SHL test 2026: the complete guide

Updated April 2026 · 18 min read · Used by 10,000+ companies in 150+ countries

SHL is the world's largest psychometric test provider. If you've applied to a major corporation — in the UK, Europe, India, or globally — there's a strong chance you'll face an SHL assessment. The company creates cognitive ability tests, behavioural assessments, personality questionnaires, and job simulations used across every major industry.

SHL test formats: standard vs interactive

SHL currently runs two versions of its cognitive tests. Understanding which one you'll face is critical because the formats differ significantly.

SHL Verify G+ (Standard) is the traditional multiple-choice format. You select answers from a fixed set of options. It contains 30 questions across numerical, inductive, and deductive reasoning, with a 36-minute time limit. Question difficulty stays consistent throughout.

SHL Verify Interactive G+ is the newer adaptive format that SHL is rolling out to replace the standard version. It uses drag-and-drop, calendar scheduling, chart manipulation, and other interactive tasks instead of simple multiple-choice. It has 24 questions in 36 minutes. Crucially, it's adaptive — if you answer correctly, the next question gets harder. If you answer incorrectly, it gets easier. This means the test evaluates you faster with fewer questions.

The version you receive depends entirely on the employer. Your invitation email or the test instructions page will indicate which format to expect. If the instructions mention "interacting" with questions or "activity-based tasks," you have the Interactive version.

Types of SHL tests

Numerical reasoning

Evaluates your ability to interpret data from tables, charts, and graphs, then calculate answers. Standard format: 16 questions in 20 minutes (75 seconds each). Interactive format: 10 questions in 18 minutes (108 seconds each — more time because questions are harder). The interactive version uses five question types: pie charts, line charts, column charts, number ranges, and ranking tasks. You may need to drag data points on a chart or adjust values rather than selecting A/B/C/D. A calculator is provided on-screen.

Verbal reasoning

Tests reading comprehension using the True/False/Cannot Say format. You read a passage and evaluate whether statements are supported, contradicted, or undeterminable from the passage alone. Standard format: 30 questions in 17-19 minutes. The most common mistake is confusing "False" with "Cannot Say" — False requires a direct contradiction in the passage, while Cannot Say means the passage simply doesn't address the topic. See our verbal reasoning guide for the complete framework.

Inductive reasoning

Non-verbal pattern recognition using shapes, sequences, and matrices. Standard format: 18 questions in 24 minutes. Interactive format: 15 questions in 18 minutes. In the interactive version, you may need to construct the answer yourself rather than choosing from options — for example, completing a letter/number sequence by typing or selecting elements. The six main pattern types are rotation, movement, colour/shading change, size change, addition/removal, and combination rules. See our inductive reasoning guide.

Deductive reasoning

Tests logical reasoning through rules, constraints, and scheduling problems. Interactive format: calendar scheduling, meeting room allocation, and ranking tasks. Standard format: syllogisms and logical arguments. Often combined with inductive and numerical in the General Ability (G+) test.

Mechanical comprehension

Levers, pulleys, circuits, gears, and fluid dynamics. 15 questions in 10 minutes. Used for engineering and technical roles.

Checking / calculation

Speed arithmetic and error-spotting. 40 questions in 8 minutes (12 seconds per question). Tests rapid accuracy for administrative and data-entry roles. Interactive calculation: 12 questions in 10 minutes.

SHL scoring and percentiles

SHL uses normative scoring. Your raw score is compared against a reference group — typically graduates or professionals in your region and role type. You receive a percentile score: the 70th percentile means you outperformed 70% of the comparison group.

Employers set their own cutoff thresholds. Typical benchmarks based on candidate reports:

A competitive score is generally 80th percentile or above. The adaptive Interactive test can evaluate your ability more precisely, so your percentile may differ from what you'd score on the standard test.

The verification test

Many employers now use a two-stage process: an unsupervised online test followed by a shorter supervised verification test taken at an assessment centre or under webcam proctoring. The verification test is designed to confirm your unsupervised score. If your verification score is dramatically lower, it raises a red flag. The verification test typically has fewer questions and a tighter time limit.

Which companies use SHL?

SHL assessments are used across virtually every industry. Major employers include:

Big Four: Deloitte, PwC, EY, KPMG

Banking: Barclays, HSBC, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Deutsche Bank

Tech & Consulting: Amazon, Accenture

FMCG & Energy: Unilever, Shell

India IT: Cognizant (uses AMCAT/SHL), Wipro, Infosys, TCS, HCL

Public sector: UK Civil Service, NHS

SHL test preparation timeline

2 weeks before: Take a baseline practice test (SHL offers free samples at shl.com/shldirect). Identify your weakest section — numerical, verbal, or inductive — and focus there.

1 week before: Do 2-3 timed practice sessions. Build speed, not just accuracy. Get comfortable with the time pressure. If you're taking the Interactive format, practice drag-and-drop and chart manipulation tasks.

Day before: One light practice session. Prepare your test environment: quiet room, stable internet, calculator (physical backup alongside on-screen). Close all other browser tabs and applications.

Test day: Read the question before looking at the data. Use answer options to guide estimation. Skip questions taking more than 90 seconds and return later (standard version only — the Interactive version doesn't allow skipping). There's no negative marking in SHL tests, so never leave a question blank.