The reasoning questions can be considered as an easy method to score marks if you have a very sharp brain. These are the questions that contain a lot of weightage in almost all the entrance exams across the country and even worldwide.

Reasoning questions are an integral part of every competitive exam. They contain various types of questions that are used to judge the analytical and logical reasoning skills of the candidate. These logical reasoning questions can be of two types – verbal as well as non-verbal.

In verbal logical reasoning questions, the candidates are required to read through certain texts or paragraphs and are required to choose the answer from the options provided to the questions asked. In non-verbal logical reasoning questions, candidates are provided with graphs and diagrams which the candidates are required to understand before choosing the answer to the questions from the given options.

There are two types of logical reasoning questions which can be categorized as

1. Verbal reasoning questions
2. Non-Verbal reasoning questions

In the verbal kind, the questions are expressed in the form of words, and the examinee is expected to understand the paragraph and then choose the correct answer from the given options.

Verbal reasoning in reasoning questions is there to check whether the candidate can understand and work through the concept or question expressed in the form of words.

The difficulty level of these questions depends upon the ability of the candidate to understand the logic behind the verbally expressed problem.

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Logical reasoning: Verbal reasoning

Logical reasoning questions test the candidate’s skill to work through concepts and problems expressed in textual format. Verbally expressed logic has to be understood in depth before solving the questions

It checks the ability to understand and grasp the issue at hand as well as solve the problems with the meaning, information, and implications from the bulk of the text. 

Verbal reasoning questions are usually asked in given ways: –

• Number Series
• Letter Series
• Analogies
• Cause & Effect
• Verbal Classification
• Blood Relations
• Logical Sequence of Words
• Direction Sense Test
• Logical Venn Diagram
• Verification of the Truth of the Statement
• Data Sufficiency
• Coding-Decoding
• Assertion and Reason
• Essential Part
• Analyzing Arguments
• Logical Problems
• Course of Action
• Matching Definition
• Syllogism
• Statement and Assumptions

Also Read: Problem Solving Skills

Logical reasoning: Non-verbal reasoning

Here the skill of the candidates in understanding and solving problems expressed in diagrams and charts is evaluated. It checks their ability in being able to understand and find a solution to the problems with the information, meaning, and implications from the given images or diagrams.

Non-verbal reasoning questions are usually asked in the following methods:

• Image Series
• Construction of Shapes
• Classification
• Picture Analogies
• Rule Detection

Some examples of reasoning questions asked in competitive exams are as follows: –

1. Which number should come next in the series, 48, 24, 12, ……?
   1. A.8   
   2. B. 6  
   3. C.4  
   4. D.2
2. RQP, ONM, _, IHG, FED, find the missing letters.
   1. CDE 
   2.  LKI  
   3. LKJ  
   4. BAC
3. PETAL: FLOWER
   1. Pen: Paper  
   2. Engine: Car 
   3. Cat: Dog
   4. Ball: Game
4. I. All the colleges in the city had to keep closed for three days a week.
5. II. Many students have left the local colleges.
   1. Statement II is the cause and statement I is its effect  
   2. Statement I is the cause and statement II is its effect  
   3. Both the statements are effects of independent causes  
   4. Both the statements are independent causes  
   5. Both the statements are effects of some common cause
6. Which word does not belong to others?
   1. Inch
   2. Kilogram
   3. Centimeter
   4. Yard
7. Pointing to a photograph, a man said, “I have no brother, and that man’s father is my father’s son.” Whose photograph was it?
   1. His son
   2. His own
   3. His father
   4. His nephew
8. Arrange the following words in a meaningful sequence.
   1. Infection
   2. Consultation
   3. Doctor
   4. Treatment
   5. Recovery
      1. 1, 3, 4, 5, 2
      2. 1, 3, 2, 4, 5
      3. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
      4. 2, 3, 5, 1, 4
9. Peter is in the East of Tom and Tom is in the North of John. Mike is in the South of John then in which direction of Peter is Mike?
   1. South-East
   2. South-West
   3. South
   4. North-East

Some type of contents which falls under this particular category of reasoning questions are:

1. Number series
2. Letter series
3. Data sufficiency
4. Blood relations
5. Logical Venn diagram
6. Assertion and reason etc.

The non-verbal type of reasoning questions is usually expressed in the form of images or diagrams. These type of questions certainly checks the ability of the examinee of understanding the concept and problems expressed non-verbally i.e., in the form of images, diagrams, etc.

Non-verbal reasoning questions are used extensively in selection as well as assessment processes. These types of questions can be said to be less biased since they do not have any form of text, so there is no concern regarding the linguistic or cultural difference.

Also Read: Quantitative Aptitude

The type of contents these reasoning questions include are

1. Mirror images
2. Series 
3. Figure matrix
4. Paper cutting
5. Grouping of images
6. Embedded images etc.

Logical reasoning tests are psychometric testing, which is widely used by corporate employers to evaluate candidates during their recruitment process.

Simply it can also be said that these tests are designed to check the non-verbal ability of the candidate. 

But these days, The questions are becoming tougher day by day, which also came out as a reason why many could not clear the sectional cut-offs.

Some numerous reasons because of which you might fail in solving these reasoning questions are

1. Many of these questions depend upon the tricks, so you might be using the wrong trick and hence are getting the incorrect answers.
2. Some questions take up more time than they are supposed to, which results in the messing up of the entire time table.
3. Confusion in final solutions.

The best way to tackle these questions is to practice more and more and more. You should try to solve at least 20 questions per day to be proficient in this tricky task.

There are a lot of questions, test series, and quizzes available online, which can be helpful for you in this cause, and you should try focusing on each sub-category of each type of question.

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