OLSAT Verbal Comprehension

Within the Verbal section of the OLSAT is a subsection called Verbal Comprehension. This section assesses abilities relating to understanding and manipulating words in different contexts. Specifically, it tests the ability to:

• Understand relationships between words
• Understand and derive meaning from words
• Understand subtle differences between words that are similar
• Control and work with words to produce logical, meaningful sentences

There are four different types of questions within the Verbal Comprehension category. Following Directions test items are considered easier, and therefore only appear in lower OLSAT levels (A-C).

The following question is a Following Directions test item from the Verbal Comprehension section.

Mark the picture that shows a joey - baby kangaroo - peeking out of its mother's pouch, a koala hanging from a tree, and a bird chirping in the background.

The correct answer is D.

First, look for a picture of a joey peeking out of its mother's pouch. We can eliminate answer choices B and C, as the joeys in these frames are standing besides their mothers.

We are left with answer choices A and D. Notice that though answer choice A does contain a picture of a koala hanging from a tree, it does not contain a chirping bird. We can eliminate answer choice A . We are left with answer choice D as the correct answer. 

Since the OLSAT can be a very challenging test, it is important that you prepare your child, no matter how old he or she is. Remember that the OLSAT questions are not about the material your child learns at school, and therefore, he or she will not be familiar with them. Being familiar with the types of questions that may come up on the test will reflect your child's abilities more accurately.

The OLSAT is used by many schools throughout the country as an admission test to their gifted and talented programs. Therefore, your child's score on the test may be very important to his or her future. Tell your child about the upcoming test and explain why it is important to practice and do his or her best.

Our website offers a full practice pack for each OLSAT level, from A to F. The pack contains everything your child needs to know before the test and numerous practice questions of various difficulty levels, including full explanations for each question. Encourage your child to solve all the questions and read all the explanations. Even if your child answers a question correctly, reading the explanation may still be beneficial, as it contains details and more ways to solve the problem which may help your child in future questions.

Build a study plan for your child and involve your child in building it. This will help make sure he or she follows it. Praise your child whenever he or she follows the plan and shows good study habits, such as trying to understand and not just get the correct answer, keeping a good pace, taking short breaks, eating and sleeping well, etc. Above all, keep a positive spirit. If you are optimistic, your child will be, too.