Glossary of EPSO Reasoning Test Terms: 40 Concepts Explained

General terms

Competition (concours): an open selection procedure organised for a profile and grade. Reasoning tests are usually the first stage and are often eliminatory.

Eliminatory test: a test with a pass mark. Failing it ends your participation, regardless of other scores. Combined pass marks may apply to several reasoning tests together.

Pass mark: the minimum score required. It is published in the notice of competition. Aim well above it, because places are often allocated to the best scorers among those who pass.

Notice of competition: the official document describing eligibility, tests, weighting and pass marks. Always read the current notice; rules change between competitions.

Distractor: a wrong option written to look correct. Every distractor is built around a specific error, such as overgeneralisation or a calculation slip.

Computer-based test (CBT): a test taken on screen, in a test centre or remotely. You cannot write on the question, so practise with scratch paper.

Verbal reasoning terms

Passage: the short text, usually 100–200 words, on which the question is based. Only the passage counts; general knowledge does not.

Inference: a conclusion that must follow from the passage. If it only probably follows, it is not a valid inference.

Qualifier: words like 'some', 'most', 'always', 'may'. Changing a qualifier is the most common way distractors are built.

Overgeneralisation: an option that extends a statement about one case to all cases.

Scope shift: an option that talks about a related but different subject from the passage.

Correlation vs causation: two facts occurring together do not mean one caused the other, unless the passage says so.

Paraphrase: the correct option often restates the passage in different words. Match meaning, not vocabulary.

Numerical reasoning terms

Base value: the quantity a percentage is calculated from. Most percentage errors come from choosing the wrong base.

Percentage point: the arithmetic difference between two percentages. A rise from 10% to 12% is 2 percentage points, but 20%.

Compound growth: growth applied to an already-grown value. Two rises of 10% give 21%, not 20%.

Ratio: a comparison of two quantities, such as 3:2. Convert to fractions of the total (3/5, 2/5) before calculating.

Weighted average: an average where groups count in proportion to their size.

Index number: a value expressed relative to a base year set at 100.

Estimation: rounding numbers to eliminate options quickly. Often enough when options are far apart.

Unit conversion: converting thousands, millions or currencies before comparing. Always check the table headings.

Abstract reasoning terms

Sequence: a series of figures that change according to one or more rules. You must choose the next figure.

Progression rule: a change that repeats step by step, such as a rotation of 45 degrees each time.

Alternation: two states that switch back and forth, such as black and white.

Rotation and reflection: turning a shape around a centre versus flipping it across an axis. They can look similar, so check asymmetric details.

Counting rule: a rule based on the number of sides, dots, lines or intersections.

Combined rules: two or three independent rules applied at once to different elements. Track each element separately.

Distractor figure: an option that satisfies one rule but breaks another.

How to use this glossary

When you get a question wrong, try to name the concept involved: was it a qualifier, a wrong base value, a missed reflection? Naming errors with precise terms makes them easier to notice next time, and turns vague practice into targeted improvement.