Learn by Novus · Open practice pack v1

Attention and concentration: full practice bank: open practice pack

100 untimed questions across 10 authored sections.

This is untimed educational practice for one cognitive skill. It is not a clinical, diagnostic, employment, or professionally recognized assessment, and it does not produce an IQ score or credential.

Learner worksheet

One hundred untimed exercises in ten themed sections, from simple spot-the-difference checks to sustained multi-rule tracking. Everything you need is printed in each question. Work for accuracy first and let speed build on its own.

Choose one answer for each item. For a delayed-recall item, read its study text, cover it, and then answer without looking back.

Spotting the odd one out

Compare the entries character by character rather than trusting their overall shape. A single swapped character is easy to read straight past.

1. attention-concentration-q1

Which one of these codes is different from the other four?

  1. A) XJ48Q2
  2. B) XJ48Q2
  3. C) XJ48Q2
  4. D) XJ84Q2

Answer:

2. attention-concentration-s01-q02

Which of these codes is NOT an exact copy of the reference code TR5820?

  1. TR5820
  2. TR5820
  3. TR5280
  4. TR5820

Answer:

3. attention-concentration-s01-q03

Which of these surnames is spelled differently from the other three?

  1. Ashbourne
  2. Ashborne
  3. Ashborne
  4. Ashborne

Answer:

4. attention-concentration-s01-q04

A stock code was copied by hand. Reference: HGX-40719. Copy: HGX-40791. Where do the two first disagree?

  1. In the three letters at the start
  2. In the first digit after the hyphen
  3. In the final two digits
  4. They do not disagree anywhere

Answer:

5. attention-concentration-q3

Which of these four pairs is an exact match?

  1. A) 4471-XQ / 4471-XQ
  2. B) 8823-PL / 8832-PL
  3. C) J09-771 / J09-711
  4. D) QW-4456 / QW-4465

Answer:

6. attention-concentration-s01-q06

Three of these batch numbers are identical. Which one is the exception?

  1. PLQ-88213-A
  2. PLQ-88213-A
  3. PLQ-88213-A
  4. PLQ-88123-A

Answer:

7. attention-concentration-s01-q07

One of these entries is not identical to the others. Which one? Look closely at characters that resemble each other.

  1. IDO-105L
  2. ID0-105L
  3. IDO-105L
  4. IDO-105L

Answer:

8. attention-concentration-s01-q08

Which of these postcodes differs from the rest?

  1. DN14 6QP
  2. DN14 6QP
  3. DN14 6OP
  4. DN14 6QP

Answer:

9. attention-concentration-s01-q09

How many character positions differ between these two reference strings? Reference: 7F3K92QW. Copy: 7E3K92OW.

  1. One
  2. Two
  3. Three
  4. Four

Answer:

10. attention-concentration-s01-q10

Only one of these entries matches the reference exactly. Reference: 55/AJ-3021.

  1. 55/AJ-3021
  2. 55/AJ-3201
  3. 55/JA-3021
  4. 55/AJ-302l

Answer:

Counting targets in a row

Count each item once as you move steadily along the row, rather than trying to take the whole row in at a glance.

11. attention-concentration-s02-q01

How many squares (■) appear in this row? ▲ ■ ● ■ ▲ ■ ● ■ ■ ▲

  1. 3
  2. 4
  3. 5
  4. 6

Answer:

12. attention-concentration-q4

In this row of symbols, how many triangles (▲) appear? ● ▲ ■ ▲ ● ▲ ■ ● ▲

  1. 3
  2. 4
  3. 5
  4. 6

Answer:

13. attention-concentration-s02-q03

How many times does the letter T appear in this row? K T R M T P R K T P M R

  1. 3
  2. 4
  3. 5
  4. 6

Answer:

14. attention-concentration-s02-q04

How many circles (●) appear in this row? ● ● ▲ ■ ● ▲ ● ■ ▲ ● ● ■

  1. 5
  2. 6
  3. 7
  4. 8

Answer:

15. attention-concentration-s02-q05

How many symbols in this row are NOT stars? ★ ◆ ★ ★ ◆ ★ ◆ ★ ★ ◆

  1. 2
  2. 3
  3. 4
  4. 5

Answer:

16. attention-concentration-s02-q06

How many times does the digit 4 appear in this string? 3 4 7 4 1 4 9 2 4 6

  1. 4
  2. 5
  3. 6
  4. 7

Answer:

17. attention-concentration-s02-q07

How many capital letters appear in this row? b K m P q R s T u V

  1. 2
  2. 3
  3. 4
  4. 5

Answer:

18. attention-concentration-s02-q08

How many symbols in this row are either a triangle or a square? ● ▲ ● ■ ● ▲ ▲ ● ■ ●

  1. 4
  2. 5
  3. 6
  4. 7

Answer:

19. attention-concentration-s02-q09

How many times does the pair 3 7 appear side by side and in that order? 3 7 1 3 7 7 3 3 7 4 3 7

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4

Answer:

20. attention-concentration-s02-q10

How many symbols in this row sit immediately after a circle? ● ▲ ● ● ■ ● ▲ ■ ● ●

  1. 2
  2. 3
  3. 4
  4. 5

Answer:

Reading with care

Read each line word by word. Familiar phrasing is the easiest place to miss a doubled, missing or altered word.

21. attention-concentration-q6

Which word is spelled correctly?

  1. Recieve
  2. Receive
  3. Receve
  4. Recceive

Answer:

22. attention-concentration-s03-q02

Which of these sentences contains a doubled word?

  1. Please check that the the invoice matches the order.
  2. Please check that the invoice matches the order.
  3. Please check that the invoice matches the order form.
  4. Please check that the invoice matches your order.

Answer:

23. attention-concentration-s03-q03

Which spelling is correct?

  1. Accomodate
  2. Acommodate
  3. Accommodate
  4. Accomadate

Answer:

24. attention-concentration-s03-q04

Which of these sentences has a word missing?

  1. The nurse asked the visitor to sign the register before entering the ward.
  2. The nurse asked the visitor to sign register before entering the ward.
  3. The nurse asked the visitor to sign the register before leaving the ward.
  4. The nurse asked each visitor to sign the register before entering the ward.

Answer:

25. attention-concentration-s03-q05

Read this line closely: "Order 4482 was dispatched on 12 March and arrived on 21 March." Which statement repeats the line accurately?

  1. Order 4482 arrived on 12 March.
  2. Order 4842 was dispatched on 12 March.
  3. Order 4482 was dispatched on 12 March.
  4. Order 4482 arrived on 12 May.

Answer:

26. attention-concentration-s03-q06

Which sentence uses their, there and they're correctly?

  1. The two managers left they're badges in there office.
  2. The two managers left their badges in there office.
  3. The two managers left there badges in their office.
  4. The two managers left their badges in their office.

Answer:

27. attention-concentration-s03-q07

Which of these job titles is written differently from the other three?

  1. Senior Data Analyst
  2. Senior Data Analyst
  3. Senior Date Analyst
  4. Senior Data Analyst

Answer:

28. attention-concentration-s03-q08

In which sentence have two words been swapped into the wrong order?

  1. The invoice should be against checked the delivery note.
  2. The invoice should be checked against the delivery note.
  3. The delivery note should be checked against the invoice.
  4. The invoice should be checked against the delivery record.

Answer:

29. attention-concentration-s03-q09

Read this instruction once: "Sign the top copy in blue ink and return the bottom copy unsigned." Which action follows it?

  1. Sign the top copy in blue ink and return the bottom copy without signing it.
  2. Sign both copies in blue ink and return them.
  3. Sign the bottom copy in blue ink and return the top copy unsigned.
  4. Return both copies unsigned.

Answer:

30. attention-concentration-s03-q10

Read this notice: "All staff except part-time cleaners must attend the Tuesday briefing." Who is excused from attending?

  1. Every member of staff must attend, so nobody is excused.
  2. Only the cleaners who work full time are excused.
  3. All cleaners are excused, whatever hours they work.
  4. The cleaners who work part time are excused.

Answer:

Counting under a rule

Each question sets a rule before it asks for a count. Fix the rule in mind first, then test every entry against it in turn.

31. attention-concentration-s04-q01

How many numbers in this list are greater than 30? 12, 34, 8, 41, 29, 55, 30, 37

  1. 3
  2. 4
  3. 5
  4. 6

Answer:

32. attention-concentration-q5

How many odd numbers appear in this list: 14, 27, 32, 45, 18, 63, 50?

  1. 2
  2. 3
  3. 4
  4. 5

Answer:

33. attention-concentration-s04-q03

How many of these words contain the letter a? table, chair, desk, lamp, shelf, stool, mat

  1. 4
  2. 5
  3. 6
  4. 7

Answer:

34. attention-concentration-s04-q04

How many of these numbers are multiples of 4? 16, 22, 28, 30, 36, 44, 50

  1. 2
  2. 3
  3. 4
  4. 5

Answer:

35. attention-concentration-s04-q05

How many of these words begin and end with the same letter? level, table, radar, apple, sees, motor

  1. 3
  2. 4
  3. 5
  4. 6

Answer:

36. attention-concentration-q2

Count how many times the letter "e" appears (upper or lower case) in this sentence: "Every evening, Eleanor reviews her lesson notes carefully."

  1. 10
  2. 11
  3. 12
  4. 13

Answer:

37. attention-concentration-s04-q07

How many numbers in this list are both even and greater than 20? 14, 22, 27, 36, 19, 48, 20, 33

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4

Answer:

38. attention-concentration-s04-q08

In this row, how many different letters appear more than once? B K B M K R T B M R

  1. 4
  2. 5
  3. 6
  4. 7

Answer:

39. attention-concentration-s04-q09

How many of these codes begin with a letter and end with a digit? A123, 45BX, C77K, D908, 12QQ, F450, G612, H33

  1. 2
  2. 3
  3. 4
  4. 5

Answer:

40. attention-concentration-s04-q10

How many numbers in this list are odd and NOT multiples of 5? 15, 21, 33, 40, 45, 57, 62, 9

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4

Answer:

Ignoring distractors

Every question hides one relevant detail among several irrelevant ones. Decide what you are looking for before you start reading.

41. attention-concentration-s05-q01

A noticeboard lists: Room 2, Yoga (18:00); Room 4, Choir (19:30); Room 2, Book club (19:00); Room 3, Yoga (20:00). Which room has an activity starting at 19:00?

  1. Room 2
  2. Room 3
  3. Room 4
  4. No room has an activity at that time

Answer:

42. attention-concentration-s05-q02

Ignore every letter and read only the digits in order: K4M9T2R7. What number results?

  1. 4297
  2. 4927
  3. 9427
  4. 4972

Answer:

43. attention-concentration-s05-q03

Ignore every digit and read only the letters in order: 3H7A5N9D. What word results?

  1. HAND
  2. HADN
  3. DNAH
  4. HNAD

Answer:

44. attention-concentration-s05-q04

Read only the words printed in capitals: the RAPID amber TRAIN leaves NORTH of MARKET street. Which sequence do you get?

  1. RAPID TRAIN NORTH STREET
  2. RAPID AMBER TRAIN MARKET
  3. RAPID TRAIN NORTH MARKET
  4. TRAIN RAPID MARKET NORTH

Answer:

45. attention-concentration-s05-q05

A café menu shows tea £2, coffee £3, cake £4 and soup £5. Priya orders two teas and one cake; Marcus orders a coffee. How much does Priya spend?

  1. £7
  2. £8
  3. £11
  4. £12

Answer:

46. attention-concentration-s05-q06

Count only the letters printed inside brackets: A (B) C (D) (E) F (G) H

  1. 3
  2. 4
  3. 5
  4. 6

Answer:

47. attention-concentration-s05-q07

How many times does "set" appear as a whole word in this line? Set the settings, reset the timer, set the table, set aside the sunset photo and set off.

  1. 2
  2. 3
  3. 4
  4. 5

Answer:

48. attention-concentration-s05-q08

A form asks for the surname only. Which entry follows that instruction?

  1. Okonkwo, Amara
  2. Dr Okonkwo
  3. Amara Okonkwo
  4. Okonkwo

Answer:

49. attention-concentration-s05-q09

A parcel label reads: "Deliver to 14 Ashgrove Road (not 40 Ashgrove Road) after 2pm (not before)." Where and when should the parcel be delivered?

  1. 40 Ashgrove Road, after 2pm
  2. 14 Ashgrove Road, before 2pm
  3. 40 Ashgrove Road, before 2pm
  4. 14 Ashgrove Road, after 2pm

Answer:

50. attention-concentration-s05-q10

A timetable note reads: "The 09:15 to Leeds is cancelled. The 09:45 to Leeds runs from platform 3. The 09:45 to York runs from platform 1. The 10:05 to Leeds runs from platform 3." Which train is the earliest a passenger can take to Leeds?

  1. The 09:15 to Leeds
  2. The 09:45 to York
  3. The 10:05 to Leeds
  4. The 09:45 to Leeds

Answer:

Following instructions exactly

Follow each instruction exactly as written, including the order of the steps and any exception attached to them.

51. attention-concentration-s06-q01

Instruction: write the third letter of the word HARBOUR. Which letter is it?

  1. R
  2. A
  3. B
  4. H

Answer:

52. attention-concentration-s06-q02

Instruction: pick out every even number, then add the numbers you picked. Numbers: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18. What total should you write?

  1. 24
  2. 30
  3. 36
  4. 42

Answer:

53. attention-concentration-s06-q03

Instruction: add 5 to the number, then double the result. Starting number: 7. What answer follows the instruction?

  1. 19
  2. 24
  3. 34
  4. 40

Answer:

54. attention-concentration-s06-q04

Instruction: ignore the first item and the last item, then count what remains. List: pen, ruler, glue, tape, clip, band, pin.

  1. 4
  2. 5
  3. 6
  4. 7

Answer:

55. attention-concentration-s06-q05

Instruction: write the letters of TUESDAY in reverse order. Which entry does that?

  1. YADSEUT
  2. YASDEUT
  3. TUESDAY
  4. YADSUET

Answer:

56. attention-concentration-s06-q06

Instruction: enter the date in the form DD/MM/YYYY. The appointment is on 7 April 2027. Which entry follows the instruction?

  1. 7/4/27
  2. 04/07/2027
  3. 07/04/2027
  4. 2027-04-07

Answer:

57. attention-concentration-s06-q07

Instruction: tick the top box if the total is more than 50, and the bottom box if it is 50 or less. The total is exactly 50. Which box should be ticked?

  1. The top box
  2. Both boxes
  3. Neither box
  4. The bottom box

Answer:

58. attention-concentration-s06-q08

Instruction: subtract 3, then multiply by 4, then subtract 2. Starting number: 10. What is the final answer?

  1. 26
  2. 28
  3. 32
  4. 38

Answer:

59. attention-concentration-s06-q09

Instruction: copy every code that begins with a letter, but leave out any code that also ends with a letter. Codes: A123, 45BX, C77K, D908, 12QQ, F450, G612. How many codes should be copied?

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4

Answer:

60. attention-concentration-s06-q10

Instruction: write the number of letters in the longest word; if that number is even, double it. Words: garden, lantern, kite, notebook. What should you write?

  1. 7
  2. 8
  3. 14
  4. 16

Answer:

Divided attention: tracking two things at once

Each question asks you to hold two things in mind at the same time. Set both counts up before you begin reading.

61. attention-concentration-s07-q01

Keep two counts as you read this row, then compare them. How many more circles than squares are there? ● ■ ● ● ■ ● ■ ■ ● ●

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4

Answer:

62. attention-concentration-s07-q02

Track two totals. Team A scores 3, 5 and 2; Team B scores 4, 1 and 6. Which team finishes ahead, and by how much?

  1. Team A, by 1
  2. Team A, by 2
  3. Team B, by 1
  4. Team B, by 2

Answer:

63. attention-concentration-s07-q03

Reading this list once, note both the highest and the lowest value: 34, 18, 47, 22, 9, 41. What is the difference between them?

  1. 29
  2. 34
  3. 38
  4. 41

Answer:

64. attention-concentration-s07-q04

Count the vowels and the letter T at the same time in this row: A T R E T O M T I. Which count is greater, and by how much?

  1. Vowels, by one
  2. T, by one
  3. Vowels, by two
  4. The two counts are equal

Answer:

65. attention-concentration-s07-q05

Two lifts both start on floor 6. Lift 1 goes up 3 floors then down 5. Lift 2 goes down 2 floors then up 4. Which lift ends higher, and on which floor?

  1. Lift 1, on floor 4
  2. Lift 2, on floor 8
  3. Lift 1, on floor 8
  4. Lift 2, on floor 4

Answer:

66. attention-concentration-s07-q06

Add 2 for every star and subtract 1 for every diamond as you read this row: ★ ◆ ★ ★ ◆ ★ ◆. What is the final total?

  1. 3
  2. 4
  3. 5
  4. 6

Answer:

67. attention-concentration-s07-q07

Parcel X passes checkpoints 1, 3 and 6. Parcel Y passes checkpoints 2, 3, 5 and 6. Which checkpoints did both parcels pass?

  1. Checkpoint 3 only
  2. Checkpoints 3 and 6
  3. Checkpoints 1, 3 and 6
  4. Checkpoints 2, 3, 5 and 6

Answer:

68. attention-concentration-s07-q08

As you read this sequence, remember the first number and count how many entries there are: 6, 4, 9, 2, 8, 5, 1. What is the first number multiplied by the number of entries?

  1. 42
  2. 48
  3. 54
  4. 56

Answer:

69. attention-concentration-s07-q09

Two clerks share a queue of ten customers. Clerk 1 serves every second customer, starting with the second in the queue; clerk 2 serves the rest. Which customers does clerk 2 serve?

  1. The even-numbered customers
  2. Every third customer
  3. Customers 2 to 6
  4. The odd-numbered customers

Answer:

70. attention-concentration-s07-q10

Read this sequence once, counting R and B separately but ignoring any letter that comes immediately after an X: R B X R B R X B R. Which count is higher, and by how much?

  1. Blue, by one
  2. The two counts are equal
  3. Red, by two
  4. Red, by one

Answer:

Switching between rules

The rule changes partway through each question. Note where the change happens before you start working.

71. attention-concentration-s08-q01

Add 2 to each of the first three numbers, then subtract 1 from each of the last three: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. What is the total of the six results?

  1. 48
  2. 51
  3. 54
  4. 57

Answer:

72. attention-concentration-s08-q02

Alternate the rule item by item: double the first, add 10 to the second, double the third, add 10 to the fourth. Numbers: 4, 6, 7, 9. What is the total of the four results?

  1. 47
  2. 52
  3. 57
  4. 62

Answer:

73. attention-concentration-s08-q03

Before the slash, count the vowels; after it, count the consonants. A E R T / M O P I. What is the total of the two counts?

  1. 3
  2. 4
  3. 5
  4. 6

Answer:

74. attention-concentration-s08-q04

The rule changes every two entries: add 1 to the first two, subtract 1 from the next two, add 1 to the last two. Numbers: 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20. What is the new total?

  1. 86
  2. 88
  3. 90
  4. 92

Answer:

75. attention-concentration-s08-q05

Choose the rule from how each row starts: if a row starts with a letter, count its letters; if it starts with a digit, count its digits. Row 1: K M 4 P 7. Row 2: 3 R 8 2 T. What is the sum of the two counts?

  1. 6
  2. 7
  3. 8
  4. 10

Answer:

76. attention-concentration-s08-q06

Count circles until you reach the word STOP, then count squares for the rest of the row: ● ■ ● STOP ■ ● ■ ■. How many symbols do you count in total?

  1. 2
  2. 3
  3. 4
  4. 5

Answer:

77. attention-concentration-s08-q07

Alternate between adding and multiplying, starting with adding, and work strictly left to right: 3, then 4, then 2, then 5. What is the result?

  1. 17
  2. 19
  3. 24
  4. 29

Answer:

78. attention-concentration-s08-q08

For each word apply the rule that matches its length: if it has an even number of letters write its first letter, and if odd write its last letter. Words: desk, lamp, chair, stool.

  1. d l c s
  2. k p r l
  3. d l r l
  4. k p c s

Answer:

79. attention-concentration-s08-q09

Switch the rule whenever the colour word changes: count numbers while the line reads RED, and letters while it reads BLUE. RED: 4 K 7. BLUE: M 2 P. RED: 9 R 1. What is the total count?

  1. 6
  2. 7
  3. 8
  4. 9

Answer:

80. attention-concentration-s08-q10

Apply one rule to numbers in odd positions and another to numbers in even positions: add 4 to those in odd positions and halve those in even positions. Numbers: 6, 10, 8, 12, 5, 14. What is the total of the six results?

  1. 43
  2. 45
  3. 47
  4. 49

Answer:

Resisting interference from conflicting cues

Each question sets one cue against another. Work out which cue is actually being asked about, then hold to it.

81. attention-concentration-s09-q01

The word BLUE is printed in green ink and the word GREEN is printed in red ink. If you must name the ink colour rather than read the word, what do you say for the word BLUE?

  1. Blue
  2. Red
  3. Green
  4. Both blue and green

Answer:

82. attention-concentration-s09-q02

In this line, some items are written as words and some as digits: THREE 7 FIVE 2. How many items are written as digits?

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4

Answer:

83. attention-concentration-s09-q03

A box is labelled LEFT, but an arrow beside the label points to the right. A note underneath reads: follow the arrow, not the word. Which way should you go?

  1. Right
  2. Left
  3. Straight on
  4. It cannot be decided

Answer:

84. attention-concentration-s09-q04

Ignore what these words say and count only how they are printed. How many are in capitals? three FOUR five SIX SEVEN eight

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4

Answer:

85. attention-concentration-s09-q05

The word LONG is printed in small type and the word SHORT is printed in large type. Which of the two words has more letters?

  1. LONG
  2. SHORT
  3. They have the same number of letters
  4. It cannot be decided

Answer:

86. attention-concentration-s09-q06

Each entry names a shape and gives a different shape in brackets: circle (square), square (triangle), triangle (circle). If you must report the name in brackets, what do you report for the entry beginning with square?

  1. Square
  2. Circle
  3. Both square and triangle
  4. Triangle

Answer:

87. attention-concentration-s09-q07

A signpost reads North 3 miles, but the post has been refitted upside down so that its arrow now points south. A note on the post says the words are correct and the direction it points should be ignored. Where is the destination?

  1. South, 3 miles away
  2. North, 3 miles away
  3. South, at an unknown distance
  4. It cannot be decided

Answer:

88. attention-concentration-s09-q08

These are all colour names, but the question is about letters: RED, ORANGE, BLUE, GREY. Which has the most letters?

  1. RED
  2. BLUE
  3. ORANGE
  4. GREY

Answer:

89. attention-concentration-s09-q09

The instruction says to mark the second largest number, not the largest. Numbers: 48, 61, 55, 39. Which number should be marked?

  1. 55
  2. 61
  3. 48
  4. 39

Answer:

90. attention-concentration-s09-q10

Three instructions are printed in order: (1) write the largest number; (2) write the total of the numbers; (3) where instructions disagree, follow the later one. Numbers: 7, 12, 5. What should be written?

  1. 5
  2. 7
  3. 12
  4. 24

Answer:

Sustained concentration under load

Longer material and more than one rule at a time. Take these slowly: holding your concentration to the end matters more than pace.

91. attention-concentration-s10-q01

Work through this longer string once and count how many times the digit 5 appears: 3 5 8 1 5 5 2 9 5 4 7 5 0 6 5 3

  1. 5
  2. 6
  3. 7
  4. 8

Answer:

92. attention-concentration-s10-q02

In this longer row, how many symbols are neither circles nor squares? ● ■ ▲ ● ◆ ■ ▲ ● ■ ◆ ▲ ● ■ ▲ ◆

  1. 4
  2. 5
  3. 6
  4. 7

Answer:

93. attention-concentration-s10-q03

Read this list of codes once and count how many contain both a letter and a digit: AB12, 4477, KKLM, 9P8, ZZ, 3T, 7788, MN4

  1. 4
  2. 5
  3. 6
  4. 7

Answer:

94. attention-concentration-s10-q04

Track a running total across this longer sequence: start at 20, add 6, subtract 4, add 9, subtract 12, add 3, subtract 7. What is the final total?

  1. 11
  2. 13
  3. 15
  4. 17

Answer:

95. attention-concentration-s10-q05

In this longer line of letters, how many letters sit immediately after a Q? Q R M Q T Q Q P S Q L

  1. 4
  2. 5
  3. 6
  4. 7

Answer:

96. attention-concentration-s10-q06

A stock list is read out in order: 12 blue pens, 8 red pens, 15 blue folders, 6 red folders, 9 blue clips. How many blue items are listed altogether?

  1. 27
  2. 30
  3. 33
  4. 36

Answer:

97. attention-concentration-s10-q07

Work through this list once and count how many words contain a double letter: the same letter twice in a row: letter, garden, ballot, mirror, candle, summer, pencil, kettle

  1. 3
  2. 4
  3. 5
  4. 6

Answer:

98. attention-concentration-s10-q08

Keep two counts across this longer list and then compare them. Are there more odd or more even numbers? 7, 4, 9, 2, 3, 6, 11, 8, 5, 10, 13, 12

  1. More odd, by two
  2. The two counts are equal
  3. More even, by two
  4. More even, by four

Answer:

99. attention-concentration-s10-q09

Count the entries in this list that begin with a vowel, then subtract the number of entries that end with the letter s. List: apple, oranges, pear, olives, banana, eggs, ice. What is the result?

  1. 2
  2. 3
  3. 4
  4. 5

Answer:

100. attention-concentration-s10-q10

Apply two rules at once across this longer list: count the numbers that are both greater than 20 and not multiples of 3. Numbers: 18, 22, 27, 31, 20, 45, 26, 33, 41, 24, 29

  1. 2
  2. 3
  3. 4
  4. 5

Answer:

Authored hints

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100 worksheet items do not have an authored hint.

This source contains no authored hints. No hint text was generated.

Answer key

ItemChoiceAnswer
attention-concentration-q1DD) XJ84Q2
attention-concentration-s01-q02CTR5280
attention-concentration-s01-q03AAshbourne
attention-concentration-s01-q04CIn the final two digits
attention-concentration-q3AA) 4471-XQ / 4471-XQ
attention-concentration-s01-q06DPLQ-88123-A
attention-concentration-s01-q07BID0-105L
attention-concentration-s01-q08CDN14 6OP
attention-concentration-s01-q09BTwo
attention-concentration-s01-q10A55/AJ-3021
attention-concentration-s02-q01C5
attention-concentration-q4B4
attention-concentration-s02-q03A3
attention-concentration-s02-q04B6
attention-concentration-s02-q05C4
attention-concentration-s02-q06A4
attention-concentration-s02-q07D5
attention-concentration-s02-q08B5
attention-concentration-s02-q09D4
attention-concentration-s02-q10D5
attention-concentration-q6BReceive
attention-concentration-s03-q02APlease check that the the invoice matches the order.
attention-concentration-s03-q03CAccommodate
attention-concentration-s03-q04BThe nurse asked the visitor to sign register before entering the ward.
attention-concentration-s03-q05COrder 4482 was dispatched on 12 March.
attention-concentration-s03-q06DThe two managers left their badges in their office.
attention-concentration-s03-q07CSenior Date Analyst
attention-concentration-s03-q08AThe invoice should be against checked the delivery note.
attention-concentration-s03-q09ASign the top copy in blue ink and return the bottom copy without signing it.
attention-concentration-s03-q10DThe cleaners who work part time are excused.
attention-concentration-s04-q01B4
attention-concentration-q5B3
attention-concentration-s04-q03A4
attention-concentration-s04-q04C4
attention-concentration-s04-q05A3
attention-concentration-q2C12
attention-concentration-s04-q07C3
attention-concentration-s04-q08A4
attention-concentration-s04-q09D5
attention-concentration-s04-q10D4
attention-concentration-s05-q01ARoom 2
attention-concentration-s05-q02B4927
attention-concentration-s05-q03AHAND
attention-concentration-s05-q04CRAPID TRAIN NORTH MARKET
attention-concentration-s05-q05B£8
attention-concentration-s05-q06B4
attention-concentration-s05-q07C4
attention-concentration-s05-q08DOkonkwo
attention-concentration-s05-q09D14 Ashgrove Road, after 2pm
attention-concentration-s05-q10DThe 09:45 to Leeds
attention-concentration-s06-q01AR
attention-concentration-s06-q02C36
attention-concentration-s06-q03B24
attention-concentration-s06-q04B5
attention-concentration-s06-q05AYADSEUT
attention-concentration-s06-q06C07/04/2027
attention-concentration-s06-q07DThe bottom box
attention-concentration-s06-q08A26
attention-concentration-s06-q09D4
attention-concentration-s06-q10D16
attention-concentration-s07-q01B2
attention-concentration-s07-q02CTeam B, by 1
attention-concentration-s07-q03C38
attention-concentration-s07-q04AVowels, by one
attention-concentration-s07-q05BLift 2, on floor 8
attention-concentration-s07-q06C5
attention-concentration-s07-q07BCheckpoints 3 and 6
attention-concentration-s07-q08A42
attention-concentration-s07-q09DThe odd-numbered customers
attention-concentration-s07-q10DRed, by one
attention-concentration-s08-q01A48
attention-concentration-s08-q02C57
attention-concentration-s08-q03B4
attention-concentration-s08-q04D92
attention-concentration-s08-q05A6
attention-concentration-s08-q06D5
attention-concentration-s08-q07B19
attention-concentration-s08-q08Cd l r l
attention-concentration-s08-q09A6
attention-concentration-s08-q10D49
attention-concentration-s09-q01CGreen
attention-concentration-s09-q02B2
attention-concentration-s09-q03ARight
attention-concentration-s09-q04C3
attention-concentration-s09-q05BSHORT
attention-concentration-s09-q06DTriangle
attention-concentration-s09-q07BNorth, 3 miles away
attention-concentration-s09-q08CORANGE
attention-concentration-s09-q09A55
attention-concentration-s09-q10D24
attention-concentration-s10-q01B6
attention-concentration-s10-q02D7
attention-concentration-s10-q03A4
attention-concentration-s10-q04C15
attention-concentration-s10-q05B5
attention-concentration-s10-q06D36
attention-concentration-s10-q07C5
attention-concentration-s10-q08BThe two counts are equal
attention-concentration-s10-q09A2
attention-concentration-s10-q10D5

Worked explanations

attention-concentration-q1

The odd code reads XJ84Q2. Its '4' and '8' are swapped relative to the other four, which all read XJ48Q2.

attention-concentration-s01-q02

Read the reference and each copy in the same order, one character at a time. The copy reading TR5280 has the 8 and the 2 the other way round; everything else matches.

attention-concentration-s01-q03

Three entries read Ashborne. The remaining one, Ashbourne, adds a u after the b-o, which is easy to miss because both spellings look plausible.

attention-concentration-s01-q04

Both entries read HGX-407 for their first seven characters. The reference then ends 19 while the copy ends 91, so the disagreement is confined to the last two digits.

attention-concentration-q3

Only pair A is identical; B, C, and D each have transposed or swapped digits.

attention-concentration-s01-q06

Compare only the middle block, since the prefix and suffix are the same throughout. The exception reads 88123 where the rest read 88213, with the 2 and the 1 exchanged.

attention-concentration-s01-q07

The entry reading ID0-105L uses the digit zero where the others use the letter O. Checking look-alike characters (O and 0, I and 1, S and 5) separately is the reliable way to catch this.

attention-concentration-s01-q08

The entry reading DN14 6OP uses the letter O where the others use Q. Every other character in the four postcodes agrees, so the tail of the code is the only place worth checking twice.

attention-concentration-s01-q09

Line the strings up and check each of the eight positions in turn: F becomes E and Q becomes O, while the other six positions agree. That gives two differences.

attention-concentration-s01-q10

Checking the reference block by block rules out the rest: one swaps 2 and 0 to give 3201, one reverses the letters to JA, and one ends with a lower-case l instead of the digit 1.

attention-concentration-s02-q01

Move left to right and tally only the squares: they sit in the second, fourth, sixth, eighth and ninth places, giving five in all.

attention-concentration-q4

▲ appears 4 times in the sequence.

attention-concentration-s02-q03

Scan for one target letter only and ignore everything else. T appears three times across the row, so the other letters can be passed over without being read.

attention-concentration-s02-q04

Adjacent pairs of the same symbol are where miscounts creep in. Counting each circle separately gives six, including the two pairs that sit side by side.

attention-concentration-s02-q05

When a question asks what is not there, it is quicker to count the other symbol directly: there are four diamonds among the ten symbols.

attention-concentration-s02-q06

Tally only the fours as you pass along the string; they appear four times. Keeping a finger or cursor on your place stops you rereading a digit you have already counted.

attention-concentration-s02-q07

Here the target is a property rather than a particular letter, so read for shape and size only. Five of the ten letters are capitals.

attention-concentration-s02-q08

Count the two targets separately and add them at the end: three triangles plus two squares makes five. Trying to hold one combined running total is where errors usually appear.

attention-concentration-s02-q09

Slide a two-digit window along the string and check each overlapping pair. The pair 3 7 appears four times; a 7 followed by a 3 does not count, because the order is reversed.

attention-concentration-s02-q10

Start at the second symbol and look only at what sits directly to its left. Five symbols follow a circle, and the very first symbol cannot qualify because nothing precedes it.

attention-concentration-q6

"Receive" is the correct spelling.

attention-concentration-s03-q02

One sentence reads "that the the invoice". Doubled small words slip past easily because the eye predicts the phrase instead of reading it, so short function words repay a second look.

attention-concentration-s03-q03

The correct spelling doubles both consonants, cc and mm, and keeps an o before the d. Checking each doubled pair in turn settles which version is right.

attention-concentration-s03-q04

One sentence reads "sign register" with no article between the two words. The other differences here are wording changes rather than omissions, so the sentences still read as complete.

attention-concentration-s03-q05

Check the three details separately: the order number, the event and the date. Only one statement keeps 4482, pairs dispatch with 12 March, and changes nothing else.

attention-concentration-s03-q06

Both the badges and the office belong to the managers, so both slots need the possessive their. There marks a place, and they're is only ever short for they are.

attention-concentration-s03-q07

The title reading Senior Date Analyst changes one letter inside a familiar word. Reading job titles and headings letter by letter catches these, because we normally skim them.

attention-concentration-s03-q08

One sentence reads "be against checked", with the two words the wrong way round. The others are all grammatical, even though they differ in what is being compared with what.

attention-concentration-s03-q09

The instruction attaches a different action to each copy, so keep the two paired as you read: top copy with signing, bottom copy with returning unsigned. Swapping the pair is the usual slip.

attention-concentration-s03-q10

The word except removes one named group from the requirement, and that group is the part-time cleaners. Full-time cleaners remain inside all staff, so they still have to attend.

attention-concentration-s04-q01

Four values exceed 30: 34, 41, 55 and 37. The value 30 itself does not qualify, because the rule asks for numbers greater than 30 rather than 30 or more.

attention-concentration-q5

27, 45, and 63 are odd, three numbers in total.

attention-concentration-s04-q03

Test each word separately rather than scanning the list as a block: table, chair, lamp and mat contain an a, and the other three do not.

attention-concentration-s04-q04

Divide each value by 4 in turn: 16, 28, 36 and 44 divide exactly, giving four multiples. Being even is not enough, which is what rules out 22, 30 and 50.

attention-concentration-s04-q05

Look only at the first and last letter of each word and ignore the middle: level, radar and sees each match at both ends, giving three.

attention-concentration-q2

Counting every 'e'/'E' across the sentence gives a total of 12.

attention-concentration-s04-q07

Both conditions have to hold at once, so check each number twice: 22, 36 and 48 pass on both counts. The value 20 is even but not greater than 20, and 14 fails the size test as well.

attention-concentration-s04-q08

Tally the row letter by letter first: B appears three times, and K, M and R each appear twice, so four different letters repeat. Only T appears once.

attention-concentration-s04-q09

Only the two ends of each code matter, so read the first and last characters and skip the middle. A123, D908, F450, G612 and H33 satisfy both ends, giving five.

attention-concentration-s04-q10

Apply the rules in order: the odd values are 15, 21, 33, 45, 57 and 9, and removing the multiples of 5 takes out 15 and 45. That leaves four numbers.

attention-concentration-s05-q01

Search on the time first and let the activity names go by unread. Only the 19:00 book club matches, and it is held in Room 2.

attention-concentration-s05-q02

Take the digits strictly left to right, letting each letter pass without being read: 4, then 9, then 2, then 7. Keeping the original order is what separates the answer from the near misses.

attention-concentration-s05-q03

Reading the letters in the order they appear gives H, A, N, D. The distractors keep the same four letters but disturb their order, so the sequence has to be held as you scan.

attention-concentration-s05-q04

Use the capitals as the filter and let the lower-case words fall away: RAPID, TRAIN, NORTH, MARKET. The alternatives each pull in a lower-case word or reorder the four.

attention-concentration-s05-q05

Only Priya's order counts, so Marcus's coffee and the soup price are there to be ignored. Two teas at £2 plus one cake at £4 comes to £8.

attention-concentration-s05-q06

Let the brackets, rather than the letters, guide your eye along the line. Four letters are bracketed, and the unbracketed ones need not be read at all.

attention-concentration-s05-q07

A whole word has a space or punctuation mark on both sides, which rules out settings, reset and sunset. That leaves four genuine uses of the word on its own.

attention-concentration-s05-q08

The instruction rules out anything beyond the surname, so a title, a first name or an initial all count as extra. The entry giving Okonkwo on its own is the only one that adds nothing.

attention-concentration-s05-q09

The bracketed text names what to avoid, not what to do, so the instruction is to use number 14 and to arrive after 2pm. Reading the brackets as the instruction is exactly the trap being set.

attention-concentration-s05-q10

Two filters apply at once: the train must go to Leeds and must actually run. The 09:15 is cancelled and the other 09:45 service goes to York, so the earliest remaining option is the 09:45 to Leeds.

attention-concentration-s06-q01

Count the letters from the start of the word: H is first, A second and R third. Counting from the wrong end or starting at zero are the two common slips.

attention-concentration-s06-q02

Carry out the selection before the arithmetic: the even numbers are 6, 12 and 18, and adding those three gives 36.

attention-concentration-s06-q03

Work the steps in the order given: 7 plus 5 is 12, and doubling 12 gives 24. Doubling first and then adding would give 19 instead.

attention-concentration-s06-q04

The list holds seven items, and the instruction removes exactly two of them, leaving five. Counting the whole list first makes the subtraction easy to check.

attention-concentration-s06-q05

Read the word from its last letter back to its first: Y, A, D, S, E, U, T. The near misses reverse most of the word but transpose a pair in the middle.

attention-concentration-s06-q06

The format fixes three things at once: day before month, two digits for each, and four digits for the year. Only one entry satisfies all three without reordering the day and month.

attention-concentration-s06-q07

A total of exactly 50 is not more than 50, so it falls into the second condition, which covers 50 or less. Boundary values are worth reading twice for this reason.

attention-concentration-s06-q08

Take one step at a time and carry the running value forward: 10 minus 3 is 7, times 4 is 28, minus 2 is 26. Stopping a step early gives 28, and multiplying before subtracting gives 38.

attention-concentration-s06-q09

Apply the main rule first and the exception second: A123, C77K, D908, F450 and G612 begin with a letter, and C77K is then removed for ending with one. Four codes survive.

attention-concentration-s06-q10

Notebook is the longest word at eight letters, and eight is even, so the second half of the instruction applies and the answer is doubled to 16. Stopping before the condition gives 8, and measuring lantern instead gives 14.

attention-concentration-s07-q01

Tally each symbol type separately and subtract at the end: six circles against four squares leaves a difference of two.

attention-concentration-s07-q02

Total each team before comparing them: Team A reaches 10 and Team B reaches 11, so Team B is ahead by a single point.

attention-concentration-s07-q03

Hold two values as you scan and update either one only when a number beats it: the highest is 47 and the lowest is 9, so the difference is 38.

attention-concentration-s07-q04

There are four vowels (A, E, O and I) against three appearances of T, so the vowels lead by one. Keeping the two tallies physically separate stops them merging.

attention-concentration-s07-q05

Follow each lift to the end before comparing: Lift 1 finishes on floor 4 and Lift 2 on floor 8, so Lift 2 ends higher.

attention-concentration-s07-q06

Four stars contribute 8 and three diamonds take away 3, leaving 5. Counting each symbol type first and applying the weights afterwards is less error-prone than adjusting a total symbol by symbol.

attention-concentration-s07-q07

Take the shorter list and test each of its entries against the longer one: 1 is missing from Y, while 3 and 6 appear in both.

attention-concentration-s07-q08

One value has to be stored while the other is still being built up: the first number is 6 and there are 7 entries, so the product is 42.

attention-concentration-s07-q09

Clerk 1 takes customers 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10, so everyone left over sits in an odd position. Noting where the alternation starts is what settles which half each clerk gets.

attention-concentration-s07-q10

The two letters directly after an X are skipped, which removes one R and one B from the tally. That leaves three Rs against two Bs, so red leads by one.

attention-concentration-s08-q01

The first three become 7, 8 and 9 and the last three become 7, 8 and 9 as well, so each group totals 24 and the whole comes to 48. Applying the first rule to all six numbers would give 51.

attention-concentration-s08-q02

The results are 8, 16, 14 and 19, which add to 57. Saying the current rule to yourself before each number keeps the alternation from drifting.

attention-concentration-s08-q03

Two vowels appear before the slash and two consonants after it, giving a total of 4. Carrying the first rule past the slash would count the wrong letters in the second half.

attention-concentration-s08-q04

The original numbers total 90, and the adjustments are plus 1 four times and minus 1 twice, a net gain of 2. Working with the change rather than recalculating every entry keeps the switch clear.

attention-concentration-s08-q05

Row 1 opens with a letter, so its three letters are counted; row 2 opens with a digit, so its three digits are counted. The two counts add to 6.

attention-concentration-s08-q06

Two circles qualify before the switch and three squares qualify after it, giving five in all. Symbols that do not match the rule in force at the time are simply passed over.

attention-concentration-s08-q07

Working left to right gives 3 plus 4 is 7, times 2 is 14, plus 5 is 19. The instruction overrides the usual convention of doing multiplication first, which would give 16 plus a leftover step.

attention-concentration-s08-q08

Desk and lamp have four letters each, so they contribute d and l; chair and stool have five, so they contribute r and l. Checking the length before choosing the rule is the whole task.

attention-concentration-s08-q09

Each stretch contributes two items (two numbers, then two letters, then two numbers) for a total of 6. The rule has to be reinstated at the third stretch, which is where the count often slips.

attention-concentration-s08-q10

The odd positions give 10, 12 and 9, and the even positions give 5, 6 and 7, so the six results add to 49. Tracking the position as well as the value is what makes this a switching task.

attention-concentration-s09-q01

Reading is close to automatic, so the written word arrives before the colour does. Naming the ink means answering green, since that is the colour the word BLUE is printed in.

attention-concentration-s09-q02

The question is about how each item is written, not what it is worth. Two items appear as digits, and their values play no part in the answer.

attention-concentration-s09-q03

The note settles the conflict by naming which cue has authority, and here that is the arrow. Since the arrow points right, the word on the label can be set aside.

attention-concentration-s09-q04

Three words are printed in capitals. The meanings are deliberately number names so that they pull towards arithmetic, but the question only concerns the printing.

attention-concentration-s09-q05

Meaning and type size both point the wrong way here, so count the letters instead: LONG has four and SHORT has five.

attention-concentration-s09-q06

Find the entry by its opening word, then report only what the brackets hold. The entry beginning with square carries triangle in brackets.

attention-concentration-s09-q07

The note gives the words authority over the arrow, so the wording on the sign stands in full: north, three miles away. The physical direction of the post is the cue to suppress.

attention-concentration-s09-q08

Count letters rather than think about colours: three, six, four and four respectively, so the six-letter word wins. BLUE and GREY tie, which is why neither can be the answer.

attention-concentration-s09-q09

Order the values first (61, 55, 48, 39), and then step one place down from the top. The largest, 61, is named in the instruction precisely because it is the tempting answer.

attention-concentration-s09-q10

The third instruction resolves the clash by giving priority to the later of the two, which is the one asking for the total. Adding 7, 12 and 5 gives 24.

attention-concentration-s10-q01

The digit 5 appears six times, including one place where two of them sit side by side. Adjacent repeats are the usual reason a long string is undercounted by one.

attention-concentration-s10-q02

Counting what does qualify is easier than counting what does not: four triangles plus three diamonds makes seven symbols outside the two named types.

attention-concentration-s10-q03

Each code has to pass two tests, so check both before moving on: AB12, 9P8, 3T and MN4 mix the two character types, giving four. The rest are all letters or all digits.

attention-concentration-s10-q04

Update one running figure at each step rather than saving the arithmetic to the end: 26, 22, 31, 19, 22 and finally 15.

attention-concentration-s10-q05

Five letters follow a Q, and one of those is itself a Q, which still counts because the rule is about position rather than identity. The final Q has a letter after it, so it qualifies too.

attention-concentration-s10-q06

Select on the colour and ignore the item type: 12, 15 and 9 are the blue entries, and they add to 36.

attention-concentration-s10-q07

Five words carry a doubled pair: tt in letter, ll in ballot, rr in mirror, mm in summer and tt in kettle. Reading each word letter by letter is what makes the pairs visible.

attention-concentration-s10-q08

Six numbers are odd and six are even, so neither group leads. A list that alternates in places encourages a guess, which is why both tallies are worth completing.

attention-concentration-s10-q09

Five entries open with a vowel and three close with an s, so the result is 5 minus 3, or 2. Some entries fall into both counts, and that is allowed because the two tallies are made independently.

attention-concentration-s10-q10

Filter on size first, which removes 18 and 20, then drop the multiples of 3: 27, 45, 33 and 24. The five survivors are 22, 31, 26, 41 and 29.