HSPT Verbal Skills: 60 questions in 16 minutes
Verbal Skills is the first and fastest HSPT section: 60 questions in 16 minutes, about 16 seconds each. It has five kinds of questions: verbal classification (which word does not belong), synonyms, logic (true, false or uncertain), analogies and antonyms.
Updated October 23, 2026 · by AdmitTest
The counts below are from the one sample form in STS's HSPT manual; STS describes the section as synonyms, antonyms, verbal analogies, verbal classifications and logical reasoning. The 16 minutes are from diocese pages. Every sample below is a practice question written by us; tap a choice to check.
| Kind of question | On the sample form |
|---|---|
| Verbal classification (which word does not belong) | 17 |
| Synonyms | 13 |
| Logic (true, false or uncertain) | 11 |
| Analogies | 10 |
| Antonyms | 9 |
Verbal classification: which word does not belong
Four words, three of which share something. Name what the three share in a few words ("tools for cutting"), then the fourth stands out. If two groupings seem to work, the one that fits three words most exactly wins.
Sample · Odd word out · written by AdmitTest
Which word does not belong with the others?
- crow
- sparrow
- robin
- bat
Answer: D. Crow, sparrow, and robin are birds. A bat flies too, but it is a mammal.
Synonyms
Say your own word for the question word before reading the choices, then pick the choice closest to yours. If the word is unfamiliar, think of where you have seen it ("a reluctant helper") and test each choice in that phrase.
Sample · Synonyms · written by AdmitTest
Courteous most nearly means
- rude
- fearful
- clumsy
- polite
Answer: D. Courteous means polite and respectful, so the best match is "polite." Example: "The courteous clerk thanked every customer."
Antonyms
The same method, with an opposite. The usual trap is a choice that means the same as the word: read the question word carefully, synonym or antonym.
Sample · Antonyms · written by AdmitTest
Humble means the opposite of
- honest
- modest
- grateful
- arrogant
Answer: D. Humble means modest, not proud, so its opposite is "arrogant." Example: "Even after winning, she stayed humble." Watch out: "modest" means about the same as humble, not the opposite.
Analogies
Turn the first pair into a short sentence ("a pilot flies a plane"), then put the third word into the same sentence and find the word that completes it. If more than one choice fits, make the sentence more exact.
Sample · Analogies · written by AdmitTest
Thermometer is to temperature as scale is to
- balance
- fish
- weight
- height
Answer: C. A thermometer measures temperature, and a scale measures weight. A balance is another weighing tool, not what is measured, and height is measured with a ruler.
Logic: true, false or uncertain
Two or three statements, then a conclusion with three answers. Accept the statements as true and ignore what you know about the real world. Ask: is the conclusion forced? Then true. Is it impossible? Then false. Neither? Uncertain. A quick line or sketch ("Ann > Ben > Cal") settles most of them.
Sample · Verbal logic · written by AdmitTest
Kira is taller than Opal. Kira is taller than Bea. Bea is shorter than Opal. If the first two statements are true, the third is
- true
- false
- uncertain
Answer: C. The first two statements tell us: Kira is taller than Opal; Kira is taller than Bea. They never compare Bea and Opal, so either one could be taller. The third statement is uncertain.
Pacing: 16 seconds a question
This is the tightest clock on the HSPT. Vocabulary questions are answered in a few seconds or not at all, so answer what you know at once, make a best guess on the rest (there is no penalty for a wrong answer), and save the time for logic questions, which need a few seconds of thought. With a minute left, every remaining question gets an answer.
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How many questions are in HSPT Verbal Skills?
60 questions in 16 minutes. On the sample form in STS's manual: verbal classification 17, synonyms 13, logic 11, analogies 10 and antonyms 9.
How do you answer HSPT verbal logic questions?
Treat the statements as true, even if they sound odd, and ask two questions in order: does the conclusion have to be true? Then it is true. Is it impossible? Then it is false. If neither, the answer is uncertain.
How can my child improve HSPT vocabulary?
Daily reading, and learning words in families: a root such as 'bene' (good) opens benefit, benevolent and beneficial at once. For the test itself, practice saying your own synonym or opposite before reading the choices.