Why Most Students Perform Worst on the Verbal Reasoning Section of the UCAT

If you're preparing for the UCAT, you've probably heard the same thing from almost everyone: "Verbal Reasoning is the hardest section." And the stats back it up.

In most years, Verbal Reasoning has the lowest average score of all five UCAT sections — often sitting around 570–600, while Quantitative Reasoning hovers closer to 650.

But why is Verbal Reasoning so challenging — and what can you do about it?

Let’s break it down.

UCAT Average Scaled Scores 2019-2024

1. Students Don't Read Books Enough

We have been tutoring the UCAT for over 3 years, on top of taking the test ourselves. The number one thing that we see that makes the difference between a good VR score and a bad one? It's whether the student regularly reads books.

Most of our students are taking the three sciences and maths at A Level, meaning they haven't been forced to read long form texts since GCSE, and unless they enjoy reading during their A Level, their attention spans have dropped. We regularly see students losing concentration halfway through a VR text, and then not being able to recall what they read.

What can you do about this? Start reading something you enjoy for at least 30 minutes every day. This is the number one thing you can do to improve your concentration and recall. We can give you reading recommendations!

1. It’s Not Just Reading — It’s Reading Fast

Most students are comfortable with reading comprehension in school. But UCAT Verbal Reasoning is nothing like English Lit.

You have to read dense, unfamiliar texts (sometimes 300+ words) and answer questions in less about 30-60 seconds each.

You're expected to:

• Scan quickly for keywords

• Understand the tone and logic

• Spot implications (not just what’s written)

• Make decisions fast

With 11 passages and 44 questions in just 21 minutes, it’s a brutal race against the clock.

2. It’s Not Just What You Know — It’s How You Think

Unlike school exams, Verbal Reasoning isn’t about knowledge or essay-writing — it's about:

• Inference

• Critical thinking

• Spotting subtle logical traps

And it’s deliberately designed to trip you up.

The answer choices often look very similar, and students who rely on “gut feeling” or try to skim too quickly get caught by distractors.

3. Most Students Don’t Know How to Practise It Properly

Here’s the biggest mistake: They keep doing timed questions without learning the strategy.

Practising without technique just reinforces bad habits.

To improve, you need to:

• Learn how to scan efficiently

• Understand True / False / Can’t Tell logic

• Use elimination when unsure

• Know when to skip and come back

With the right approach, students can raise their VR score significantly — but without it, they often stay stuck below average.

4. Confidence Drops Quickly — and That Affects Everything

Because Verbal Reasoning comes first in the UCAT, a poor performance can rattle your confidence for the rest of the test.

You feel rushed. You panic. You start second-guessing yourself in later sections.

It creates a domino effect — and that’s one of the reasons why mastering Verbal Reasoning can massively improve your overall UCAT score.

How to Improve Your Verbal Reasoning Score

Here’s what we recommend to every student:

🔹 Learn the Strategies First

Don’t just dive into mocks. Start with untimed practice and focus on accuracy. Master the logic before adding speed.

🔹 Track the Question Types You Miss

Are you struggling with assumptions? Inference? Specific detail? Identifying your weak spots helps you revise smarter.

Using Medify can help you with this, as they break down questions by type which you can easily find later. We offer a 10% Medify discount when you book a lesson with us.

🔹 Practise with timed drills, not just full mocks

Doing short 5–10 minute sets builds stamina and speed without burnout.

🔹 Get Help if You’re Stuck

Many students improve their score by 100–200 points after just a few 1:1 sessions with a tutor who understands the test.

Final Thoughts

Verbal Reasoning is hard — but not impossible. The students who do well don’t just read faster; they train smarter.

At T&M Tutoring, we specialise in helping students:

• Break down tough passages

• Build speed without sacrificing accuracy

• Practice VR the right way — with strategy, not guesswork

Want to boost your Verbal Reasoning score?

📩 Book a strategy call or join one of our UCAT prep courses today.

🧠 Or download our free UCAT Starter Pack to get started the smart way.

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