EIAT Verbal Test Section Guide (Updated for 2024)

Verbal Reasoning is one of the three sections of the EIAT (Elevator Industry Aptitude Test), an important step on your way to becoming an elevator mechanic, alongside the math section and the mechanical aptitude section. It contains 25-35 questions to be solved in 30 minutes. Answering these questions requires a rich vocabulary and the ability to understand long and complex sentences under a time limit.

Candidates often neglect this section because of two misconceptions:

  • It isn’t as difficult as the math and mechanical aptitude sections.
  • There is no point; after all, how much can you possibly improve your vocabulary in just several weeks?

The following guide will give you all the information needed for acing the EIAT Verbal Reasoning section, even with a short time to prep, including sample EIAT verbal questions and tips for receiving a high score.

What Is the EIAT Verbal Reasoning Test?

The EIAT verbal Reasoning section contains 25-35 questions that cover two main topics:

  • Vocabulary
  • Sentence Completion

The entire EIAT test has a limited time of around 1.5, so it takes approximately 30 minutes to complete this section.

 


What Is the Difference Between Vocabulary and Sentence Completion?

While vocabulary and sentence completion questions are often very similar in structure, they measure different metrics:

    • Vocabulary questions assess your understanding of the meaning of words.
    • Sentence completion questions assess your understanding of more complex language concepts, such as grammar and context.

EIAT Vocabulary Questions [+Samples]

Vocabulary questions require you to identify the correct word out of multiple options. Having a broad vocabulary is crucial for all the questions in this section, but the vocabulary-type questions aim to assess your familiarity with the meaning of words within or without their context.

To achieve a high score in the vocabulary questions, you are required not only to know the meaning of given words, but to recognize unrelated words to eliminate, and to pay attention to the fine details that differentiate them from their synonyms, antonyms, and other related words.

Properly preparing for the verbal section in the time frame the EIAT test allows is not an easy task, but with the proper studying methods, definitely achievable.

EIAT Vocabulary Sample Question #1

As part of its new curriculum, the school offered special afternoon music lessons to _____ musical students.

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The correct answer is nurture, which means to support and encourage.

All other options do not fit the sentence:

  • To augment means to enlarge.
  • To compliment means to say something nice to someone. (Not to be confused with complement!)
  • To deter means to discourage someone from acting a certain way.

Note that, while a compliment is a flattering remark, to complement (with an e) means to complete or to match well with something.

EIAT Vocabulary Sample Question #2

Colorful and _____ outfits were worn by carnival participants in the main parade crossing the capital city.

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If you are familiar with the meaning of all these words, then you probably know the correct answer.

Even if you are not, there are several clues in both the sentence and answer options that can help you to eliminate wrong answers:

  • The word 'and' suggests that the missing word should bear the same “spirit” as the word colorful. The words dull and somber are of an opposite spirit to colorful, so they are eliminated.
  • The missing word should be an adjective as it refers to outfits, which are a noun. The suffix “-ence” informs us that indolence is a noun and not an adjective. Therefore, it is also eliminated.

EIAT Sentence Completion Questions [+Samples]

Sentence completion questions usually require you to complete more than one missing word in a sentence. Though they also rely on your vocabulary, these types of questions also assess your reading comprehension and ability to identify words that bear the correct meaning according to the sentence’s logic.

EIAT Sentence Completion Sample Question #1

Although she _____ a lot for the competition, she felt very _____ as she waited in line to begin her routine.

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'To practice' means to do something again and again in order to improve. 'Queasy' means feeling sick or nauseated, sometimes as a result of being nervous.

In this sentence, it is important to pay attention to the signal word 'although', which suggests that this is a contrast question. In other words, the correct pair of words will represent two conflicting ideas.

This is the case with the words 'practice' and 'queasy' as the former represents confidence and the latter nervousness. The completed sentence is conveying the idea that despite having every reason to be confident, given her practice, she still felt uneasy about her upcoming performance.

EIAT Sentence Completion Sample Question #2

When _____ employees, it is _____ for the recruiter to evaluate candidates' character.

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We can see that answer options A and C are the only ones forming a logical and meaningful sentence:

  • When grading employees, it is not important for the recruiter to evaluate candidates' character. This is untrue as it naturally is important to evaluate character when grading employees in a hiring process.
  • When talking to employees, it is not necessary for the recruiter to evaluate candidates' character. This option creates an incoherent sentence.
  • When filtering employees, it is equivalent for the recruiter to evaluate candidates' character. This is an incoherent sentence as well.

Although both sentences D and E are logical and coherent, only one of them can be the correct answer.

So, which one is it?

The answer can be found when we closely look at the sentence.

The word 'recruiter' reveals that the sentence deals with recruitment – i.e. the selection of new employees. As such, it cannot possibly be dealing with promoting existing employees.

The correct answer is, therefore, A.

Methods for solving sentence completion questions on the EIAT can usually be narrowed down into a list of basic rules. These will not always lead you to the correct answer but can help you eliminate options and substantially increase your score.


Tips to Ace Your Verbal Reasoning Section EIAT Test

Preparedness is key when applying for any job, this one is no exception. Studying beforehand for the different sections of the aptitude test, as well as for the oral interview, will give you the edge over other candidates! Here are a few helpful tips:

 

  • Be patient - Even though you'll be feeling the time crunch, it's always better to read the sentence carefully, pay attention to every word, and ensure you understand the sentence's meaning before choosing your answer. However, because the test is time-limited and the EIAT score is based on the number of correct answers, it is better to guess than leave a question blank.
  • Rely on logic - The sentence has to make sense; therefore, you can rule out the words that don't fit the sentence's logic. This makes an easy elimination when you have two words to complete because both should match the sentence's meaning.
  • Notice the 'ANDs' - An 'and' before the blank indicates that the missing word is similar to the word before it in context or meaning.

The Complete EIAT Test Preparation Pack

 

The Most Accurate EIAT Verbal Reasoning Practice Tests with 2 full-length EIAT test simulations.

5 additional Verbal Reasoning practice drills tailored for sharpening each skill – Grammar, Spelling, and Vocabulary.

Detailed answers and explanations to all the Numerical Reasoning practice questions.

 

You can also take a free EIAT sample test or check out our Complete EIAT Test Guide PDF.