Free Watson-Glaser practice test

The real Watson-Glaser III is 40 questions with a 30-minute limit across five sections. This free practice test is 20 original questions in 15 minutes, the same 45 seconds each, with four from every section in the real order, a score for each section and the reason behind every answer.

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

What is on this Watson-Glaser practice test?

Twenty questions in fifteen minutes: four inference, four recognition of assumptions, four deduction, four interpretation and four evaluation of arguments, each with the answer layout the real test uses.

This table describes our free practice test, not Pearson's.
Questions20: four from each of the five sections, in the order the real test runs them
Time15 minutes, the same 45 seconds a question as 40 in 30 minutes
Answer layoutThe five-point inference scale and the two-way choice in the other four sections
Questions you getTwo scenarios a section from a bank of 60 original statements, so a second set is mostly new
ResultScore, a bar for each section, and the reason behind every answer
NotA Watson-Glaser percentile. We have no norm group, so we do not convert your score
PriceFree, no sign-up

How does it compare with the real Watson-Glaser III?

The real test is twice as long and is scored against a norm group, so your result there is a percentile, not a share right. The five sections and the pace are the same here; the questions and the scoring are not.

The real Watson-Glaser, with where each fact comes from
PublisherPearson, through its TalentLens assessment business. The current version is Watson-Glaser IIIPublished by the ownerPearson TalentLens, "Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal" (product page)
Questions40Published by the ownerPearson TalentLens, "Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal" (product page)
TimeAt most 30 minutes on the timed test; with instructions and untimed practice questions the session can run to about 40 minutesPublished by the ownerPearson TalentLens, "Watson-Glaser III FAQs" (PDF)
SectionsFive: inference, recognition of assumptions, deduction, interpretation and evaluation of argumentsPublished by the ownerPearson TalentLens, "Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal" (product page)
Sub-scoresThree, often called the RED model: Recognise assumptions, Evaluate arguments, Draw conclusions (inference, deduction and interpretation together)ReportedWikiJob, "Watson Glaser test"
Questions you getDrawn from an item bank, so two candidates usually see different but equivalent papersReportedPractice Aptitude Tests, "Watson Glaser test"
ScoreA percentile against a norm group the employer chooses, such as UK graduates or legal professionalsReportedIntervyo, "What is a good Watson Glaser score?"
Pass markNone from Pearson. Each employer sets its own and law firms do not publish theirsReportedIntervyo, "What is a good Watson Glaser score?"
Timing at some firmsNot always timed: DLA Piper says its version is untimed but due within five working daysPublished by the ownerDLA Piper Early Careers, Summer internship (UK)

What do the five sections ask?

Each section has its own instructions and answer layout, and the traps differ. Read the rule at the top of each question in the practice test: that is where most marks are lost on the real one.

Answer layouts as prep publishers report them; the traps are our guidance.

  1. Inference

    A passage of facts, then possible inferences drawn from it. Answers: True, Probably true, Insufficient data, Probably false, False.

    The trap: Treating "probably" as "definitely", or using outside knowledge to fill a gap.

  2. Recognition of assumptions

    A statement, then things the speaker might be taking for granted. Answers: Assumption made, Assumption not made.

    The trap: Marking things that are merely true or sensible as assumptions.

  3. Deduction

    Two or more premises, then conclusions. Answers: Conclusion follows, Conclusion does not follow.

    The trap: Reversing an "all" statement, or reading "some" as "only some".

  4. Interpretation

    A short passage with evidence, then conclusions. Answers: Conclusion follows, Conclusion does not follow.

    The trap: Accepting a conclusion that goes further than the evidence, such as a cause from a correlation.

  5. Evaluation of arguments

    A question, then arguments for or against. Answers: Strong argument, Weak argument.

    The trap: Judging whether you agree, not whether the argument is important and directly relevant.

What do Watson-Glaser-style questions look like?

Five examples, one from each section, with the answer and the reasoning. The set you take is drawn from the same bank, so expect these scenarios to come up.

Example 1 · Inference

Harwick Council runs three public swimming pools. Last year it raised the adult entry price at all three from £4.50 to £5.50. Over the next twelve months, adult visits fell by 6% at the two town-centre pools and by 22% at the pool on the edge of town, the only one with no bus stop nearby. Children's prices did not change, and children's visits stayed about the same at all three pools. How to answer: Take the passage as true. Decide whether the proposed inference is true, probably true, false or probably false, or whether there is not enough information. Use common knowledge only to judge how likely something is.

Proposed inference: "The price rise was the only reason adult visits fell at the edge-of-town pool."

  • A. True
  • B. Probably true
  • C. Insufficient data
  • D. Probably false
  • E. False
Answer D. The same rise went with a 6% fall elsewhere but a 22% fall there, which points to another factor too, such as the missing bus stop. The passage does not prove another cause, so the answer is Probably false rather than False.

Example 2 · Recognising assumptions

Statement: "We should move the weekly team meeting from Monday to Wednesday, so that the people who work from home on Mondays can attend in person." How to answer: An assumption is something taken for granted. Decide whether the person making the statement is taking the proposed assumption for granted.

Proposed assumption: "The people who work from home on Mondays are usually in the office on Wednesdays."

  • A. Assumption made
  • B. Assumption not made
Answer A. Moving the meeting only helps them attend in person if they are in the office on Wednesdays. The speaker takes that for granted.

Example 3 · Deduction

No contract can be signed until the legal team has reviewed it. The legal team does not review contracts on public holidays. The supplier contract was signed on Tuesday. How to answer: Take the statements as true, even if they clash with what you know. A conclusion follows only if it must be true whenever the statements are.

Proposed conclusion: "Tuesday was not a public holiday."

  • A. Conclusion follows
  • B. Conclusion does not follow
Answer B. The rule is about reviewing on holidays, not signing. The contract could have been reviewed earlier and signed on a holiday Tuesday.

Example 4 · Interpretation

A company's annual staff survey had a response rate of 72%. Of the staff who responded, 80% said they would recommend the company as a place to work. How to answer: Take the passage as true. A conclusion follows only if it follows beyond reasonable doubt from the information given.

Proposed conclusion: "More than half of all the company's staff said they would recommend it as a place to work."

  • A. Conclusion follows
  • B. Conclusion does not follow
Answer A. 80% of the 72% who responded is 57.6% of all staff, which is more than half.

Example 5 · Evaluating arguments

Question: Should the city ban cars from its central shopping street? How to answer: Treat each argument as true. A strong argument is important and bears directly on the question; a weak one is trivial or not directly related.

Argument: "No: some people like driving."

  • A. Strong argument
  • B. Weak argument
Answer B. A preference for driving in general is trivial next to the effects of closing one street, and does not address the question directly.

Does your application have a numerical or verbal test too?

Some graduate and law applications set SHL-style numerical or verbal reasoning as well as a critical thinking test. Those are what the Reasoning Pass Pack trains.

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.

The Reasoning Pass Pack is 396 SHL-style questions: 6 timed mocks of 25 numerical and 25 verbal, plus 8 topic drills. It has no Watson-Glaser-style items; buy it only if your application also sets a numerical or verbal reasoning test.

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

How fast should I go on the Watson-Glaser?

About 45 seconds a question: 40 questions with a 30-minute limit works out to exactly that, and so does this practice test. Inference passages take longest to read, so bank time on the two-answer sections.

Not every firm times it. DLA Piper says its version is untimed but due within five working days, so there the only thing that counts is accuracy. Read your invitation before you start.

  • Read the section instructions once, properly. The definitions of "assumption" and "follows" are narrower than everyday use.
  • Answer from the passage. Common knowledge only helps you judge how likely an inference is, and nowhere else.
  • Halfway through the clock, you should be about halfway through the questions. If you are behind, guess on the next long passage and move on.

What should I do after the practice test?

Look at your weakest section bar and read its method in how to pass the Watson-Glaser. Then work through the example questions, which explain the trap in each section, and take a second set a day or two later.

If you are applying to law firms, see which ones say they use it, and what they say about pass marks, in Watson-Glaser scores and pass marks.

Frequently asked questions

Is this the real Watson-Glaser test?

No. Every question is original, written by LifeScore in the five Watson-Glaser question types. The real test is owned by Pearson and delivered by employers through TalentLens.

How many questions are on the Watson-Glaser?

TalentLens lists 40 questions, with a timed limit of 30 minutes. Some employers run an untimed version.

How is this practice test scored?

You get the number right out of 20 and a bar for each section. We do not convert it into a percentile, because the real percentile depends on a norm group the employer chooses and we do not have those norms.

Can I take it again?

Yes. Each set draws two scenarios a section from a bank of 60 statements, so a second set is mostly new questions. The free test stays free.

Which section is the hardest?

For most people, inference: it is the only one with five answers, and the line between True and Probably true is fine. The two-answer sections are quicker but full of traps, especially recognising assumptions.

Do I need to know the law?

No. Watson-Glaser questions are about everyday scenarios, and outside knowledge usually hurts: the answer has to come from the passage.

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.