DAA Verbal Reasoning: True, False or Cannot Say explained

Verbal reasoning is one of the timed sections of the Defence Aptitude Assessment (DAA), the aptitude test used to help place RAF and Royal Navy applicants into suitable roles. It measures how carefully and logically you read — a skill that matters across almost every job in the armed forces, from technical trades to command roles. This guide explains exactly how the DAA verbal reasoning section works, walks through a fully worked example and gives you practical tips to avoid the traps that catch most people out.

What verbal reasoning tests

Verbal reasoning does not test your vocabulary, your general knowledge or how well you write. It tests one thing: whether you can read a short piece of text and work out precisely what it does and does not tell you. In a military context that skill is vital — orders, briefings and reports must be understood as written, not as you assume or hope they read. The DAA is looking for people who follow the evidence in front of them rather than filling in the gaps with guesswork.

Verbal reasoning sits alongside the other DAA sections such as numerical reasoning, work rate and the spatial and comprehension tests. If you want the wider picture of how the whole assessment fits together, see our guide to the DAA explained.

The format: True, False or Cannot Say

In this section you are given a short passage of text followed by one or more statements. For each statement you decide whether it is:

• True — the passage clearly supports the statement.
• False — the passage clearly contradicts the statement.
• Cannot say — the passage does not give you enough information to decide either way.

The single most important rule is that you judge every statement only on the information in the passage. It does not matter what you already know about the topic, what seems likely, or what is true in the real world. If the passage does not tell you, the answer is "Cannot say" — even when common sense suggests otherwise.

You typically face around 20 questions in roughly 15 minutes, though the exact figures can vary. That works out at well under a minute per question, so you need to read quickly but accurately.

A worked example

Read this short passage:

Passage: "The base gymnasium is open from 06:00 to 22:00 on weekdays. All personnel may use the cardio equipment without booking, but the two squash courts must be reserved in advance through the duty clerk. During scheduled maintenance the gymnasium closes early."

Statement: "The squash courts are the most popular facility in the gymnasium."

What is the answer? It is tempting to reach for True, because squash courts need booking and booking often suggests demand. But look at what the passage actually says. It tells you the courts must be reserved in advance — it says nothing at all about how popular they are compared with the cardio equipment or anything else. The passage neither confirms nor contradicts the statement, so the correct answer is Cannot say.

This is the key trap of verbal reasoning. Your outside reasoning ("booking usually means popular") is not evidence from the passage. Once you strip that assumption away, there is simply nothing in the text to support "most popular", so you cannot say. Contrast this with the statement "The gymnasium is open until 22:00 on weekdays", which the passage states directly — that one is clearly True.

Tips to score well

• Read the passage carefully first. The answers are all in the text, so a slow, accurate first read usually saves time overall by stopping you re-reading later.
• Treat "Cannot say" as a real option. It is the most commonly missed answer. People talk themselves into True or False using knowledge the passage never provides. If you find yourself reasoning from outside the text, the answer is very likely "Cannot say".
• Watch for absolute words. Words like all, none, only, every and always make a statement much stronger. A single detail in the passage can make an absolute statement False, so check whether the text really supports the whole claim.
• Answer only what is asked. Match each statement to the passage precisely, and do not let a previous question colour your reading of the next one.
• Manage your time. With under a minute per question, do not get stuck. Make your best decision, mark it and move on — a fresh question is often easier than a stubborn one.

How to prepare

Verbal reasoning improves quickly with practice, because most of the gain comes from training yourself to stick to the passage and resist your own assumptions. The best way to build that habit is to work through realistic questions under timed conditions. Try our free verbal reasoning practice, and for a broader revision plan across every section of the assessment see how to prepare for the DAA. A little regular practice will make the True, False and Cannot Say decision feel natural by the time you sit the real thing.

This is independent practice material and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the RAF, the Royal Navy or the Ministry of Defence.