first third of your time reading and annotating.
The free reasoning test above is a quick check on this skill: 25 questions where you pull the right figure from a table, and 25 where you answer only from a passage.
A structure that works for any of them
Lead with the answer. Then give two or three supporting points, each with a number or a fact from the material. Then name one risk or limit. Then end with what you recommend or what happens next. That order suits a mini report, a case study memo and an urgent briefing alike.
Keep paragraphs short. A reader scanning for your conclusion should find it in the first two lines.
Budgeting the clock
For a twenty-minute task such as Grant Thornton's, a workable split is about a third to read and note, a third to draft and the last few minutes to check that every figure matches the source. For a five-day task such as Teach First's, keep it to a few focused sittings rather than one marathon.
Practise once on any public dataset or news story. Time yourself, write three short paragraphs, and look for the most common slip, which is quoting a number correctly but drawing a conclusion the data does not support.
AI rules and your own voice
Pinsent Masons says AI-generated scripts or responses cannot be used in its online blended assessment, including AI answers you have modified. Zurich UK says applications using AI-generated responses will not be considered. Written tasks are the place these rules bite hardest, because the writing is the evidence.
Use tools to practise, for example to critique a draft you wrote. Do the live task in your own words.
Practise with a free Reasoning test
50 original questions, 45 minutes, scored the moment you finish. Free, no sign-up. Our reasoning test trains the reading half of a case study: pulling the right numbers and claims from material, quickly.
Start the free Reasoning testFrequently asked questions
How long is the Grant Thornton case study?
What is in the Clifford Chance written exercise?
How long do I have for the Teach First task?
Can I use AI for written tasks?
How should I practise?
Is there a pass mark?
Employer pages in this guide
- Revature assessmentA proctored online technical assessment that needs no prior tech skills, plus advice to ask about terms.
- Grant Thornton UK assessmentA five-minute Neurosight test it says not to prepare for, then a 20-minute written data case study.
- BT Group assessmentUntimed written answers scored with AI support, plus one video question a recruiter reviews.
- Linklaters assessmentNo time limit, but the critical reasoning element is time-recorded and scored on speed and accuracy.
- Clifford Chance assessmentPassing Watson Glaser decides whether your form is reviewed. Practice attempts are unlimited and unseen.
- Pinsent Masons assessmentA blended judgement and video assessment, with a precise ban on AI-written answers.
- Arup assessmentThree short assessments on personality, numerical and logical reasoning, then an online centre.
- Metropolitan Police assessmentA national sift, then three timed exercises including a recorded interview and an urgent written task.
- Teach First assessmentA judgement test it says you cannot prepare for, then a five-day task and a Development Centre.
- Zurich UK assessmentNumerical questions inside fictitious work scenarios, a digital job simulation and a CV used only for eligibility.
More assessment guides
- Numerical reasoningNumerical Reasoning Tests at Graduate Employers, Compared
- Verbal and critical reasoningVerbal and Critical Reasoning at Employers: Stated Details
- Logical and inductive reasoningLogical and Inductive Reasoning Tests at Employers Compared
- Situational judgementSituational Judgement Tests at Employers: What Each Says
- Game-based assessmentsGame-Based Assessments at Employers: What Is Stated
- All assessment guidesBy test type, sector and topic
- All employer assessmentsEvery employer page, with what each says and what candidates report
LifeScore is not affiliated with any employer or test publisher named on this page. Names belong to their owners and appear only to describe published hiring processes. Pass marks and questions are not published by employers, and we do not claim to know them. Reviewed October 2026 by the LifeScore Editorial Team.