kvanta

Test formats by publisher

SHL-style test practice

Adaptive numerical, verbal, inductive, deductive and scenario formats.

Sample question: SHL-style numerical

Norcastle Partners: Revenue by region. All figures in GBP millions (£m).
Region2021202220232024
North America440396495594
Middle East470517558580
Africa550605726726

What percentage of total revenue in 2024 came from Middle East? Round to the nearest whole number.

Working: Total for 2024 = 1,900. Middle East = 580. Share = 580 / 1,900 × 100 = 31% (rounded).

A common slip: divided by the largest figure instead of the total (80%). The share is always measured against the total.

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Up to 15 pattern questions in 18 minutes. Pick the figure that completes the series or the matrix.

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Need extra time or a different format? Every timed practice has 1.25x and 1.5x options. See reasonable adjustments.

About this test

This family of tests covers adaptive numerical, verbal, inductive and deductive reasoning, interactive versions with charts and spreadsheets, a combined general-ability test and a situational judgement test called Graduate Scenarios. PwC UK, NatWest and Standard Chartered name this publisher on their own pages, and KPMG links its practice tests.

Our presets follow the counts and timings in the publisher's fact sheets. We cannot reproduce their adaptive scoring, so we show an estimated band against Kvanta players. The sources below say which figures are published.

What we know about this format

Each point carries a badge showing where it comes from. Where only candidates have reported something, the badge says so.

42 sourced points: 29 vendor-published, 2 academic, 4 official employer, 7 third-party.

What do the confidence badges mean?
  • Vendor-published Stated in the test publisher's own document or practice site.
  • Academic From peer-reviewed research.
  • Official employer Stated on the employer's own page.
  • Near-official Near-official: an employer-run practice portal, or a vendor or employer-quoted press release naming the employer.
  • Candidate-reported Reported by candidates. Treat as likely but unconfirmed.
  • Third-party From prep sites, press or forums. Not confirmed by the employer or publisher.
  • Vendor-published

    Numerical: up to 16 items in 20 minutes. Verbal: up to 18 in 15 minutes. Both adaptive.

    Source · Verbal fact sheet is a separate PDF.

  • Vendor-published

    Interactive numerical: up to 10 items in 18 minutes. Interactive inductive: up to 15 in 18. Interactive deductive: up to 12 in 18.

    Source

  • Vendor-published

    General-ability test: 30 items (10 numerical, 10 deductive, 10 inductive) in 36 minutes, or 24 items in 36 in the interactive version.

    Source · Interactive version fact sheet is a separate PDF.

  • Vendor-published

    Graduate Scenarios: 14 scenarios, 70 rating items, untimed, about 25 minutes.

    Source

  • Vendor-published

    Reports give a percentile against a named comparison group and an A to E grade. Negative marking and calculator policy are not officially documented.

    Source

  • Official employer

    PwC UK says its online assessments and video interview run on the SHL platform. NatWest names SHL as its assessment partner. Standard Chartered's FAQ says its Skills Insight Assessment is provided by SHL (behavioural skills, then deductive, inductive and numerical reasoning in 36 minutes).

    Source · Also https://jobs.natwestgroup.com/pages/early-talent-application-process and https://www.sc.com/en/global-careers/early-careers/faq/. The PwC and NatWest pages blocked automated access, so they were read from archived copies.

Interactive deductive reasoning (SHL-style)

Last verified 2026-10-09

  • Vendor-published

    Up to 12 questions in 18 minutes; evaluate arguments and complete scenarios

    Source · Kvanta builds scheduling and ordering puzzles with exactly one solution each.

  • Vendor-published

    The test is adaptive

    Source · Kvanta uses a simple difficulty staircase over five levels.

  • Vendor-published

    Interactive versions use partial scoring

    Source

  • Vendor-published

    Results are reported as a percentile against a named comparison group; Kvanta shows an estimated band against Kvanta players instead

    Source · Kvanta never shows an SHL percentile or grade. Its band is a rough guide against our own users and appears only once enough people have taken the test.

Interactive G+ (SHL-style)

Last verified 2026-10-09

  • Vendor-published

    The interactive G+ is 24 questions in 36 minutes

    Source

  • Vendor-published

    G+ covers numerical, deductive and inductive reasoning; multiple choice, or drag and drop in the interactive version

    Source

  • Vendor-published

    The 30-question multiple-choice G+ (10 numerical, 10 deductive, 10 inductive in 36 minutes) is also published

    Source · Kvanta offers it as a separate preset: Verify G+ multiple choice.

  • Third-party

    8 questions per section is Kvanta's even split of the 24

    Source · The provider does not publish the per-section split for the interactive version.

  • Vendor-published

    The tests are adaptive

    Source · Kvanta runs a separate difficulty staircase inside each section.

G+ multiple choice (SHL-style)

Last verified 2026-10-09

  • Vendor-published

    30 questions (10 numerical, 10 deductive, 10 inductive) in 36 minutes

    Source

  • Vendor-published

    Multiple choice

    Source

Inductive reasoning, multiple choice (SHL-style)

Last verified 2026-10-09

  • Vendor-published

    Up to 15 questions in 18 minutes; shape and letter or number sequences

    Source · This is the multiple-choice version of the interactive format described in the fact sheet.

  • Vendor-published

    Verify G+ questions are multiple choice, or drag and drop in the interactive version

    Source

Interactive inductive reasoning (SHL-style)

Last verified 2026-10-09

  • Vendor-published

    Interactive versions use drag and drop and partial scoring

    Source · Kvanta builds the answer by tapping cells rather than dragging, with the same idea.

Numerical reasoning (SHL-style)

Last verified 2026-10-09

  • Vendor-published

    Up to 16 questions in 20 minutes

    Source · The fact sheet says up to 16; prep sites say the average candidate sees 18 to 20 across versions.

  • Vendor-published

    Multiple choice on percentages, fractions, ratios, basic geometry and probability; all data given in the question; no number series or advanced statistics

    Source

  • Vendor-published

    The test is adaptive: the questions you see depend on how you answered

    Source · Kvanta uses a simple up-one, down-one difficulty staircase over five levels. The real engine is not public.

  • Third-party

    Five answer options per question

    Source · The provider does not publish the option count. Five is a common figure on prep sites.

  • Third-party

    Calculator hint shown; no penalty for wrong answers

    Source · Calculator and negative-marking policy are not officially documented. Check your invitation.

Interactive numerical reasoning (SHL-style)

Last verified 2026-10-09

  • Vendor-published

    Up to 10 questions in 18 minutes

    Source

  • Vendor-published

    Activity-based: build charts and graphs, fill in spreadsheets

    Source

  • Vendor-published

    Interactive tests use partial scoring

    Source · How partial credit is worked out is not public. Kvanta gives credit in proportion to the parts you got right.

  • Third-party

    Calculator hint shown

    Source · Calculator policy is not officially documented. Check your invitation.

Verbal reasoning (SHL-style)

Last verified 2026-10-09

  • Vendor-published

    Up to 18 items in 15 minutes

    Source · Fact sheet for the current verbal ability test.

  • Vendor-published

    Adaptive: each question is drawn from a bank according to your earlier answers

    Source · Kvanta does not let you go back, because the next question depends on your last answer.

  • Vendor-published

    Passage-based questions testing main idea, tone and author intent

    Source · Kvanta questions are True / False / Cannot say statements about a passage, which is the older format of this test.

  • Third-party

    True / False / Cannot say statements on a passage

    Source · Reported by a prep site for the older version of this test.

  • Vendor-published

    Real results are percentiles against a named comparison group, with an A to E grade

    Source · Kvanta shows your points and, once enough people have taken it, a band against Kvanta users only.

Graduate scenarios, rate the actions (SHL-style)

Last verified 2026-10-09

  • Vendor-published

    14 scenarios, 70 rating items, untimed, about 25 minutes

    Source · Kvanta scenarios may have four or five actions, so the item total can differ.

  • Official employer

    NatWest describes 14 scenarios where you rate each statement as more or less effective, untimed, about 20 to 25 minutes

    Source

  • Official employer

    Four-point effectiveness scale: Counterproductive, Ineffective, Partially effective, Effective

    Source · The Civil Service version says Fairly effective. The vendor's own labels are not published, so Partially effective is Kvanta's wording.

  • Academic

    Partial credit by distance from the keyed answer: each option scores 4 minus its distance from the key, never below 0, with no negative marking

    Source · This is the public near-miss method from medical selection. No employer publishes its own marks.

  • Academic

    Correcting ratings for how lenient or varied a person's answers are improves how well the test predicts performance

    Source · Kvanta shows both the raw and the corrected score.

SHL-style on-demand video interview

Last verified 2026-10-09

  • Official employer

    PwC UK says it does not use AI to assess candidates' performance in its video assessments

    Source · Taken from the research brief. The page returned an error to our automated check on 2026-10-09, so re-check it by hand.

  • Third-party

    Pre-set questions answered on video, with no live interviewer, is the general on-demand pattern; format specifics for this platform are not published

    Kvanta follows the general pattern.

  • Third-party

    4 questions, 30 seconds think, 2 minutes per answer, one re-record

    Not published for this platform. Kvanta default.

Questions people ask

Which employers use this publisher?

PwC UK, NatWest and Standard Chartered name it on their own pages. KPMG links its practice tests but does not name the live vendor. The firm pages give the exact wording and source for each.

Are the tests adaptive?

The reasoning tests are, which means the questions depend on your earlier answers and the score is an ability estimate. We use a difficulty staircase to mimic the experience.

What are the time limits?

Published figures are up to 16 items in 20 minutes for numerical, up to 18 in 15 for verbal, and 18 minutes for each interactive test. Your invitation is authoritative.

Can I go back to a question?

The publisher does not document it generally. Check the instructions and your invitation. Our presets follow the navigation rules in the preset source log.

What do the grades mean?

Reports compare you with a named comparison group and give a percentile with an A to E grade. We cannot reproduce that, so we show a band against Kvanta users, labelled not official.

Do I need a calculator?

Many invitations say so. Policy is not officially documented, so follow your instructions.

Is this the real test?

No. It is independent practice built from public fact sheets, with original questions.

Where this appears in firm processes

  • PwC UK Online assessments (behavioural, then cognitive) Official employer
  • KPMG UK Online assessments (skills, then cognitive) Official employer
  • Standard Chartered Skills Insight Assessment Official employer

See all firm pages. Check your own invitation, because processes change each cycle.

Independent practice. Not affiliated with or endorsed by SHL.

Practice builds familiarity. Reasoning scores improve with practice, though the gains level off after a few sittings, and nothing here predicts a real score. Our results are shown against Kvanta users only, never as an official score.

Use Kvanta to practise and learn. In a live assessment, do not use AI tools, notes or another person unless the employer says you may. Read our approach to integrity.