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shl mechanical reasoning

SHL Style Mechanical Comprehension Tests

  • 10 tests
  • 80 questions
shl mechanical reasoning

SHL’s mechanical comprehension test is used in the recruitment process to assess candidates’ knowledge of mechanics. It’s commonly encountered when applying for a technical position within an engineering firm, manufacturing company, or the armed forces.

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About the SHL mechanical comprehension test

SHL (Saville and Holdsworth Limited) is a respected global publisher of psychometric tests, providing aptitude, personality, and behavioural tests. Many of the world’s largest employers use SHL to streamline their recruitment and ensure that top talent is chosen for internships, graduate schemes, and full-time job roles.

The SHL mechanical comprehension test is designed to assess your understanding of machinery – in terms of installation, operational use, and maintenance – as well as your knowledge of basic mechanical principles, and your ability to apply these within certain scenarios.

They are multiple-choice and present applied problems across four areas: gears (rotation and speed), wheels and belts (rotation and [cross] connections), pressure (relating to solids, liquids, and gases), and magnetism (including electric fields).

The test has a time limit of 10 minutes, so you’ll need to work quickly and accurately to achieve a high score.

It uses SHL’s Item Response Theory (IRT), which means that no two candidates experience the same test. It is not adaptive though, which means the difficulty of the questions presented is not determined by your performance.

The SHL mechanical comprehension test may be taken on its own or, more commonly, alongside other tests – such as numerical reasoning and situational judgement assessments – to give a more rounded picture of candidate suitability and potential.

The test is intended for remote completion, typically from your own home, via an online platform. Should you advance further in the selection process, a follow-up verification test may be required to validate the original test scores.

How to prepare for and pass an SHL mechanical test

The best way to prepare for your SHL mechanical comprehension test is to complete practice assessments. Sitting full practice mechanical tests allows you to become familiar with the format, style, and content of the questions.

Once you’ve completed a test, go back through and check your answers carefully. Pay attention to which topics emerge as your areas of strength, and which need extra practice. Use this insight to structure and prioritise your remaining preparation time.

When sitting the practice tests, have a timer on your desk. To achieve a high score and secure a place in the next round of the recruitment process, you’ll need to work at a steady pace.

For the SHL mechanical reasoning test you’ll have 10 minutes to complete 15 questions, so you’ll need to aim for a pace of 40 seconds per question.

It’s vital to keep track of your pace during the official test, so have your timer at the ready once again. If you’re stuck on a question, don’t panic. The SHL mechanical comprehension test isn’t negatively marked. Be prepared to take your best guess and move on to the next question, so as not to compromise your pace.

The more practice tests you complete, the more confident you’ll feel tackling your official mechanical comprehension test and the greater your chance of success.

Prepare yourself for leading employers

  • BBC
  • Deloitte
  • HSBC
  • Amazon
  • Google
  • NHS
  • Civil Service

Free example SHL style mechanical questions

The three questions below serve as an example of the types of questions you’ll find on an SHL mechanical comprehension test. Have a go at working through the questions, then check your answers against the solutions underneath.

For more practice questions, see our free mechanical reasoning questions and answers. Each example question includes an answer explanation. For specific mechanical tests, check out our pages on Bennett mechanical tests and Ramsay mechanical tests.

SHL mechanical test

What is the maximum weight that this lever could lift?

A) 100kg B) 200kg C) 300kg D) 400kg

Question 2

SHL mechanical reasoning test

What force is required to lift the weight using the pulley?

A) 10kg B) 20kg C) 30kg D) 40kg

Question 3

SHL mechanical comprehension test

If oil and water were added to a flask, which of the following would occur?

Solutions

1) The formula to calculate the force required to lift a weight using a lever is:

w x d1 = f x d2

w = weight

d1 = distance from fulcrum to weight

f = force needed to lift weight

d2 = distance from fulcrum to point where force is applied

If we plug what we can see from the diagram into the formula we are left with the following equation: ? x 40 = 400 x 40

? x 40 = 16,000

16,000 / 40 = 400

So the answer is D) 400kg

2) To calculate the force needed to lift the weight we need to identify how many of the sections of rope are load-bearing. Here there are 2 sections that are supporting the weight, meaning we divide the total weight by 2.

60/2 = 30

So the answer is C) 30kg

3) Oil is less dense than water so will sit on the surface.

So the answer is D).

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SHL Style Mechanical Comprehension Tests FAQs

Are SHL mechanical comprehension tests difficult?

The questions on the SHL mechanical comprehension test vary in difficulty: some will be straightforward and others very challenging. The difficulty of the test is increased by its timed nature and the rapid pace required to complete all the questions. Preparing using timed practice tests will ensure you are well equipped to pass your test.

How are SHL mechanical comprehension tests scored?

SHL test scores are comparative, which means that your raw score is compared to a comparison group (or to comparison standards) chosen by your prospective employer or your recruiter. You’ll receive a percentile score, which will reveal your position relative to the comparison group. If you receive a percentile score of 85, this means you’ve scored better than 85% of candidates in your comparison group, not that you’ve answered 85% of the questions on the test correctly.

How long is an SHL mechanical comprehension test?

The mechanical comprehension test is a relatively short test by SHL standards, lasting only 10 minutes. To pass, you’ll need to be able to work rapidly through the 15 questions in the test, without compromising your accuracy.

What knowledge of mechanical comprehension does an SHL test cover?

To succeed on your SHL test, you’ll need to feel confident identifying and applying key principles, such as force, movement, hydraulics, velocity, and simple electronics. Questions are likely to involve gears, levers, pulleys, belts, and circuits.

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SHL Style Mechanical Comprehension Tests Tips

1Brush up on your mechanical knowledge

The SHL test will assess your understanding of technical mechanical elements such as levers, springs, pulleys, gears, and electrical circuits, as well as principles such as force, motion, and energy. It will require a good knowledge of tools and terminology, alongside awareness of how different mechanical components operate. This is a test that requires existing knowledge, so make sure yours is strong.

2Complete as many practice tests as possible

SHL has a practice mechanical comprehension test on its website, so be sure to try this. To achieve a high score on the test, you’ll need to hone your pace and freshen your skills by completing multiple online practice tests.

3Take the test in appropriate surroundings

To increase your chances of success, sit your mechanical comprehension test in a quiet environment, free from distractions. You’ll need to work at a fast pace, so you cannot afford any interruptions or diversions of your attention. Make sure you have everything you need, including a piece of paper for jotting down calculations.

4Check your equipment before the test

Before you begin the test, ensure your browser is updated and your internet connection is stable. The next question in the mechanical comprehension test loads once you’ve clicked submit on the one before, so you’ll want a good internet connection to ensure the questions load rapidly throughout the test.

5Read the questions carefully

Mechanical comprehension questions involve diagrams depicting different mechanical scenarios. Take the time to absorb the information that is being presented to you, so you can deduce its implications and perform the correct calculation. You need to work at a steady pace, but don’t rush, as this will lead you to overlook the details and make unnecessary mistakes.

Mechanical Reasoning Video Tutorials

SHL Tests: A Guide

5 mins

Mechanical Reasoning Tests: A Guide

4 mins

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Reviews of our Mechanical Reasoning tests

What our customers say about our Mechanical Reasoning tests

  • United States of America

    October 14, 2023

    Clear questions and good graphics

    I liked how the questions were framed. I also thought the graphics were fairly easy to understand. I wish there could be more questions, and that it would score you as you go.

  • Australia

    September 13, 2023

    Good

    Even though I had plenty of time left it made me feel a little nervous. I was trying to rush a little. But good questions

  • United States of America

    September 05, 2023

    Decent warm-up

    I like how this short test gives you a taste of quick decision-making in a timed environment without knowing what to expect in the next question

  • United States of America

    May 23, 2023

    Kroger's test

    I was able to attempt 6/8. It was due to external distraction. Make sure that your surroundings are calm.

  • Pakistan

    May 03, 2023

    Good diversity in questions

    Having done more than a few mechanical tests on the internet today, I found this test has a more diverse set of question than the others.

  • United States of America

    April 21, 2023

    Interesting and challenging

    I like the fact that it has a wide array of questions. It makes you think about what your answer might be, so you don't rush to an answer

  • Australia

    April 13, 2023

    I like the 'show solution' feature

    I like how there is a solution with reasoning. It helps with understanding concepts that I'm not sure of.

  • United States of America

    March 24, 2023

    Understanding polarity and revolutions per second concept

    I liked that this test switch up the thinking method to find each answer. Each question made you think with a different logic.

  • United States of America

    March 22, 2023

    Pay attention to detail

    I like that it was simple, however it doesn’t have much detail on its questions forcing you to imagine and use as much logic as possible.

  • United States of America

    February 08, 2023

    Easy to learn

    I like how much they explain every answer to the question thoroughly to help understand the answer better

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