UCAT NOT and EXCEPT Questions Trainer
Practise accuracy on negatively worded UCAT Verbal Reasoning questions.
Written and reviewed by Dr Akash Gandhi, NHS GP (GMC 7601216) and founder of TheUKCATPeople, teaching the UCAT since 2012. Last reviewed .
Frequently asked questions
What does the UCAT NOT/EXCEPT trainer practise?
It practises the Verbal Reasoning questions that ask which statement is NOT supported by the passage, or which is true EXCEPT one. You read a passage, then answer four questions where three options are supported by the text and one is not. Your job is to find the odd one out.
How does a NOT/EXCEPT drill work?
Each drill starts with a reading phase so you can take in the passage and its structure. When you press Start questions, the passage is hidden and you answer four questions in turn. After each answer you see which option was correct and why, and at the end you get a score out of four with the time taken.
What is the best method for NOT and EXCEPT questions?
Treat every option as its own True, False or Can't Tell check against the passage. Tick off each statement the passage clearly supports, and the one left over is your answer. Remember that a statement the passage never mentions is not supported, so Can't Tell options can be the correct choice.
Why do NOT/EXCEPT questions take so long in the UCAT?
Unlike a single True, False or Can't Tell statement, a NOT question makes you verify several options before you can be sure of the answer. Without a fixed routine it is easy to reread the passage for every option. Practising the check in a set order builds the habit of verifying quickly and moving on.
Is my NOT/EXCEPT progress saved?
Yes. Each finished drill is saved as a session. If you are signed in it appears on your Dashboard and counts towards your streak and weekly summary. As a guest it is stored on this device and moves into your account when you sign in. The trainer also avoids passages you have already seen where it can.