SHL Verify G+ General Ability Test: Format, Scoring & How to Prepare

The SHL Verify G+ (the "G" stands for general ability) is a cognitive ability assessment from SHL that measures three kinds of reasoning in one sitting: numerical, inductive and deductive. Instead of taking three separate tests, you answer a single mixed set of questions and receive one overall general ability result, usually alongside scores for the individual skills.

Employers favor it because general mental ability is one of the better-established predictors of how quickly people learn and perform in complex roles. It is most often used for graduate schemes, management trainee programs and professional roles where the job involves analyzing data, following logic and spotting patterns.

It is a different product from the stand-alone tests described in our What is the SHL Test? overview. Where the stand-alone numerical reasoning or inductive reasoning test focuses on one skill, the G+ asks you to switch between skills and is built to be shorter and harder to memorize.

The G+ is delivered online in a browser. The exact number of questions and time limit is set in your invitation and can vary by employer and by SHL release, so treat any published figure as approximate. Many candidate reports and our own SHL overview describe a session of roughly half an hour with around three dozen questions.

Questions come from three families:

Each family has its own dedicated guide: numerical reasoning, inductive reasoning and deductive reasoning. If you are weak in one area, work through that guide first.

Adaptive tests pick the next question based on how you have answered so far. Answer correctly and the next item tends to be harder; answer incorrectly and it tends to be easier. The system is estimating your ability level rather than simply counting correct answers.

This has three practical consequences. First, the test will feel hard whatever your level — that is by design, so do not read difficulty as a sign you are failing. Second, two candidates can see largely different questions, which is one reason sharing answers is pointless (see our guide to SHL cheating and verification). Third, you usually cannot go back to change an answer, so each response should be a committed best attempt.

Your raw performance is converted into a standardized score and compared against a norm group — a reference sample of people such as graduates or managers. The result is normally reported as a percentile: a 70th percentile means you scored higher than about 70% of the norm group.

Employers choose their own norm group and their own cut-off, and they rarely disclose either. A cut-off in the region of the 50th to 60th percentile is a commonly cited rule of thumb for general screening, with competitive finance and consulting employers reportedly aiming higher, but these are community estimates, not published figures. Our guide to what is a good SHL score explains how to think about this, and how to read SHL test results covers the report itself.

Candidates often ask which version they will get and whether preparing for one covers the other. The skills overlap heavily, but the experience differs.

For a wider comparison of SHL against other providers see SHL vs Korn Ferry vs cut-e, and for the interactive deductive format see our SHL Verify Interactive guide.

Preparation for a mixed adaptive test should train both skill and switching. A sensible plan for two to three weeks:

• Days 1–5 — diagnose: take one short timed set in each of numerical, inductive and deductive. Note your weakest area and the question types that cost you time.
• Days 6–12 — drill: spend most of your time on the weakest family. For numerical, refresh percentages and ratios (see the numerical reasoning formulas cheat sheet). For inductive, practice naming the rule out loud before looking at answer options.
• Days 13–18 — mix: use timed practice tests that mix question types so you rehearse switching mental gears.
• Final days: light practice only. Check your device, browser, connection and a quiet space.

Read the instructions screen fully — the timer typically starts only when you begin the questions. Keep scrap paper and a basic calculator nearby if the invitation permits them. Eat beforehand, silence notifications and close other tabs.

If you have a disability or condition that affects timed testing, request reasonable adjustments from the employer before you start; extra time is commonly available when requested in advance. If something goes wrong technically, contact the employer's recruitment team promptly and read our notes on the SHL retake policy.

Many employers re-test successful candidates under supervision to confirm the original result. Your supervised score should be broadly consistent with your unsupervised one, so there is no benefit in anything other than honest, well-prepared effort.