How to pass the Watson-Glaser test

Learn the exact rule for each of the five sections, then practise until you apply it without thinking: answer only from the passage, read "some" as "at least one", and never mark a cause from two figures moving together. At 45 seconds a question, method beats reading speed. A week of timed sets and careful review is enough for most people.

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Day 1: take a timed set

  • 20 questions
  • 15 minutes
  • Every answer explained

Free, 20 questions across all five sections, a bar for each one.

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By the LifeScore Editorial Team · Updated · How we check facts · How the questions are made

What is the method for each Watson-Glaser section?

One question to ask yourself per section. If you ask the right question, most items take seconds.

Our method, built from the rules each section states.

  1. Inference

    Ask yourself: Does the passage state or force this, contradict it, or leave it open?

    Then: Stated or forced: True. Contradicted: False. Open: decide whether the facts make it likely (Probably true or false) or say nothing either way (Insufficient data).

  2. Recognition of assumptions

    Ask yourself: Would the statement still make sense if this were false?

    Then: If the statement falls apart, the assumption is made. If it survives, it is not.

  3. Deduction

    Ask yourself: Is there any way the premises are all true and the conclusion false?

    Then: If you can build one, the conclusion does not follow. Sketch the sets if "all" and "some" are mixed.

  4. Interpretation

    Ask yourself: Does the evidence put this beyond reasonable doubt?

    Then: Arithmetic on the figures given usually does. Causes, predictions and generalisations beyond the data usually do not.

  5. Evaluation of arguments

    Ask yourself: Taking it as true, is it important and directly about this question?

    Then: Strong if yes, whether or not you agree. Weak if it is trivial, too general, or about something else.

Which mistakes cost the most marks?

Five habits account for most lost marks, and each one is a reasonable habit in everyday life. That is why they need practice to unlearn.

  • Using what you know. Outside the inference section, real-world knowledge is noise; inside it, it only tells you how likely something is.
  • Upgrading "some" to "most" or "only some". In deduction, "some" means at least one and may mean all.
  • Reversing a rule. "Every overspend is reported" does not mean "every report is an overspend".
  • Reading cause into correlation. Two figures rising together is never, on its own, a reason to say one caused the other.
  • Marking arguments by agreement. A strong argument you disagree with is still strong.

How should I pace 40 questions with a 30-minute limit?

Plan on 45 seconds a question, and use the two-answer sections to bank time for inference. At 15 minutes you want to be about halfway; if you are behind, make your best call on the next long passage and keep moving.

If your firm runs it untimed, as DLA Piper says it does, flip the plan: no clock, so check every answer against the section rule before you move on, and do it in one sitting.

What is a good seven-day Watson-Glaser plan?

Thirty to forty-five minutes a day. Days 1 and 6 are timed sets; the days between fix the sections they show are weak.

Our suggested plan. Firms such as Clifford Chance say their practice attempts are unlimited and not seen by the firm, so use them.

  1. Day 1

    Take the free practice test cold, on the clock. Note your lowest section bar.

    Why: You need to know where the marks are going before you study.

  2. Day 2

    Read the method for your lowest section above, then work its example questions untimed.

    Why: Untimed first, so the rule sticks before speed is added.

  3. Day 3

    Deduction and interpretation: for every miss, write the counter-example or the step the evidence does not support.

    Why: These two reward a fixed procedure more than any other.

  4. Day 4

    Inference: sort ten statements into the five answers and say why each is not the answer next to it.

    Why: The True versus Probably true line is where inference marks go.

  5. Day 5

    Assumptions and arguments: for each statement, say what would happen if the assumption were false, and why each argument is or is not important.

    Why: Both sections punish everyday reasoning.

  6. Day 6

    Take a second timed set and your firm's own practice test if it offers one.

    Why: A fresh set shows whether the method holds under time.

  7. Day 7

    Rest. Re-read the five questions in the method list only.

    Why: A tired reader makes exactly the slips this test looks for.

Numerical or verbal test in the same application?

Some graduate and law applications add SHL-style reasoning tests to the Watson-Glaser. The Reasoning Pass Pack trains those.

The Reasoning Pass Pack gives you 6 full mocks on the real clock, 8 drills of 12 questions for the sections that cost you points, and a predictor that turns your mocks into the odds of reaching your target. One payment, no subscription, and your free score stays free.

6 timed mocks of 25 numerical and 25 verbal questions and 8 topic drills. No Watson-Glaser-style items; the free practice test covers those.

See the Reasoning Pass Pack How our questions are built and checked
6
timed mocks
8
topic drills
1
score predictor

What should I do on the day of the test?

  • Read the instructions for each section on the screen; do not skip them because you have practised.
  • Sit somewhere quiet with a stable connection, and do it in one go.
  • Keep a pen and paper for deduction diagrams if the test allows them.
  • On a timed test, never leave a question blank. On an untimed one, check each answer against the rule before submitting.

Frequently asked questions

How do I pass the Watson-Glaser test?

Learn the rule for each of the five sections, practise on the clock at about 45 seconds a question, and review every miss against the rule it broke. Most marks are lost to a few habits, such as using outside knowledge and reversing "all" statements.

How long should I prepare for the Watson-Glaser?

A week of 30 to 45 minutes a day is enough for most people to learn the rules and practise them under time. Start with a timed practice set so you know which section to work on first.

Is the Watson-Glaser hard?

It is unfamiliar more than hard. The rules are narrow and differ from everyday reasoning, and that is exactly what practice addresses: once each section's rule is automatic, the questions get much quicker.

Can I guess on the Watson-Glaser?

On a timed test, a blank cannot score, so make your best call and move on. Two-answer sections give you a fair chance even when you guess.

Does practising actually help?

Yes, mainly by making the section rules automatic and removing the surprise of the format. That is why firms such as Clifford Chance and Hogan Lovells offer practice versions.

LifeScore is not affiliated with Pearson or TalentLens. Watson-Glaser is a trademark of Pearson. These are original practice questions in the five Watson-Glaser question types, not real Watson-Glaser questions, and our score is not a Watson-Glaser percentile. Reviewed 12 November 2026 by the LifeScore Editorial Team.