Which fraction is equivalent to 3/6?
Show worked explanation
Simplify 3/6 by dividing both numbers by 3: 3÷3 = 1 and 6÷3 = 2, so 3/6 = 1/2. ✓
Free 11+ Practice Papers & Online Tests
If you are hunting for 11+ practice papers, it helps to know what actually exists. GL Assessment, the board behind most 11+ tests, gives away free familiarisation materials so your child can see the style of question, and it sells official practice paper packs in print, as do other specialist publishers. What nobody sells is a real past paper: GL does not release its past exam papers. And then there is a third option: full-length, timed practice tests your child can sit online, marked the moment they finish.
That online option is what PrepStep does best. Your child can sit a timed 11+ paper in Maths, English or Verbal Reasoning, written in the style of the real exam, then see every answer explained step by step. It is the fastest way to turn practice into progress, because they learn from each mistake straight away rather than waiting for you to mark a booklet.
Paper and screen work well together, and PrepStep sits happily alongside a tutor. Below, we explain honestly when to use each, and where to find the free official materials.
What a Timed PrepStep 11+ Practice Test Includes
| Subject | Questions | Time | Format | Marking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maths | 50 | 50 minutes | five-option multiple choice | instant, with worked explanations |
| English | 61 | 50 minutes | five-option multiple choice | instant, with worked explanations |
| Verbal Reasoning | 91 | 50 minutes | five-option multiple choice | instant, with worked explanations |
Try Sample Test Questions Now
Maths
Try a few real-style 11+ maths questions now, no sign-up needed. These cover the number, fractions, ratio and problem-solving skills the 11+ leans on hardest, each with a worked, step-by-step explanation. Get them right here and the timed maths paper feels a lot less daunting on the day.
Aisha drinks 1/4 of a bottle of water before lunch and another 1/4 after lunch. What fraction of the bottle has she drunk altogether?
Show worked explanation
Aisha drinks 1/4 + 1/4 = 2/4. Simplify: 2/4 = 1/2 of the bottle. ✓
Emma drives 150 km in 3 hours. What is her average speed?
Show worked explanation
Speed = Distance ÷ Time. Speed = 150 ÷ 3 = 50 km/h. ✓
Sophie travels 240 km at a speed of 80 km/h. How long does the journey take?
Show worked explanation
Time = Distance ÷ Speed. Time = 240 ÷ 80 = 3 hours. ✓
English
Sample some 11+ English questions free, right here. You will see the comprehension, vocabulary, spelling and grammar styles the real paper uses, each answer explained clearly. It is a quick way to spot which language skills your child has nailed and which ones are worth a little more practice.
Which word is closest in meaning to 'immense'?
Show worked explanation
'Immense' means extremely large or vast. 'Enormous' is the closest synonym. Other words with a similar meaning include huge, vast, and colossal. Try using this word in a sentence today to make it stick. ✓
Which word is closest in meaning to 'weary'?
Show worked explanation
'Weary' means very tired or exhausted. If you've been running around all day and can barely keep your eyes open, you're weary! Reading widely helps you learn words like this naturally. ✓
What does the word 'reluctant' mean?
Show worked explanation
'Reluctant' means unwilling or hesitant. If you are reluctant to do something, you don't really want to do it. For example: 'She was reluctant to leave the party.' Look for prefixes and suffixes you recognise in unfamiliar words. ✓
What does the word 'ominous' mean?
Show worked explanation
'Ominous' means threatening or suggesting that something bad is going to happen. For example: 'Dark, ominous clouds gathered overhead.' Think about when you'd use this word versus its synonym. ✓
Verbal Reasoning
Verbal reasoning trips up children who have never seen it, so try a few questions now. These samples show the code, word-link and letter-pattern puzzles the 11+ loves, each with a plain explanation of how to crack it. A little practice turns these from baffling into your child's strongest subject.
Which word can go in front of both 'light' and 'rise' to make two new words?
Show worked explanation
Sun + light = sunlight, and sun + rise = sunrise. Both are common compound words. 'Day' works with 'light' (daylight) but not 'rise'. 'Star' works with 'light' (starlight) but not 'rise'. Only 'sun' works with BOTH. ✓
Which word can go in front of both 'grade' and 'roar' to make two new words?
Show worked explanation
Up + grade = upgrade, and up + roar = uproar. Both are common compound words. 'Down' works with 'grade' (downgrade) but not 'roar'. 'Out', 'Back' and 'For' do not form compound words with either. ✓
In a code, CAT = 123. What word does 213 stand for?
Show worked explanation
From CAT = 123: C=1, A=2, T=3. So 2=A, 1=C, 3=T and 213 = A,C,T = ACT. Tip: When decoding, write the letter under each digit before reading the word. ✓
In a code, STAR = 1234. What word does 4321 stand for?
Show worked explanation
From STAR = 1234: S=1, T=2, A=3, R=4. So 4=R, 3=A, 2=T, 1=S and 4321 = R,A,T,S = RATS. Tip: Many anagrams of STAR are real words, so check the digit order carefully. ✓
Practice papers or online tests: which should you use?
The honest answer is both, at different stages. They do different jobs, and the strongest preparation uses each for what it is good at.
Online tests are the better tool early and in the middle of your child's preparation. They mark instantly, so a wrong answer becomes a worked explanation in seconds instead of sitting unmarked in a booklet. Your child can repeat a topic as many times as they need, track which areas are improving, and build real exam stamina against the clock. Because there is nothing to print, mark or store, they get far more genuine practice done in the same amount of your time.
Printed papers earn their place closer to the exam. Many 11+ tests are sat on paper with a separate multiple-choice answer sheet, and there is a real skill in filling that sheet accurately, managing a full paper by hand, and keeping track of timing without a screen prompting you. A handful of full paper sittings in the final weeks builds that specific muscle.
A sensible rhythm: use online tests to learn and to drill weak topics through most of the year, then add timed paper sittings in the last month or two to rehearse the exact exam-day experience.
For free official materials, start with GL Assessment's own familiarisation resources, which show the genuine question style at no cost. PrepStep then gives you the timed, repeatable, instantly-marked practice around them, and works well as part of a plan you run with a tutor.
How PrepStep's timed mock tests work
Each timed mock is a full-length 11+ paper in one subject: 50 Maths questions, 61 English questions or 91 Verbal Reasoning questions, all in 50 minutes, five-option multiple choice, just like the real thing. A countdown timer runs while your child works. They can flag any question and come back to it, and jump around the paper using the question navigator, exactly as they would learn to on the day.
The moment they submit, the paper is marked. Your child sees their score, every question they missed, and a clear step-by-step explanation for each one. Results are saved so you can both look back and see progress build over time.
Full access to the timed mocks is free for 30 days, no card needed. After that, the free plan includes one practice set a day, and a paid plan unlocks unlimited practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I get free GL practice papers?
Start with GL Assessment's own free familiarisation materials, which show the real 11+ question style at no cost. For free full-length practice, your child can sit timed GL-style tests online with PrepStep: sample questions on every topic page need no sign-up, and the complete app, including timed mock papers, is free for 30 days with no card required.
Does GL Assessment publish past papers?
No, and this surprises most parents. GL Assessment does not release its past 11+ exam papers. It does two other things: it gives away free familiarisation materials so children can get used to the format, and it sells official practice paper packs. Neither is a past exam. Any "GL past paper" advertised elsewhere is really an original, GL-style practice paper, not a genuine past exam.
Are PrepStep's practice tests real GL papers?
No, and they could not honestly be. GL does not release its papers, so nobody can sell you a real one. Every PrepStep question is written from scratch in the style of the real 11+ exam: same question types, same format, same difficulty range, five-option multiple choice. Your child practises the genuine skills without any copied material.
How many questions are in an 11+ maths test?
It varies by region, so check your child's specific test on our 11+ by region guide. As a guide, PrepStep's timed maths mock follows a common GL-style shape: 50 questions in 50 minutes. Some areas set shorter or longer papers, and a few use a different provider entirely, which is why the region matters more than any single number.
Are 11+ papers multiple choice?
Often, but not always, so it depends where you live. Many 11+ tests, including most GL-style ones, are multiple choice, answered on a separate answer sheet. Some regions use standard-format papers where children write answers in, and a few add other elements such as a writing task. Check your child's exact format on our 11+ by region guide.
Can my child practise 11+ papers online for free?
Yes. PrepStep has free sample questions on every practice topic page with no sign-up at all. To sit full-length, timed papers with instant marking and worked explanations, the complete app is free for 30 days with no card needed. After the trial, the free plan still includes one practice set a day, and the full timed papers are part of the trial and paid plans.
How many practice papers a week should my child do?
Quality beats quantity. Early on, short, focused sessions that fix specific weak topics do more than full papers. Nearer the exam, around one full timed paper a week is a sensible guide, enough to build stamina and answer-sheet technique without overwhelming your child. Consistent short practice most days is worth more than occasional marathons.
Do I still need paper practice if we use online tests?
It helps to do some. Online tests are ideal for learning, instant marking and repeating weak topics, which is most of the preparation. A few printed paper sittings in the final weeks add the specific experience of managing a paper by hand and filling a multiple-choice answer sheet under time pressure. Use both, each for what it does best.
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