Last updated: October 2, 2026 | Trusted by thousands worldwide.
The Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Test is a critical assessment used by employers in the law field to evaluate candidates' critical thinking and reasoning abilities. Featuring 40 multiple-choice questions to be completed in 30 minutes, the test is divided into five sections, all covered in this free Watson Glaser sample test.
The Watson and Glaser test is known for its difficulty. It challenges candidates, and to stand out in the hiring process, a score of 33 - 34 will place you in the top 80% for the most competitive job opportunities.
This Watson Glaser sample test is your first step toward mastering each section and scoring in the top percentiles!
Maya, Psychometric Test Developer at JobTestPrep
Hi, I’m Maya Strauss. I hold a B.A. in Psychology and have extensive experience in education and content development. I specialize in offering insights and tips for various assessments, as well as creating test questions for our PrepPacks.
The Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA) serves as a pre-employment assessment aimed at evaluating the reasoning and critical thinking abilities of candidates.
Comprising 40 multiple-choice questions, this test is to be completed within a 30-minute timeframe. It encompasses five distinct sections:
You can visit our tailored materials that provide an overview of each section, including free sample question for each: Inference, interpretation, deduction, arguments, and assumptions.
Get access to over 600 practice questions in a fully adaptive PrepPack that pinpoints your level, adjusts to your progress, and builds a study plan around your test date - everything you need to prepare for WG-II and WG-III with the Watson Glaser Test PrepPack.
Welcome to your Watson Glaser sample test!
This page includes 15 practice questions designed to help you prepare for each section of the test. Along with the questions, you'll find valuable tips for tackling every part of the exam, plus a complete guide to help you navigate the test with confidence and improve your performance.
Easily Navigate Our Free Watson Glaser Sample Test
Assessment of Inferences • Recognition of Assumptions
• Deduction • Interpretation • Evaluation of Arguments
We'll start with the first part of the Watson Glaser test, called Inference.
In this part, you'll see exercises that start with a set of facts you should believe are true. After each set of facts, there will be different possible conclusions or inferences that could be made based on these facts. You have to look at each conclusion one by one and decide how true or false it is.
Read the text provided and then decide if each statement below is somewhat true or false based on what the text says.
United Bank is concerned about the increasing media coverage of suspicions of corruption among its top management staff. The VP of finance was accused of embezzling ten million dollars, for which the maximum penalty is eight years in prison. The bank's attorneys advised management to offer him a plea bargain according to which he will admit to the crime, return the money plus compensation, and serve one year of community service. The VP of finance is reluctant to accept, pleading his innocence.
Statement: The plea bargain will enable the VP of finance to clear his name.
Wrong
Wrong
Wrong
Wrong
Correct!
The correct answer is: False
One of the plea bargain's components is the admission of guilt. Admitting guilt will surely not clear the VP's name. On the contrary- it will mark him as "guilty" and damage his good name. On the side of the VP, the advantage of the bargain is only the chance to minimize his penalty and to avoid incarceration, rather than clearing his name. Therefore, the statement is false beyond reasonable doubt.
Retailer groups opposed to Visa and MasterCard’s $7.25 billion settlement of a lawsuit over merchant credit card fees said they had garnered support from about 1,200 businesses covered by the deal. These groups urged U.S. District Judge in Brooklyn not to grant initial approval to the settlement. However, the ruling will probably be in its favor. That could end seven years of litigation over an alleged conspiracy by the card companies and banks to fix the fees that retailers are charged when customers pay with cards.
Statement: The judge thinks that a conspiracy between the credit card companies has not occurred.
Wrong
Wrong
Correct!
Wrong
Wrong
The correct answer is: Insufficient Data
There are possible reasons for the judge to rule in favor of a settlement that has nothing to do with the judge’s opinion on the case, like wanting to avoid further costs for both sides in an already long and expensive process. The text does not provide any information regarding the judge’s beliefs. Therefore, the answer is "Insufficient Data."
A psychologist was approached by an alarmed mother who complained that her daughter had been bullied when a child threw a fist-full of leaves in her face. Asked if her daughter was upset, the mother answered: "No, she just brushed the leaves off and told me they were having fun". The psychologist emphasized the need to draw a distinction between behavior that is harmless, behavior that is rude, and behavior that is characteristic of bullying, and concluded this was not a case of bullying.
Statement: Had the girl been hurt by the child, even accidentally, that would constitute behavior that is characteristic of bullying.
Wrong
Wrong
Wrong
Correct!
Wrong
The correct answer is: Probably False
We have no definition of bullying in the passage. Thus, we cannot decide whether accidental hurt would be considered bullying or not (in terms of distinct true and false). However, in this section, you are allowed to use your common knowledge, and common knowledge about bullying is that bullying is a deliberate action; thus, accidental hurt will probably not be considered bullying.
⭐ Golden Tip: An inference is what you figure out based on what you see or think is true. When deciding if an inference is right or wrong, you often need to use what most people know or believe. It's okay to use this common knowledge, but don't just use it to decide if an inference is right or wrong. Your decision should be based on the facts you have. You can find lots of practice questions for Inference – either in complete simulations or as extra practice – along with detailed guides full of tips and techniques for solving them, in our Watson Glaser Test PrepPack.
Get our Watson Glaser Test PrepPack for more.
The next part of the Watson-Glaser test focuses on Assumptions.
This section contains many statements, and after each one, there are a few assumptions suggested. Your task is to figure out if, when someone makes the statement, they are actually assuming these things - meaning, they believe them to be true, whether rightly or wrongly.
Remember, you're not evaluating whether these assumptions make logical sense or align with reality. Your job is simply to decide if they are being assumed.
Ethics committee member: "This person was the proctor at the exam during which the two students were caught allegedly cheating. Yet, she claims to recognize the student who gave the answers but not the student who was getting the answers. Therefore, the proctor's testimony should be excluded."
Proposed Assumption: If a proctor claims to recognize both parties involved in cheating, then the proctor's testimony should be included.
Wrong
Correct!
The correct answer is: Assumption not made
The passage gives a reason to disqualify a proctor’s testimony, but it does not say the absence of that reason should automatically qualify the testimony. For example: If you are not an American citizen, you cannot run for president. However, if you are an American citizen, it does not necessarily mean you can run for president. There are other conditions, such as your age and the amount of time you have been an American resident.
About 330 marketing professionals attended this year’s Media Innovations Forum. This indicates that social media engagement is a substantial feature of brand marketing plans.
Proposed Assumption: The extent of attendance in professional media forums is not negligible.
Correct!
Wrong
The correct answer is: Assumption made
In other words:
According to the above, attendance in professional forums must be significant, or else how can one use it to justify or recognize a noticeable trend in the marketing world?
Remember, you are not asked to judge whether the assumption is justified, only whether the speaker had made it.
Marketing director: "If most customers claim the free concert ticket, it will be expensive for us. On the other hand, if only a few customers are interested in the free ticket, there is no advantage in offering it."
Proposed Assumption: It may be to the company's advantage to offer customers free concert tickets.
Correct!
Wrong
The correct answer is: Assumption made
The key here is the words "may be". These words open up the possibility of results other than the ones stated explicitly in the question. A discussion about possible outcomes of offering free tickets can only be initiated after one accepts that it might be to the company's advantage. It is an assumption one makes before the discussion begins. The discussion's conclusion may be that it is not to the company's advantage after all, but in order to start the discussion in the first place, one must assume that it might be beneficial.
⭐ Golden Tip: An assumption is an idea that is accepted without proof. If you believe that the assumption is accepted without proof in the statement, choose "Assumption Made." If you believe that the assumption is not automatically accepted without proof in the statement, choose "Assumption Not Made." Make sure to consider each assumption on its own. You can find lots of practice questions for making assumptions – both in complete simulations and as extra practice. We also offer detailed guides with tips and methods for solving these questions in our Watson Glaser Test PrepPack.
Get our Watson Glaser Test PrepPack for more.
The next part of the Watson-Glaser test is called Deduction.
In this part, you'll find exercises that start with a few statements (premises) and then offer some possible endings (conclusions).
When doing this test, you should accept all the starting statements as true every time. Then, read each possible ending. If you believe the ending naturally comes from the starting statements, choose "Conclusion Follows." But if you feel the ending doesn't really connect to the starting statements or disagrees with them, pick "Conclusion Does Not Follow."
Most TV shows are not boring. Most TV shows are violent.
Proposed Conclusion: There is at least one boring TV show that is not violent.
Wrong
Correct!
The correct answer is: Conclusion does not follow
A = TV shows, B = boring, C = violent.
According to the premises, (A + ~B)*most, and (A + C)most.
The conclusion states (A + B + ~C)*at least one.
In formal logic tests, most means at least most, which is more than half, but possibly more, and even all. This means you cannot conclude that even a single (A + B + ~C) exists, because all you know is that most of A is ~B and that most A is C.
In other words:
It may be counter-intuitive, but if you are told that most TV shows are violent and not boring, that is the only thing you know. You know nothing about the items of the group not mentioned. Maybe all TV shows are violent.
For example: If there are 100 TV shows, there must be at least 51 boring TV shows, and there can be as many as 100 violent TV shows. Therefore, the conclusion does not follow.
All plastic bags make noise. Nevertheless, not all plastic bags are reusable.
Proposed Conclusion: Some noisy plastic bags are reusable.
Wrong
Correct!
The correct answer is: Conclusion does not follow
Plastic bags = A, make noise = B, reusable = C.
According to the premises, A -> B, and (A + ~C)*not all.
The conclusion states that (A + B + C)*some.
According to the second premise, there has to be at least one single-use plastic bag – but there is the possibility that all of them are single-use and that none is reusable (the logical meaning of the initial not all). Note that, intuitively, one might mistakenly infer from the second premise that there must be reusable plastic bags, but this is not the case in formal logic tests.
⭐ Golden Tip: When making a decision, focus only on the facts presented. Even if you think some outcomes might be true based on what you know, try to put that aside. Don't let your personal biases affect your thinking. Instead, look at each statement and decide if it logically comes from the facts. Find more practice questions for deductions, including full simulations and extra practice, along with detailed guides for tips and solving techniques, in our Watson Glaser Test PrepPack.
Get our Watson Glaser Test PrepPack for more.
The next part of the Watson-Glaser test is called Interpretation.
Here, you need to treat everything written in a short paragraph as true. Your task is to decide if each suggested ending makes sense based on the paragraph's information, without any doubt.
If you believe the suggested ending makes sense (even if it's not 100% certain), then you should label it as "Conclusion Follows." But, if you feel the ending doesn't make sense based on the information provided, then label it as "Conclusion Does Not Follow."
A study concerning obesity has found that 25% of the British population is obese, double the rate ten years ago. A strikingly high percentage (20%) of the obese population is morbidly obese. An inverse association was found between obesity and alcohol consumption.
Proposed Conclusion: In Britain, people who consume alcohol are likely more obese than people who don’t consume alcohol.
Wrong
Correct!
The correct answer is: Conclusion does not follow
The connection is reversed. The passage states that there is an inverse association between obesity and alcohol consumption. This means that an increase in one variable is correlated with a decrease in the other variable. In other words, people who drink large amounts of alcohol are likely to be less obese than people who drink small amounts of alcohol or none at all.
When I go to work in the morning, I usually leave my house at 7:00 am and take the bus into the city. On rare occasions, however, I stay overnight at my aunt’s house and take the underground to work.
Proposed Conclusion: I leave the house later when I sleep at my aunt’s house.
Wrong
Correct!
The correct answer is: Conclusion does not follow
This conclusion is derived under the assumption that the narrator’s aunt actually lives in the city (and therefore, closer to his work place). This is mistaken since you do not have enough information to conclude this based solely on the knowledge that on occasions when the narrator sleeps at his aunt’s house he takes the tube instead of the bus. It is possible, for example, that the aunt’s house is located far from the city and that the underground ride takes a long time, so that the narrator must leave even earlier than usual.
⭐ Golden Tip: Even though it looks a lot like the Deduction section, Interpretation involves not just sticking to the given information but also using logic. This is important because it needs to make sense without any doubt. If you're looking for more practice on Interpretation, you can find plenty of questions, either in complete simulations or as extra exercises, along with detailed guides that offer helpful hints and methods for solving them, in our Watson Glaser Test PrepPack.
Get our Watson Glaser Test PrepPack for more.
The last part of the Watson-Glaser test deals with Arguments.
When deciding on important matters, it's good to tell apart strong arguments from weak ones regarding the topic at hand. A strong argument must be significant and closely linked to the topic. An argument is considered weak if it doesn't closely connect to the topic (even if it's generally very important), if it's not that significant, or if it only connects to less important parts of the topic.
For the below, decide whether each of the arguments is strong or weak.
Should the government privatize state-run institutions in favor of a market economy?
Proposed Argument: Yes, a market economy allows a competitive market which leads to a reduction in prices.
Correct!
Wrong
The correct answer is: Strong argument
This argument states that the action (favoring market economy) has a positive effect on society (reduction in prices), and is therefore both related to the subject and is an important argument.
Should employers prefer not to employ a qualified candidate when the candidate’s age is over 50?
Proposed Argument: No, candidates over 50 have plenty of experience and can contribute greatly to the workplace.
Correct!
Wrong
The correct answer is: Strong argument
This argument is both relevant and important. If it is true, and you are required to assume it is, then it is a weighty argument for not preferring young candidates over candidates over 50.
⭐ Golden Tip: When deciding on important matters, it's good to tell apart strong arguments from weak ones regarding the topic at hand. A strong argument must be significant and closely linked to the topic. An argument is considered weak if it doesn't closely connect to the topic (even if it's generally very important), if it's not that significant, or if it only connects to less important parts of the topic.
Our Watson Glaser Test PrepPack offers over 600 practice questions, built around how you actually learn:
However you learn best, the PrepPack adjusts to keep you moving toward your target score.
The Watson Glaser test exists in two primary versions: Watson Glaser II (WG-II) and Watson Glaser III (WG-III).
Both WG-II and WG-III are essentially similar for test-takers, with identical content, question count, and time constraints.
Here's a brief overview of these versions and their forms:
Our PrepPack is designed to help you prep for either one.
A good score on the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Test varies based on the employer and industry.
Typically, aiming to score above 80% of your norm group is advisable. For example, a score of 28/40 surpasses 79% of the general population and 69% of managers, but only 49% of law graduates.
To be in the top 80% for sought-after roles such as managers and lawyers, a score of at least 33 - 34 is recommended.
That said, the Watson Glaser test doesn't have a fixed pass mark, as it differs across employers and sectors.
Preparing for a demanding and competitive assessment like the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Test necessitates tailored and precise preparation strategies specific to the nature of the test.
This applies to both the methods you need to employ during your preparation phase and the approach you adopt on the actual day of the Watson Glaser test.
To optimize your performance and enhance your score, consider these best Watson Glaser test tips for test preparation.
The Watson Glaser critical thinking test is distinct in its rules, differing significantly from other critical thinking tests. Each section has its own set of rules, making it crucial to understand these variations. For instance, an approach that works in the Deduction section may not apply in the Interpretation section.
Time management is also key, as the clock doesn't stop while you're reading instructions. Familiarity with these rules beforehand can save valuable time during the test.
In the Watson Glaser test, relying on intuition or common sense often leads to incorrect answers. It's essential to know when and how to use these faculties appropriately.
Developing the ability to discern when to apply common sense and intuition is a critical part of test preparation. This leads to the importance of the third tip.
Different individuals may find varying sections of the Watson Glaser test more challenging than others. It's important to identify your weak areas and focus your preparation accordingly. For example, if you excel in the Evaluation of Arguments section, it would be more beneficial to concentrate on the sections where your performance is weaker.
This is exactly what our Watson Glaser Test PrepPack is built to do. It starts with a diagnostic simulation that pinpoints your level in each section, then adapts in real time, giving you more practice exactly where you need it, at a difficulty that matches your ability, so your preparation stays focused on what will actually improve your score.
The Watson Glaser Test PrepPack adapts to your starting level and keeps adjusting your practice toward the areas that need the most work, all backed by the same prep kit Oxford and Cambridge law students trust, covering every test version from WG-II to WG-III.
A critical thinking test, also known as a critical reasoning test, evaluates your ability to analyze situations from different angles.
It involves acknowledging, extracting, and interpreting facts, opinions, and assumptions.
In particular, these tests are often utilized in law firm recruitments, measuring abilities like constructing solid arguments, analyzing verbal information, and drawing conclusions.
The Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Test (WGCTA) is a pre-employment assessment that evaluates a candidate's reasoning and critical thinking abilities. The test consists of 40 multiple-choice questions divided into five sections: Inference (5 questions), Recognition of Assumptions (12 questions), Deduction (5 questions), Interpretation (6 questions), and Evaluation of Arguments (12 questions). It must be completed within 30 minutes.
Employers value critical thinking because it enables employees to make decisions independently, solve problems, develop strategies, and overall enhances job performance.
Individuals with strong critical thinking skills require less supervision and can make sound judgments independently.
The Watson Glaser test is primarily used by:
Watson Glaser III is an update of WG-II, allowing for unsupervised testing due to its item-bank feature. However, both versions are similar in terms of topics, the number of questions, and time allocation.
The Watson Glaser Test Manual explains that Forms D and E emerged from recent revisions of the test, which originally featured Forms A and B. For test-takers, Forms D and E are essentially identical in terms of difficulty, structure, and format, offering a consistent testing experience despite the changes.
Yes, the test is typically timed, giving candidates up to 30 minutes for 40 questions. Each section has its own time limit. However, untimed versions are available for candidates needing adjustments.
To prepare for the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Test, it's essential to practice exercises that help enhance critical thinking skills. You can improve through practice by using sample questions to familiarize yourself with the test's structure and types of questions. Aim for clear, logical thinking and avoid jumping to conclusions without proper analysis.
The Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal is known for its difficulty, primarily due to its unique rules and sole focus on critical thinking. It's considered one of the most challenging pre-employment tests available.
If you're interested in Watson Glaser and all its applications, you might find these other resources helpful:
Our Watson Glaser materials are designed to help you ace the assessment.
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