Free-Text Questions

Free-text questions (also called "best answer" questions) make up approximately half of the Verbal Reasoning subtest. Unlike True/False/Can't Tell questions, where you evaluate a single statement, free-text questions ask you to select the best answer from four options. These questions test a broader range of reading comprehension skills, including identifying main ideas, making inferences, understanding author intent, and drawing conclusions.

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Question Format

Each free-text question presents:

• A passage of text (shared with 3 other questions)
• A question stem
• Four answer options (A, B, C, D)

You must select the single best answer. There is always one clearly correct answer, though distractors are designed to be plausible.

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Types of Free-Text Questions

Type 1: Main Idea Questions

What they ask: What is the main point, purpose, or argument of the passage (or a section of it)?

Typical question stems:

• "What is the main argument of this passage?"
• "Which of the following best summarises the passage?"
• "The primary purpose of the passage is to..."
• "The passage is mainly about..."

Strategy:

• The main idea is the overarching point that the entire passage supports
• Eliminate options that are too narrow (focusing on a single detail) or too broad (going beyond what the passage discusses)
• The main idea is often (but not always) stated or implied in the first or last paragraph

Worked Example

Passage excerpt:

"Urban green spaces — parks, gardens, tree-lined streets — are increasingly recognised as essential infrastructure for modern cities. Research has shown that access to green spaces reduces stress, encourages physical activity, and improves air quality. Cities that invest in green infrastructure also tend to see higher property values, reduced urban heat island effects, and stronger community cohesion. However, the benefits of green spaces are not equally distributed; wealthier neighbourhoods typically have more and better-maintained parks than lower-income areas, raising important questions about environmental justice."

Question: What is the main argument of this passage?

• A) Green spaces are primarily an economic asset that increases property values
• B) Green spaces provide multiple benefits to cities but their distribution raises equity concerns
• C) Lower-income areas should receive more funding for parks
• D) Research has proven that green spaces improve physical health

Answer: B — This captures the full arc of the passage: green spaces have benefits (multiple types are listed) AND there is an equity problem. Option A is too narrow (only mentions property values). Option C is a recommendation not made by the passage. Option D is too narrow (only mentions physical health, and "proven" is stronger than what the passage claims).

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Type 2: Specific Detail Questions

What they ask: What specific fact, figure, or detail does the passage state?

Typical question stems:

• "According to the passage, what is/was..."
• "The passage states that..."
• "Which of the following is mentioned in the passage?"

Strategy:

• These are the most straightforward questions — the answer is directly stated in the passage
• Scan for the relevant detail using keywords from the question
• Be careful about distractor options that change a number, date, or name slightly

Worked Example

Passage excerpt:

"The Great Fire of London broke out on 2 September 1666 in a bakery on Pudding Lane. Over the course of four days, the fire destroyed approximately 13,200 houses, 87 churches, and the old St Paul's Cathedral. Despite the scale of destruction, recorded deaths were remarkably low — officially only six people were confirmed killed, although the true figure is likely much higher as deaths among the poor and homeless were not recorded."

Question: According to the passage, how many churches were destroyed?

• A) 13,200
• B) 6
• C) 87
• D) The passage does not specify

Answer: C — The passage explicitly states "87 churches." Option A is the number of houses. Option B is the number of recorded deaths. Option D is incorrect because the passage does specify.

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Type 3: Inference Questions

What they ask: What can be logically inferred or deduced from the passage?

Typical question stems:

• "It can be inferred from the passage that..."
• "The passage implies that..."
• "Based on the passage, which of the following is most likely true?"
• "The author would most likely agree that..."

Strategy:

• An inference is a conclusion that logically follows from the passage but is not explicitly stated
• The correct inference requires only a small logical step from the passage content
• If an inference requires a large logical leap or external knowledge, it is probably wrong
• "Can be inferred" is different from "can be speculated" — inferences must be well-supported

Worked Example

Passage excerpt:

"Between 2010 and 2020, the number of people using public libraries in the UK fell by approximately 30%. During the same period, over 800 library branches were closed due to funding cuts. However, digital library services — including e-book loans and online databases — saw usage increase by over 200%."

Question: It can be inferred from the passage that:

• A) Physical library buildings are no longer needed
• B) People have stopped reading entirely
• C) The decline in physical library use may partly reflect a shift to digital alternatives
• D) Government funding for libraries has increased

Answer: C — Physical library use fell while digital library services grew, suggesting some users shifted from physical to digital. Option A is too extreme (some decline does not mean they are unneeded). Option B is contradicted by the growth in digital usage. Option D is contradicted by the mention of funding cuts.

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Type 4: Author's Intent Questions

What they ask: Why did the author include a particular detail, phrase, or example?