Verbal Memory Test — Seen It or New?
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the verbal memory test measure?
It measures how many words you can hold in short-term memory at once. Each word that appears is either brand new or one you have already been shown — recognising which is which gets harder as the list of seen words grows.
What is a good verbal memory score?
Surviving 30 or more words is a solid score, 50+ is excellent, and beyond 80 is exceptional. Your score is the number of correct answers you give before losing all three lives.
How can I improve my verbal memory?
Active strategies help most: silently repeat new words, link them into a running story, or attach a vivid image to each one. Regular reading and word games also strengthen verbal recall over time.
Interpreting your verbal memory result
The verbal memory test challenges you to remember whether you have seen a word before as more and more words appear. It measures recognition memory for language — a skill you rely on constantly when reading, learning vocabulary and following conversation. Because the list keeps growing, the test gradually loads your memory until you can no longer keep track, revealing your effective verbal memory capacity.
How to boost verbal memory
- Form a quick mental image for each word as it appears.
- Connect new words to ones you have already seen.
- Read widely — a richer vocabulary makes words easier to encode and recall.
- Concentrate fully; divided attention is the enemy of memory.