Pearson Test
The TalentLens range: Watson Glaser critical thinking, RANRA numerical reasoning, the Bennett mechanical test, SOSIE, Iris situational judgement and Raven’s matrices, and the admissions exams Pearson VUE delivers. Which one your invitation means, and where to practise it.
- 10 practice tests in the Pearson pack
- 100 questions, all solved
What is a Pearson test?
A Pearson test, in recruitment and admissions, comes from one of two arms of the education company Pearson. TalentLens publishes workplace psychometrics, including the Watson Glaser critical thinking test, RANRA numerical reasoning and the Bennett mechanical comprehension test. Pearson VUE runs the delivery network behind admissions exams such as the UCAT for medicine and the LNAT for law. Most TalentLens tests are online, multiple choice and drawn from randomised item banks.
Which Pearson test you sit depends on the employer and the role: an entry-level position will not be given the same assessment as a graduate or managerial one.
How a Pearson test works
Four things to know before you sit one. Timings and difficulty vary with the level of the role.
- FormatItem-banked multiple choice
- TalentLens tests are online and multiple choice, with questions drawn from randomised item banks so no two sittings are identical. Some employers supervise the sitting, most do not.
- Pace40 items in 30 to 40 minutes
- The Watson Glaser, the test most Pearson candidates sit, gives you 40 items in 30 to 40 minutes depending on the employer's setting. SOSIE is untimed.
- DifficultySet by product and level
- The Watson Glaser is set for graduate and professional hiring; RANRA is added for senior roles; Bennett is for technical roles and Raven's for reasoning without words.
- ScoringA percentile against a norm group
- Ability tests become a position against a comparison group and the employer sets the bar. SOSIE is profiled against the role's values, not scored.
Pearson tests by name, with question counts and timings
Your invitation email will name the assessment rather than describe it. This is what each name means, how many questions it carries and how long you get.
| Assessment | What it measures | Questions | Time limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal | Inferences, assumptions, deductions, interpretation and argument evaluation | 40 | 30 to 40 min |
| RANRA (Rust Advanced Numerical Reasoning Appraisal) | Critical thinking with numbers; senior roles, often paired with the Watson Glaser | Timed set | Timed |
| Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test | Mechanical and physical principles from diagrams; technical roles | Timed set | Timed |
| Pearson Numerical Reasoning Assessment | A newer numerical reasoning test on the TalentLens portal | Timed set | Timed |
| Iris situational judgement | Decisions in work-like scenarios, at graduate level | Scenarios | Varies |
| SOSIE | Values and personality traits against the role and brand | Questionnaire | Untimed |
| Raven's Progressive Matrices | Non-verbal reasoning; the missing piece of a pattern | Timed set | Timed |
Counts and timings vary by role level and by the version an employer licences. Check the instructions on the screen before you start. Facts checked August 2026.
Employers who set Pearson tests
If you know which company invited you, start there: the employer guide tells you which Pearson assessment sits at which stage of that firm's process.
- Hogan LovellsWatson Glaser sent by email alongside the online application
- FreshfieldsWatson Glaser critical thinking test in the application process
Not listed? Browse all employer guides.
Practise the real thing
One question tells you the style. A pack gives you the pace: 45 to 60 seconds a question, marked, with the working shown.
- 10
- practice tests
- 100
- questions, all solved
Which Pearson test is it?
Pearson’s TalentLens publishes the workplace tests employers set: the Watson Glaser critical thinking appraisal, used by law firms and professional practices to see how you draw conclusions from limited information; the RANRA, which does the same with numbers for senior roles; the Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test for technical roles; the SOSIE values and personality questionnaire; the Iris situational judgement test at graduate level; Raven’s Progressive Matrices, a non-verbal test of lateral thinking; and a newer numerical reasoning assessment.
Pearson VUE is different: it is the test-centre network that delivers admissions exams such as the UCAT and the LNAT. An invitation from an employer means a TalentLens test; the table above says which, and where to practise it.
Frequently asked questions
What candidates ask us most often
Is a Pearson VUE test the same as a Pearson TalentLens test?
No. Pearson VUE is the delivery network that runs exams such as the UCAT for medicine and the LNAT for law in test centres; TalentLens is Pearson’s assessment publisher, whose tests employers set in recruitment. If your invitation is from an employer it is almost certainly a TalentLens test, and this page covers those.
Is TalentLens the same as Pearson?
Yes. TalentLens is the assessment arm of Pearson, so a TalentLens invitation, a Pearson invitation and a Watson Glaser invitation can all mean the same test. Our old TalentLens page now lives here.
Which Pearson test do law firms set?
The Watson Glaser, almost always. It is the standard critical thinking test in law and professional services, and for senior roles the RANRA numerical appraisal is sometimes set alongside it.
How long is the Watson Glaser?
40 items in 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the limit the employer chooses. That is 45 to 60 seconds an item, on passages that need careful reading, so timed practice matters more than the volume of practice.
Pearson is a trademark of its respective owner. Practice Aptitude Tests is not affiliated with Pearson and our practice tests are not endorsed by them.
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