How to Pass the EPSO Verbal Reasoning Test (AD5 Guide)

The verbal reasoning test is one of five tests in the EPSO AD5 competition. It is the test where most candidates lose marks — not because the questions are conceptually difficult, but because of the strict rules on how to interpret the text.

The Format

• 20 questions in 35 minutes
• Taken in Language 1 (your main EU language — the one at C1 level)
• Each question presents a short reading passage followed by a statement
• You must decide: True, False, or Cannot Say
• Pass score: 10/20

The passage is typically 3–5 sentences long. The statement relates to information in the passage. Your task is to evaluate the statement based only on what the passage says — not on your general knowledge.

The Three Answer Options

Understanding the three options precisely is the most important skill in this test:

True — The statement follows logically from the passage. The passage explicitly supports it.

False — The passage explicitly contradicts the statement.

Cannot Say — There is not enough information in the passage to determine whether the statement is true or false. This includes cases where the statement could be true OR false — if you cannot confirm it with certainty from the passage, the answer is Cannot Say.

This last category is where most mistakes happen.

The Most Common Mistake

Candidates mark True when the correct answer is Cannot Say.

This happens when:

• The statement sounds reasonable or likely based on general knowledge
• The passage hints at something without fully confirming it
• The statement is a plausible inference but not a direct conclusion

Example:

Passage: "The European Commission presented its annual budget proposal in September." Statement: "The budget proposal was approved by the European Parliament."

Many candidates mark True because approval seems like the natural next step. The correct answer is Cannot Say — the passage says nothing about approval.

The rule: if you are adding any information from outside the passage, mark Cannot Say.

Time Management

35 minutes for 20 questions gives you 1 minute 45 seconds per question. This sounds comfortable, but reading each passage carefully and evaluating the statement precisely takes time.

Practical tips:

• Read the statement first, then read the passage. You know what to look for.
• Do not re-read the passage multiple times. Read once, carefully.
• Do not spend more than 2 minutes on any question. If you are unsure, mark Cannot Say and move on.

Useful TAO Tools

The EPSO TAO platform includes a text highlighter. Use it to mark the specific sentence in the passage that your answer is based on. If you cannot highlight any supporting text, the answer is almost certainly Cannot Say.

Common Traps Set by EPSO

Trap 1 — Near misses: The statement uses almost the same words as the passage but changes a key detail (a number, a date, a qualifier like "all" vs "some"). Read carefully for these small changes.

Trap 2 — Absolute language: Words like "always", "never", "all", "none" in the statement should raise a flag. If the passage uses "often" or "most", a statement using "always" is False.

Trap 3 — Cause and effect: The passage describes two events. The statement claims one caused the other. Unless the passage explicitly says so, the answer is Cannot Say.

Trap 4 — Negatives: Statements with double negatives or negations of negatives are hard to process quickly. Read them slowly.

Practice Strategy

1. Do not start by doing practice tests. Start by doing 5–10 questions and checking every single answer carefully — understanding why you got each one right or wrong.
2. Track your Cannot Say accuracy separately. Most people have very different accuracy on True/False vs Cannot Say. Know your weak point.
3. Practice under time pressure. Once you understand the mechanics, simulate the real 35-minute test to build speed.
4. Practice in your Language 1. The verbal reasoning test is taken in Language 1 — your strongest EU language at C1 level. This is an advantage compared to other tests taken in Language 2.

Language Choice

The verbal reasoning test is taken in Language 1 — the EU official language in which you have C1 (thorough) proficiency. You declare this language in your application form. Most candidates take this test in their native language or the language they are most comfortable with.

This is different from other tests in the competition (EU Knowledge, Digital Skills, EUFTE) which are taken in Language 2.

What Score Do You Need?

The pass threshold is 10 out of 20. However, since the final ranking is competitive (1,490 places for potentially tens of thousands of candidates), you need to score well above the pass mark to be ranked highly enough. The verbal reasoning test has a 35% weighting in the final combined score — the highest of all tests — so it is worth prioritising in your preparation.

Aim for at least 14–15 out of 20 in practice to give yourself a comfortable margin.

The verbal reasoning test rewards careful reading and strict logical thinking. The more you practice interpreting statements against passages without importing outside knowledge, the better you will perform.