The verbal part tests your English: synonyms, antonyms, analogies, sentence completion and reading passages. USAT has 20 verbal MCQs and HAT has 30 to 40, depending on the category. The good news: in our bank of 486 verbal questions, only 9% are hard. Most marks here are about knowing words, not tricky thinking.
1. Synonyms and antonyms
You pick the word with the same or opposite meaning.
Example: Choose the word most nearly SIMILAR in meaning to DIFFIDENT.
(a) different (b) confident (c) shy (d) defiant
Answer: (c) shy. Diffident means shy because you lack confidence. It looks like "different" on purpose, to trick you.
Tip: the test often puts a word that looks similar as a wrong option. Do not choose by spelling, choose by meaning.
2. Word meaning in a sentence
Example: To CORROBORATE a claim is to ________ it.
(a) deny (b) forget (c) confirm (d) exaggerate
Answer: (c) confirm. To corroborate means to support something with proof.
3. Sentence completion (grammar)
Example: She has been working here ______ five years.
(a) during (b) since (c) from (d) for
Answer: (d) for. Use "for" with a length of time (5 years) and "since" with a starting point (since 2019).
Other grammar rules that come a lot: the base verb after "will" or "can", "a" vs "an", and subject verb agreement ("The list of names is long").
4. Reading passages
You read a short paragraph and answer questions on it. The answers are almost always in the passage itself.
- Read the questions first, then the passage. You will know what to look for.
- For "the word X most nearly means", read the full sentence around the word.
- Do not use your own knowledge. Answer only from what the passage says.
How I suggest learning vocabulary
Start with our list of 55 important vocabulary words with meanings.
- Learn 15 to 20 words a day, not 100 in one day.
- For each word, make your own short sentence. You remember sentences better than lists.
- Revise yesterday's words before learning new ones, and revise each week's words on Sunday.
- Every time you get a word wrong in a practice test, add it to your list.
That last step is the most useful one. The words you get wrong are the words the test is likely to catch you on again.
Next, read the quantitative reasoning guide or the HAT analytical reasoning guide.
Common questions
How many verbal questions are in the USAT?
USAT has 20 verbal reasoning MCQs in every group.
How many verbal questions are in the HAT?
It depends on the category. HAT-1 and HAT-2 have 30, while HAT-3, HAT-4 and HAT General have 40.
How can I improve my vocabulary quickly for USAT or HAT?
Learn 15 to 20 words a day in small groups, say each one in a sentence, and revise them again after 1 day and after 1 week.
What types of verbal questions come in USAT?
Synonyms, antonyms, analogies, sentence completion (grammar and vocabulary) and reading passages with questions.