Free Critical Thinking Test
A free, 20-question critical thinking test modelled on the five reasoning skills used by professional assessments. Get an instant score, a breakdown by skill, and an explanation for every question.
What this critical thinking test measures
This free critical thinking test is modelled on the five reasoning skills used by widely recognised assessments such as the Watson–Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal. Each question targets one skill, and your final result breaks your score down skill by skill so you can see exactly where you are strong and where to practise.
The 5 skills, explained
| Skill | What it tests |
|---|---|
| Inference | Judging how likely a conclusion is, given only the stated facts. |
| Recognition of assumptions | Spotting what an argument quietly takes for granted. |
| Deduction | Deciding whether a conclusion necessarily follows from the premises. |
| Interpretation | Judging whether a conclusion is warranted by a passage, beyond reasonable doubt. |
| Evaluation of arguments | Telling genuinely strong arguments from weak or irrelevant ones. |
How to read your score
The headline percentage is your overall accuracy across all 20 questions. As a rough guide, 85%+ is excellent, 70–84% is strong, and below 55% means there is clear room to grow. Far more useful than the headline number is the per-skill breakdown: a single weak skill can drag down an otherwise good score, and it is the fastest thing to fix.
Practice, then retake
Because the test draws 20 questions at random each time, you can retake it as often as you like and see a fresh set. The most effective routine is simple: take the test, note your weakest skill, work through the matching critical thinking exercises, follow the habits in our guide to improving critical thinking, then retake the test a week later to measure the change.
This test is for learning and self-reflection. It is not a clinical, diagnostic, or employment-screening instrument, and your result is an estimate of skill on these questions — not an IQ or a professional certification.
Frequently asked questions
How do I test my critical thinking?
Take a structured reasoning test that scores you across the core skills: inference, recognising assumptions, deduction, interpretation and evaluating arguments. The test on this page does exactly that — 20 questions, scored instantly, with an explanation for each answer.
What are the 5 critical thinking skills measured here?
1) Inference — judging how likely a conclusion is from given facts. 2) Recognition of assumptions — spotting what an argument takes for granted. 3) Deduction — deciding whether a conclusion necessarily follows. 4) Interpretation — judging whether a conclusion is warranted. 5) Evaluation of arguments — telling strong arguments from weak ones.
Is the critical thinking test free?
Yes. The test is completely free, needs no sign-up, and your answers never leave your browser — only your score is stored locally so you can retake it.
What is a good critical thinking test score?
Scores above 75% indicate strong reasoning across all five skills. Below that, your skill breakdown shows exactly which area to practise. Use the exercises and improvement guide to close the gap, then retake the test.