Cappfinity assessment study guide

Match your invitation, understand the different reasoning standards and build an accurate, efficient method.

Methods and worked examples

These teaching examples introduce the method. The scored bank uses separate questions, including more demanding combinations.

Numerical reasoning

Numerical data

Identify the units and the exact comparison requested. For a rate or percentage, calculate with the appropriate denominator for each alternative. Rank the calculated values, rather than the original totals.

Watch for: Choosing the smallest pack price when the question asks for the lowest price per unit.

Practice numerical data

Example

A costs £45 for 18 units, B costs £54 for 24 units, and C costs £56 for 20 units. Rank them from lowest to highest price per unit.

Solution: B, A, C. The unit prices are B: £54 ÷ 24 = £2.25; A: £45 ÷ 18 = £2.50; C: £56 ÷ 20 = £2.80.

Numerical calculations

Translate the information into a short equation. Estimate the answer, calculate without rounding intermediate values, then enter only the number in the requested unit and precision.

Watch for: Applying successive percentage changes to the same original amount, or rounding before the final step.

Practice numerical calculations

Example

A £240 invoice is discounted by 15%, then a 5% service fee is applied to the discounted amount. Enter the final amount in pounds, to two decimal places.

Solution: 214.20. The discounted amount is £240 × 0.85 = £204. The final amount is £204 × 1.05 = £214.20. The net change is not a simple 10% discount.

Verbal reasoning

Verbal comprehension

Track the subject, scope and qualifiers in the passage. A good summary preserves the main claim without adding a cause, changing a possibility into a certainty or treating a subset as everyone.

Watch for: Replacing “may” with “will,” or treating permission to apply as approval.

Practice verbal comprehension

Example

The notice says: “Employees who have completed probation may request flexible hours. Managers assess requests individually.” Is the statement “Every employee who completes probation receives flexible hours” established?

Solution: No. The notice establishes eligibility to request flexible hours, not that every request is approved. Without additional information, that claim is neither established nor contradicted.

Verbal precision

First identify what the task measures: a grammatical correction, register, meaning or attitude toward a named subject. Preserve the intended meaning and avoid changing correct wording merely because you prefer a different style.

Watch for: Mistaking a polite rejection for approval, or making an unnecessary stylistic edit.

Practice verbal precision

Example

Correct only the verb in: “The list of delivery dates are attached.”

Solution: Replace “are” with “is.” The subject is the singular “list”; “of delivery dates” does not make it plural. The corrected sentence is “The list of delivery dates is attached.”

Critical reasoning

Critical inference

Read the evidence standard before judging. A deduction must follow from the premises. Evaluating evidence asks whether a conclusion is justified beyond reasonable doubt. An inference can be probably true or probably false without being certain.

Watch for: Using one strict true/false rule for every critical reasoning question.

Practice critical inference

Example

Every approved proposal has a budget. Proposal K has no budget. Does it necessarily follow that K is not approved?

Solution: Yes. If K were approved, the premise would require a budget. Having no budget rules that out. By contrast, having a budget alone would not prove approval.

Critical arguments

For assumptions, identify what a statement takes for granted. For arguments, treat the argument’s stated facts as true, then assess whether they directly address the question and matter to the decision.

Watch for: Marking an argument weak because you personally disagree with its conclusion.

Practice critical arguments

Example

A manager says: “Replace the damaged scanner so the team can use it again tomorrow.” Is the manager assuming that a replacement scanner can be available by tomorrow?

Solution: Yes. The proposed action relies on a replacement being available in time. It does not require the stronger assumption that replacing equipment is always better than repairing it.

Diagrammatic reasoning

Diagrammatic sequences

List the features that change. Test each rule across every transition, then combine the rules. Pay attention to exact positions and distinguish outline from filled shapes.

Watch for: Finding a pattern that explains only the last pair of images.

Practice diagrammatic sequences

Example

An arrow points up, right, down and left. Its fill alternates outline, solid, outline, solid. What follows?

Solution: An outline arrow pointing up. Direction rotates 90 degrees clockwise each step, and fill alternates independently.

Diagrammatic rules

Compare one feature at a time and track the order of operations. A rotation changes direction; a reflection reverses an arrangement; a shading change does neither. Verify the rule against all supplied examples.

Watch for: Treating a reflection as a rotation, or applying two operations in the wrong order.

Practice diagrammatic rules

Example

A rule first moves a marker one cell to the right in a three-cell row, wrapping the right cell to the left. It then switches outline to filled and filled to outline. A filled marker starts in the right cell. What is the result?

Solution: An outline marker in the left cell. The move wraps around, then the fill switches. The stated rule fixes both position and fill.

Coding potential

Coding tracing

Use only the definitions supplied. Make a small trace table and update variables in the stated order. Check where a loop starts, when it stops and whether an instruction uses the old or updated value.

Watch for: Carrying assumptions from a programming language into an unfamiliar set of rules.

Practice coding tracing

Example

Start x at 2. Repeat “add 3 to x” twice, then multiply x by 2. What is x?

Solution: 16. The values are 2 → 5 → 8 → 16. Multiplying after the two additions is different from multiplying during each repetition.

Coding rules

Translate each rule into a clear condition and action. Check whether conditions are alternatives or separate steps, then test the exact input given. Keep boundary cases such as “at least” and “greater than” distinct.

Watch for: Using both branches of an either/or rule, or excluding a value that sits on an inclusive boundary.

Practice coding rules

Example

Rule: if n is at least 5, output n − 2; otherwise output n + 4. What is the output when n = 5?

Solution: 3. “At least 5” includes 5, so only the first branch applies: 5 − 2 = 3.

Use the right critical reasoning standard

Cappfinity’s public critical reasoning demonstration distinguishes five skills. A conclusion can fail a strict deduction test yet remain a reasonable inference. Read the instruction for the current question.

Deducing conclusions

Follows / Does not follow

The conclusion must follow from the given true premises. Do not add outside knowledge. “Some” can mean any number from one through all.

Evaluating evidence

Follows / Does not follow

Use the evidence and reasonable common sense to decide whether the conclusion is justified beyond reasonable doubt. This is not the same as deductive certainty.

Drawing logical inferences

True / Probably true / Cannot say / Probably false / False

Use the passage and common knowledge to judge the degree of support. True means established beyond reasonable doubt, not deductive certainty. Probably true or false means more likely than the alternative; Cannot say means the information does not establish which is more likely.

Identifying assumptions

Assumed / Not assumed

Identify what the statement takes for granted. A proposition can be plausible without being required by the statement.

Judging arguments

Strong / Weak

Treat the argument’s stated facts as true. Judge its importance and direct relevance to the question, rather than whether you agree with the position.

Know the formats before you start

Cappfinity is a platform, not one fixed exam. Its current preparation hub covers different cognitive and behavioral activities. Your employer selects what you receive.

What our original practice includes
Area	Practice interactions	Where to start
Numerical	Select an answer, enter a number, rank alternatives	Numerical data and calculations
Verbal	Passage decisions, exact selections, word choice, editing and ordering	Verbal comprehension and precision
Critical	Different evidence standards with explicit response labels	Critical inference and arguments
Diagrammatic	Precisely positioned visual sequences and transformations	Diagrammatic sequences and rules
Coding potential	Language-neutral taught rules, tracing and conditions	Coding tracing and rules
Behavioral and strengths	Unscored ordering, slider, categorization, ability/enjoyment	Free familiarization

The public verbal demo covers adaptability, comprehension, dexterity, interpretation and reasoning. Our verbal bank practices these skills using original selectable and ordering questions. The free familiarization also lets you match communication styles and edit a sentence directly. The interfaces are learning exercises, not replicas of an employer’s assessment software.

Try verbal style matching and editing

Timing can vary

The public standalone reasoning demos record time without a countdown. The current candidate FAQ also describes activities with overall or per-question limits. Follow your own instructions.

Our practice has no countdown. Accuracy and elapsed time are reported separately. It does not calculate an official speed–accuracy score or recreate adaptive testing.

Counts are our practice design

Each short drill has six questions with feedback after you check an answer. Each subject test has 12 questions. The mixed set has 60 questions: 12 in each of five subjects. Longer tests show feedback at the end.

Submitted answers lock. Ranking requires the complete order; an exact-selection question requires every requested answer. Follow the displayed unit and decimal precision when entering a number. These are our scoring rules, not a claim about an employer’s private formula.

Use a calculator, pen and paper for our numerical practice. Cappfinity’s preparation guidance recommends these tools. Check your invitation for device and tool requirements, and ask the employer about adjustments before the actual assessment.

Prepare for your employer’s activities

These examples show why an employer name alone does not establish one universal test. Guidance was checked in September 2026; the instructions for your role and intake take priority.

EY UK student programs

EY describes rank ordering, written and video responses, with numerical assessment where relevant. Its UK student privacy notice identifies the Cappfinity Assessments platform. Check your program’s actual invitation.

EY UK student applicant privacy notice

Deloitte UK early careers

Deloitte describes numerical and verbal activities with ranking responses, followed by a job simulation that can include written and video responses. The stages and adjustments depend on the application.

HSBC students and graduates

HSBC links its Preparation Plus Candidate Zone and describes work scenarios using cognitive and behavioral activities. Formats vary by market and program; follow the guidance attached to your application.

Shoosmiths

Cappfinity’s employer case study describes a tailored cognitive and strengths experience. It is evidence of a bespoke program, not that every applicant takes all five practice subjects offered here.

For any other employer, use the module names in your invitation and its own preparation links. A provider’s customer story does not prove that every office, role or intake uses the same cognitive battery.

Strengths and behavior: answer honestly

Behavioral questions can ask what you tend to do, how capable you feel and what you enjoy. These are different from factual reasoning questions. Do not try to imitate an imagined ideal candidate.

Use a consistent real context, such as your typical work or study behavior.
Read whether the task asks for a rating, a forced order or a category. A ranking is relative to the other statements in that set.
Separate capability from enjoyment: you can be good at an activity without finding it energizing, or enjoy something you are still learning.
Think of recent examples rather than choosing every statement that sounds desirable.

Try the free strengths familiarization

The examples are unscored and stay on the current page. They do not create a personality profile, employer recommendation or saved assessment result.

Prepare written and video responses

Your invitation may place questions inside a work scenario. Identify the audience, the decision required and the facts you have been given before responding.

Written response

Lead with the action or answer. Use the scenario’s evidence, explain the reason briefly and state any next step. Check names, numbers and tone before submitting.

Original rehearsal prompt: a delivery will be one day late. Draft a brief update to the colleague who depends on it. State the impact, what you are checking and when you will update them. Do not invent a guaranteed delivery time.

Video response

Answer the actual question, explain your own contribution and use a genuine example. Practice speaking within the preparation and response limits shown in your invitation.

Original rehearsal prompt: describe a time you learned an unfamiliar skill. Explain how you approached it, what changed after feedback and what you would do next time.

Explore video interview practice

Video interview practice is a separate product, not included in the Cappfinity pass. Our examples do not reproduce an employer’s confidential interview questions.

Make each attempt useful

Match your invitation. Check the official examples and identify the subjects and controls you will use.
Learn one method. Start with a six-question drill. Review the explanation and distinguish reading, calculation and reasoning mistakes.
Practice on fresh material. Selection prefers unseen questions while available. A remembered answer is rehearsal, not new evidence of skill.
Complete a longer set. Work without checking explanations during the test, then review correct answers that took too long as well as mistakes.
Compare similar attempts. Improve accuracy first, then simplify your method and become more efficient. Avoid drawing conclusions from one unusually good result.

Our demanding learning goal is at least 90% correct overall, in each subject and on the Challenge questions, with every question answered. Targets round up: a six-question drill requires six correct answers.

These are editorial practice goals, not validated employer pass marks or official Cappfinity norms. Difficulty equivalence has not been established. Use results to guide the next practice session, not to predict a hiring decision.

Choose your next practice

One Cappfinity pass covers all scored subjects, longer sets and drill replays. Saved explanations remain available after the pass ends.

Choose a drill Choose a longer test

Original independent preparation. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Cappfinity or the employers named.