Information Regarding the
Practice Test for the
Graduate Recruitment Test (GRT)

Produced by the
Personnel Psychology Centre
Public Service Commission of Canada

The GRT Practice Test is interactive and requires that your browser be Javascript enabled.

For those of you who do not have JavaScript compatibility you must:

1. Print the practice test on the following page.
2. Write your answers
3. Click here for the answers and explanations.

The GRT practice test was produced to help familiarize you with the types of questions used in the actual test. It contains the same 4 question types: similarities, arithmetic problems, figure analogies and number series. Answering these questions will give you a good idea of what to expect on the GRT. However, you may find the practice test to be a little easier than the actual test.

The practice test is shorter than the actual GRT. It contains 40 questions compared to 55 questions in the actual test. To simulate actual test conditions, you should allow yourself 65 minutes to do the practice test (the time limit for the test itself is 90 minutes). You should do the practice test without a calculator as calculators are not permitted in the testing session.

Because the practice test is interactive, the scoring will be done automatically for you when you press the "WHAT'S MY SCORE" button at the end of the practice test. When you press the "WHAT'S MY SCORE" a new window will open containing your results along with the correct answers to the questions. After you exit the result window, you are returned to the practice test. The questions you answered correctly will be preceded by a checkmark. Where no check marks appear beside questions, you answered incorrectly.

LAST-MINUTE CHECKLIST

• Know the exact date, time and location of the test administration session.
• Bring to the test session:
  • your Post-Secondary Recruitment Number,
  • your Personal Record Identifier (if you have one) and
  • one piece of signature identification.
• You may also wish to bring a watch

ACCOMMODATION CAN BE MADE FOR CANDIDATES WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

If you have a disability that might interfere with your test performance, you should inform the test organizers well in advance so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

NOTE: The appropriateness of test conditions is not affected by whether or not a candidate takes the practice test before taking the Graduate Recruitment Test (GRT).

TAKING THE GRT: TEST-TAKING TIPS AND INFORMATION

• For each question in the GRT, your task is to find the correct answer from among the five alternatives provided. You will indicate your choice by clicking the circle with the number that corresponds to your choice.

  Example:

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  Note: In the actual testing session, you will indicate your answer on an answer sheet by filling in completely the circle corresponding to your answer choice. Example:

• Pace yourself. Since each question is worth one point, try to answer as many of the questions as you can. Your score will be the total number of correct answers you have chosen. While estimating the average amount of time to be spent on each question is useful, you should note that the questions on the actual test are increasingly more difficult toward the end, and, therefore, may require more time to solve.
• You should read the questions completely and look at all of the answer choices before choosing an answer. It is often a mistake to think that because the first or second answer choice looks good to you that it is correct.
• If you wish to change your answer, click on your new choice
• When you are not sure of the right answer to a difficult question, guess. No points are deducted for incorrect answers. To improve your chances of choosing the correct alternative, try first to eliminate the answer choices that clearly seem to be wrong.
• Use all the time available. If you have time to spare, review your answers to those questions you found most difficult. You may also check to ensure that all your answers are entered correctly on the answer sheet.
• You will require rough paper when you do this practice test (rough paper will be provided at the time of the real test). Please note that calculators are not allowed during the test.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS

There are four types of questions in this test: similarities, arithmetic problems, figure analogies and number series. You will find that the rough paper will be particularly useful for the arithmetic problems and the number series.

SIMILARITIES

In each similarity question, five pairs of words are given. Your task is to select from among them the pair that refers most directly to a single more general concept. Each member of the pair should be an example of this concept. Try to find this pair in the following example:

Question 1

Among these five pairs, pair (2), CARROT - ONION, refers most directly to the same concept, the concept of vegetables (or garden products). Therefore, you would click on the circle number 2 as illustrated below.

Each of the other four pairs of words may also refer to a common concept:

DRIVER and AUTOMOBILE both refer to driving;

AUTOMOBILE and CARROT are consumer goods;

ONION and CLOUD both contain water;

CLOUD and DRIVER are things that move.

In each case, however, the reference is less direct and the similarity is weaker than for CARROT - ONION.

Note that opposites refer to a single concept. LOW - HIGH, for example, refers to the concept of height. Note also that an association between two things does not necessarily mean that they are highly similar (DRIVER - AUTOMOBILE in the above example).

ARITHMETIC PROBLEMS

For the arithmetic questions, your task is to determine the formula for solving a problem and then to choose the correct formula among the five proposed. Try this example:

Question 2

An employee worked 11 hours in a day; 7 1/2 hours were regular hours and the rest was overtime, for which she received payment at time and a half. If she was paid $112 for the day, what was her regular rate per hour?

The employee is paid for 7.5 hours in regular time and for 1.5 × 3.5 hours for her overtime. The total number of paid hours is 7.5 +1.5 × 3.5. The regular rate is the amount paid for the day, $112, divided by the total number of hours paid. Therefore, you would click circle number 3.

FIGURE ANALOGIES

Each figure analogy question consists of eight figures: figures X, Y and Z on the left-hand side of the page, and figures (1) to (5) on the right-hand side of the page.

Figure X has been changed in some way to make figure Y. Figure Z has been changed in exactly the same way to make one of the five numbered figures on the right. Find the answer for the following example:

Question 3

In this example, figure X is a large triangle containing a small triangle. To make Y, a small triangle, the outer triangle of X was removed. Figure Z is a large square containing a small square. By changing Z in the same way that X was changed, we obtain figure (1), the small square of Z. Therefore, you would click circle number 1.

NUMBER SERIES

Each number series question presents a series of numbers that you must complete by adding a new number. Find the rule which has been used to make up the series and apply this rule to complete the series correctly. Answer choices appear after the series on the same line.

Try the following example:

Question 4

3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18,

In this example, each number of the series is the preceding number plus three. The number that completes the series correctly is obtained by adding 3 to 18. Therefore, 21 is the correct answer and you would click circle number 3.

You should provide yourself 65 minutes to answer as many questions as you can. If you complete the practice test before the time is up, check over your answers.

CLICK HERE FOR THE PRACTICE TEST