Test formats by publisher
Talent Q-style practice
Adaptive numerical and verbal items with a clock on each.
Sample question: Talent Q-style numerical
| Region | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middle East | 310 | 341 | 351 | 344 |
| North America | 90 | 99 | 114 | 105 |
| Latin America | 160 | 168 | 210 | 231 |
What was the mean annual revenue for North America from 2020 to 2022?
Working: Add the 3 figures: 90 + 99 + 114 = 303. Divide by 3: 303 / 3 = £101m.
A common slip: divided by the wrong number of figures (£152m). Divide by the number of figures you added, which is 3 here.
Twelve shape-pattern questions in 15 minutes. The difficulty follows your answers.
Practise this format
Choose a format
- Logical reasoning (Talent Q-style)Twelve shape-pattern questions in 15 minutes. The difficulty follows your answers.
- Numerical reasoning, per-question clock (Talent Q-style)Twelve questions on data tables, each with its own clock: 90 seconds for the first question on a table, 75 for the next. Unused time is lost.
- Verbal reasoning, timed per passage (Talent Q-style)About 15 questions in groups of three on a passage. The first question on a passage gets 75 seconds, the follow-ups 60. Unused time is lost.
Need extra time or a different format? Every timed practice has 1.25x and 1.5x options. See reasonable adjustments.
About this test
The Bank of England's older candidate guidance described a blended online assessment: a situational judgement section, a personality questionnaire, and a timed cognitive section of numerical and verbal items on a single 21-minute screen timer. The cognitive part was run on the Talent Q Elements tests, and the practice site named for candidates carried their verbal and numerical samples.
Our preset follows the adaptive, per-item timing pattern published for the format and the layout the guidance describes, with data on the left and the question on the right. The guidance is from the 2017 to 2019 period. The bank's current page lists a situational judgement test, a video interview and a virtual assessment centre, and names no vendor, so treat this as a historic format. Check the firm page for the current stages.
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.
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.
- Official employer
The Bank of England's candidate guidance sheet describes three parts: a situational judgement test, a personality questionnaire, and a cognitive section of numerical and verbal items. Total allowance up to an hour.
Source · Older guidance, 2017 to 2019 period.
- Official employer
The cognitive section has 21 minutes in total with an on-screen timer. Candidates are told to have paper, pen and a calculator, and a laptop or PC is advised.
- Official employer
Numerical items show a table on the left with the question and options on the right. Verbal items show a passage on the left.
- Official employer
The bank described extra time from 25% up to 100% depending on severity, arranged through the assessment administrator.
Logical reasoning (Talent Q-style)
- Third-party
Twelve logical questions with a 15 minute limit
Source · Reported by prep sites. Some say about 75 seconds per question; the provider publishes neither.
- Third-party
A series of shapes and symbols; adaptive difficulty
- 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.
Numerical reasoning, per-question clock (Talent Q-style)
- Third-party
No overall clock. Each question has its own limit: 90 seconds for the first question on a table, 75 seconds for the following ones
Source · Reported by prep sites; no provider document found.
- Third-party
Twelve numerical questions
Source · Prep sites agree on twelve. The provider does not publish it.
- Candidate-reported
Three questions per data set
Source · Not confirmed by any source. It is Kvanta's choice to match the 90 and 75 second rule.
- Third-party
Unused time on a question is not carried forward
Source · Reported by prep sites: when the clock ends you are moved on.
- Near-official
Table of information on the left; question and answer options on the right; paper, pen and calculator needed
Source · From the Bank of England candidate guidance for the Korn Ferry Talent Q assessment.
- Third-party
Adaptive: difficulty follows your answers; up to 10 answer options
Source · Kvanta raises the number of options with the difficulty level.
Verbal reasoning, timed per passage (Talent Q-style)
- Official employer
The Bank of England used this provider's online tests in its 2017-19 guidance for candidates
Source · The guidance sheet does not give the per-question times below.
- Candidate-reported
Per-question clocks: about 75 seconds for the first question on a passage and about 60 seconds for follow-ups
Source · Candidate-reported and approximate. Not confirmed by the provider.
- Candidate-reported
About 15 questions, three per passage, not banked: time left on one question does not carry over
Source · Candidate-reported and approximate.
- Candidate-reported
Difficulty follows your answers
Source · Candidate-reported. Kvanta uses a simple difficulty staircase.
Questions people ask
Does the Bank of England still use this?
We cannot say. The guidance we have is from about 2017 to 2019. The bank's current page lists an online situational judgement test, a video interview with no re-records and a virtual assessment centre, and names no vendor. See the firm page.
What does an adaptive per-item format mean?
Each question has its own timer and later questions respond to how you did earlier. Unused time on one question does not carry over.
Do I need a calculator?
The older guidance tells candidates to have paper, pen and a calculator for numerical questions.
Can I get extra time?
The older guidance says yes for disabilities, from 25% up to 100% depending on severity. See our adjustments page.
Which other employers use it?
We found no other UK finance employer naming it on its own page.
Is this the real thing?
No. It is independent practice with original questions.
Independent practice. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Korn Ferry Talent Q, Talent Q and Korn Ferry.
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.