Prep for the Wonderlic Basic Skills Test
What is the Wonderlic Basic Skills Test?
The WBST is exactly what it sounds like–a basic skills test. It contains questions on rudimentary high school-level mathematics and verbal reasoning skills in order to evaluate how well you’ve acquired general knowledge and fundamental life skills through your education.
Is the WBST Required?
Yes, we require all applicants to take this assessment. The WBST is given to students during the application process to determine whether applicants have the essential skills they’ll need to either perform well in an office or engage in more intensive training in the pursuit of a certain career path.
Is the WBST Timed?
Yes, the WBST is a timed test. You’ll be given 40 minutes to complete 90 questions divided into two separate sections. Each section lasts 20 minutes.
What Subjects are Covered?
Verbal
Grammar: Identifying errors, verb tenses, pronoun-antecedent agreement and capitalization
Sentence Construction: Rearranging words to form a sentence
Vocabulary: Completing sentences with the proper word, defining given vocabulary words
Information Retrieval: Recording important facts
Reading Comprehension: Answering basic questions about a short text
Quantitative
Numbers & Operations: Performing basic operations using addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
Fractions: Comparing and manipulating fractions
Algebra: Writing and solving simple one-variable equations
Geometry & Measurement: Finding perimeter, area, distance and angle measurements
Data Interpretation: Reading graphs & charts
Applied Word Problems: Calculating rates, time, percentages, ratios and decimals
Applied Business Problems
How Many Questions Are There?
In the first section, you’ll be given 50 multiple choice questions on reading and language. In the second section, you’ll be asked to complete 40 questions on basic mathematics and numerical reasoning.
Test Tips
- Test questions are multiple-choice and using the process of elimination to find the correct answer choice is highly recommended
- You are unable to skip test questions
- If you are unsure of an answer to a question, it is best to make an educated guess
- Make sure you practice time management during the exam and complete all questions in the allotted time period
- It is best to plug in your answer choice to verify accuracy during the math section of the test
- BREATH. Our admissions application is multifactorial and a low WBST score will not automatically disqualify you from consideration
Sample Test Questions
Verbal Practice Questions
Choose the verb that correctly completes the sentence.
Have you _______________ the painting yet?
A. Finish
B. Finishes
C. Finishing
D. Finished
Which of the underlined portions, if any, contains an error?
Because they were feeling sick, I don’t send them to school today; maybe tomorrow they will be feeling better.
A. They were feeling
B. I don’t send
C. They will be feeling
D. No error
Choose the word that best completes the sentence.
We waited downstairs for 10 minutes. At last, the _______________ arrived, and we rode it up to the tenth floor.
A. Bus
B. Package
C. Elevator
D. Neighbors
1. D
2. B
3. C
Quantitative Practice Questions
56 ÷ 4 =
A. 16
B. 9
C. 14
D. 23
The 5:15 train takes 2 hours and 10 minutes to arrive at Graystone. Today the train will be 15 minutes late. What is the train’s new arrival time?
A. 7:15
B. 7:05
C. 7:25
D. 7:40
Use this chart for the following question.
POPULATION-SELECTED CITIES & VILLAGES
Ashdown…………………………5,150
Batesville…………………………9,187
Crossett…………………………6,282
Herber Springs…………………………5,628
Pocahontas…………………………6,151
Wynne…………………………8,817
About 2/5 of the people in Ashdown were watching the Ashdown Athletes last Friday. How many people watched the Athletes on Friday?
A. 206
B. 248
C. 2,480
D. 2,060
- C
- D
- D
How to Overcome Test Anxiety
References
- Wonderlic (2014). Wonderlic Basic Skills Test Sample Questions. Wonderlic Inc.
- Wonderlic (2013). Sample Individual Performance Report. Wonderlic Inc.
- Wonderlic Basic Skills Test: Sample Questions. (2022). Wonderlic Test Prep. Retrieved May 13, 2022, from https://www.wonderlictestprep.com/wonderlic-basic-skills-test