Use our Reading Comprehension test to gain an insight into your applicants' ability to read and understand written information in a short space of time. A skill that is central to the vast majority of roles, the capability to digest and take note of words written on the page is a key indicator of how well a candidate will react to instructions and feedback in the workplace, so it cannot be underestimated.
The Reading Comprehension Test has been designed to assess an individual's reading comprehension - the ability to grasp, extract, and report on the written content of a sample passage.
To assess reading comprehension, candidates are presented with a passage exploring an idea of which they will have no prior knowledge. Following this, they will be shown a variety of question styles, including true or false statements and multiple-choice selections, which they must answer in a short space of time.
At all stages of the comprehension test, candidates are required to report on the content provided, but at the Core and Professional stages, the passage length and complexity of the language used is increased, in an effort to further test the candidate's reading and comprehension skills.
Candidates are presented with 6 questions to complete within 15 minutes. The candidate’s responses are automatically marked. A point is awarded for each correct answer, and the time spent reading the passage is measured. For some questions, multiple answers may be required, the sum of these answers will result in one point being awarded for the question. Skipped questions or those that are not taken will result in no point being awarded.
hese exam tiers are Fundamental, Core and Professional. The higher tiers will assess new skills and cover new material, but they will also expand on topics covered by previous stages, calling on more advanced knowledge and faster reading abilities.
In this test, candidates are required to read a passage of content and then answer the questions by directly referencing information from within the text.
A candidate taking the Fundamental level of a test is expected to have subject knowledge aligned to a foundation GCSE graduate.
In this test, candidates are required to look up key information from multiple paragraphs across the text. Test-takers may also be required to make inferences from analysing the written passage as a whole.
A candidate taking the Core level of a test is expected to have subject knowledge similar to that of a higher GCSE graduate.
In this test, candidates are required to answer questions from analysing the passage as a whole and making conclusions based on their analysis. This test builds on Core by increasing the quantity of text provided in the passage and increasing the complexity of the vocabulary used.
A candidate taking the Professional level of a test is expected to have subject knowledge of a similar level to that of an A-Level graduate.
Reading Comprehension tests are a great resource for employers, enabling them to narrow their pool of applicants in order to focus on those with the skills which will make them more skilled at their role. Skills in reading, and the ability to quickly comprehend written information are paramount in most positions, so testing for these abilities during the recruitment process can make a huge difference for your organisation.
The resource has been created for applicants to take as part of the pre-employment process in order to give employers a sense of the ability of a potential employee to comprehend the information they are reading. How a candidate interprets and analyses a written passage is a great indicator of their cognitive abilities, as well as their efficiency and competence in the workplace.