11+ Vocab Trainer is still a vocabulary app. We are not trying to turn it into a giant everything-11+ app with alphabet codes, number sequences, anagrams, hidden words and every other question type under the sun.
What we did want to do was go much deeper into vocabulary. The tricky bit is that different schools test vocabulary in very different ways. Some lean more towards traditional Verbal Reasoning, some test it through English comprehension, and some highly selective schools throw in much more unusual language, spelling, pronunciation and grammar-style questions.
So these six packs are basically our answer to that: cover the main ways strong word knowledge actually gets tested, without wandering off into completely unrelated 11+ topics.
1. Antonyms
Often tested in: VR
Antonyms were an obvious one to include. They are one of the most recognisable 11+ vocabulary question types, and they test whether a child really understands a word rather than just remembering one synonym for it.
We also deliberately make the target word the harder word and keep the correct opposite as clear and child-friendly as possible. The challenge should be knowing the word, not decoding a ridiculous answer option.
2. Cloze & Missing Words
Often tested in: English + VR
Cloze sits somewhere between vocabulary, sentence sense and English comprehension, which is exactly why we wanted it in Exam Hall.
Sometimes the missing answer is a difficult vocabulary word. Sometimes it is a completely ordinary word, but the child has to understand the whole sentence properly to know what fits. Good Cloze is not just "spot the fanciest word" — it is about meaning, context, collocation and choosing the word that actually works.
3. Multiple Meanings
Often tested in: English + VR
This one is a proper mix of English and Verbal Reasoning. A child might know a familiar word such as bank, fine, point, present, lead or wind — but can they recognise a completely different meaning when the context changes?
That is why this pack includes both comprehension-style questions using sentences and more recognisable VR-style questions where one word has to connect two groups or fit two different sentences.
4. Odd One Out
Often tested in: VR
We wanted Odd One Out because it makes children think about how words relate to each other: synonyms, meaning groups, usage, word relationships and pairs.
But we have been quite strict about what counts. You won't get random "which one isn't a European country?" questions or science categories. Those can be perfectly valid 11+ questions, but they are not vocabulary practice. Our version keeps the verbal-reasoning challenge focused on words and word relationships.
5. Tricky Words
Often tested in: Highly Selective School Tests
This is probably the least obvious pack if you are used to normal vocabulary apps, but it is there for a reason.
More selective entrance tests can include some pretty unusual language questions: rhymes, homophones, heteronyms, silent letters, syllables, tricky spellings, word stress and odd pronunciation patterns. We wanted somewhere to practise those properly, including St Olave's-style language questions, because they tend to fall through the gap between "vocabulary practice" and "English practice".
6. Word Classes
Often tested in: English + Selective School Tests
Word Classes links vocabulary to grammar. Children may need to identify nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs, recognise word families, choose the correct form of a word or spot a grammatical pattern.
We are not trying to build a full grammar course. The point is to practise the sort of word-based grammar questions children can actually meet in English comprehension and more selective entrance papers.
Different exams test vocabulary differently.
Some schools lean more heavily on traditional VR, some test vocabulary through English comprehension, and highly selective schools may include less familiar language, spelling, pronunciation or grammar-based formats. Exam Hall is meant to cover those different ways of testing words without trying to become a full 11+ course.
Why these six together?
Because together they make children work with words in lots of different ways: meaning, opposites, context, multiple meanings, word relationships, pronunciation, spelling and word forms.
That matters to us because learning one synonym for a word is useful, but it is not the same as really knowing the word. We want children to become flexible with vocabulary — to recognise words when they appear in a sentence, when the meaning changes, when they are used in a different form, or when the question looks completely different.
What we deliberately left out
You won't find alphabet codes, number sequences, standard anagrams, letter-moving puzzles, hidden-word games or non-verbal reasoning in Exam Hall.
There is nothing wrong with those question types. They just are not what 11+ Vocab Trainer is for. We would rather be really good at vocabulary than slowly turn the app into a weaker version of a general 11+ platform.
How to use the packs
There is no single universal 11+ paper, so there is no fixed order children need to work through these in. Some packs will matter more for one target school or test style than another.
The tests are deliberately short at 12 questions, so children can practise regularly without it turning into a huge session. If they get something wrong, we remember it and bring it back later for more practice.
Basically: use the packs that are most useful for your child's target schools, and use Exam Hall to practise vocabulary in the different forms they are likely to meet it.