UCAT Verbal Reasoning Practice — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Passage: 'Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) affect roughly 1 in 20 inpatients across NHS trusts. Hand hygiene compliance among clinical staff varies between 40% and 80% depending on the ward, and studies show that a 20 percentage-point rise in compliance can reduce HAI rates by nearly a third.' Statement: 'Improving hand hygiene compliance is the only way to reduce hospital-acquired infections.' True, False, or Can't Tell?
- True
- False
- Can't Tell (Correct answer)
- Not enough numerical data
Correct answer: Can't Tell
The passage shows hand hygiene reduces HAIs but never states it is the ONLY method, so we cannot tell from the text alone.
UCAT Verbal Reasoning true/false/can't tell items hinge on exact textual support. The passage establishes a correlation between hand hygiene and infection reduction but says nothing about other interventions (e.g. sterilisation, isolation protocols) being absent or ineffective. Because the statement introduces an exclusivity claim ('the only way') that is not addressed anywhere in the passage, the correct response is Can't Tell rather than False, since we have no evidence contradicting it either.
Question 2: Passage: 'A 2024 survey of 3,000 UK sixth-form students found that 62% intended to apply to university, down from 71% in 2019. Of those not applying, half cited tuition costs and half cited a preference for apprenticeships.' Statement: 'More than half of the surveyed students who are not applying to university cited tuition costs as a reason.' True, False, or Can't Tell?
- True
- False (Correct answer)
- Can't Tell
- The passage does not mention tuition costs
Correct answer: False
The passage says the non-applying group split evenly (half and half) between cost and apprenticeship preference, so exactly half, not more than half, cited cost. The statement is False.
This tests precise numerical comparison. 'Half cited tuition costs' means exactly 50%, so 'more than half' overstates the figure and is contradicted by the passage, making the statement False rather than Can't Tell.
Question 3: Passage: 'Remote work adoption rose sharply during 2020-2022, but by 2025 many large employers had introduced hybrid mandates requiring at least three office days per week. Productivity metrics under hybrid arrangements have been mixed, with some sectors reporting gains and others reporting no measurable change.' Statement: 'No sector has reported a productivity loss under hybrid working.' True, False, or Can't Tell?
- True
- False
- Can't Tell (Correct answer)
- All sectors reported losses
Correct answer: Can't Tell
The passage only mentions gains or no change; it does not rule out losses in sectors not surveyed, so we cannot tell.
The passage describes 'mixed' results limited to two categories mentioned (gains, no change) among 'some' sectors, implying an incomplete survey. Since it never states that all sectors were assessed or that losses were absent everywhere, the claim of zero losses cannot be confirmed or denied from the text.
Question 4: Passage: 'The UCAT exam consists of five sections in its historical form, though Abstract Reasoning was removed as a scored component starting with the 2025 admissions cycle, leaving four scored subtests: Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making, Quantitative Reasoning, and Situational Judgement.' Statement: 'Before 2025, UCAT candidates sat an Abstract Reasoning section.' True, False, or Can't Tell?
- True (Correct answer)
- False
- Can't Tell
- Abstract Reasoning was never part of UCAT
Correct answer: True
The passage explicitly says Abstract Reasoning was removed starting the 2025 cycle, implying it was present before then. True.
The word 'removed... starting with the 2025 admissions cycle' logically entails that the section existed in cycles before 2025. This is a directly supported inference, not an assumption beyond the text, so it counts as True.
Question 5: Passage: 'Applicants to UK medical schools typically need a strong UCAT score alongside GCSE and A-level predicted grades. Admissions tutors at most institutions weight the Situational Judgement band separately from the cognitive subtests, and a Band 4 SJT result can disqualify an otherwise strong application at some universities.' Statement: 'All UK medical schools automatically reject applicants with a Band 4 Situational Judgement score.' True, False, or Can't Tell?
- True
- False (Correct answer)
- Can't Tell
- Band 4 guarantees an offer
Correct answer: False
The passage says 'at some universities' a Band 4 can disqualify an application, not all universities, and 'can' is not the same as 'automatically does'. So the absolute claim is False.
Two qualifiers weaken the statement: the passage restricts the disqualifying effect to 'some universities' (not all), and uses 'can disqualify' (possibility) rather than a guaranteed automatic rejection. The statement over-generalises on both counts, making it False.
Question 6: Passage: 'Reading speed under UCAT Verbal Reasoning time pressure (roughly 30 seconds per question) is a key limiting factor for many candidates, more so than vocabulary knowledge, according to test-prep tutors who have reviewed thousands of practice attempts.' Statement: 'Vocabulary knowledge has no effect on UCAT Verbal Reasoning performance.' True, False, or Can't Tell?
- True
- False (Correct answer)
- Can't Tell
- Vocabulary is irrelevant to the test
Correct answer: False
The passage says reading speed matters 'more so than' vocabulary, which implies vocabulary still has some effect, just a smaller one. Claiming 'no effect' is False.
Comparative language ('more so than vocabulary knowledge') acknowledges that vocabulary contributes to performance, just to a lesser degree than reading speed. The statement's absolute claim of zero effect contradicts this comparative structure, making it False.
UCAT Verbal Reasoning Practice
Passage: 'Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) affect roughly 1 in 20 inpatients across NHS trusts.
Hand hygiene compliance among clinical staff varies between 40% and 80% depending on the ward, and studies show that a 20 percentage-point rise in compliance can reduce HAI rates by nearly a third.' Statement: 'Improving hand hygiene compliance is the only way to reduce hospital-acquired infections.' True, False, or Can't Tell?