How to Pass the NFA Understanding Information Test
Quick answer
The NFA Understanding Information test is a 35-minute verbal reasoning test with 25 multiple-choice questions. It presents written passages and asks whether statements are True, False, or Cannot Say based solely on the passage content. Strict discipline about not using outside knowledge is the key skill to develop.
The Understanding Information test is the verbal reasoning component of the National Firefighter Ability (NFA) test battery. It assesses your ability to read written information quickly, comprehend it accurately, and answer questions based strictly on what the passage says — not what you already know or assume.
What the test involves
The Understanding Information test lasts 35 minutes and contains 25 multiple-choice questions. Each question presents a short written passage — typically modelled on an operational notice, safety briefing, or incident report — followed by one or more statements. Your task is to judge, based solely on the passage, whether each statement is True, False, or Cannot Say.
True means the passage explicitly supports the statement. False means the passage explicitly contradicts it. Cannot Say means the passage neither supports nor contradicts it — you cannot tell from the information given alone.
The Cannot Say trap
The most common mistake candidates make is failing to use 'Cannot Say' enough. When a statement sounds plausible and likely to be true based on general knowledge, there is a strong temptation to mark it True — even if the passage does not actually say it.
The test is not assessing your general knowledge or your ability to reason beyond the text. It is assessing your ability to determine what a piece of written information does and does not say. If the passage does not explicitly confirm a statement, the answer is Cannot Say — even if you know from general knowledge that it is true.
Practise reading passages in strict isolation. Before marking True, ask yourself: 'Does this passage actually say this?' If the answer is 'probably' or 'I think so' rather than 'yes, clearly', the answer is Cannot Say.
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8 Working with Numbers questions — no account needed.
Reading strategy
Read the passage once carefully before looking at the questions. Resist the temptation to skip straight to the questions and skim the passage — a careful first read is faster overall because you are not constantly re-reading to find specific information.
When you read each statement, locate the relevant part of the passage before you judge it. Do not answer from memory of the passage. Find the specific sentence or sentences that relate to the statement and judge the statement against those words.
Watch for qualifiers in both the passage and the statements. Words like 'always', 'never', 'all', 'only', and 'must' significantly change meaning. A passage saying 'firefighters are encouraged to attend' is different from 'firefighters must attend' — a statement containing 'must' would be False or Cannot Say depending on the context.
Time management
35 minutes for 25 questions gives you 84 seconds per question on average — essentially the same as the Working with Numbers test. The time pressure here comes from reading passages rather than performing calculations.
If a passage is particularly dense or a question particularly ambiguous, do not spend more than 90 seconds on it. Mark your best answer, flag it mentally, and return if time allows. Most candidates find the Understanding Information test slightly more comfortable for time than Working with Numbers — but do not assume you have time to spare.
How to prepare
The key skill — strict disciplined reading without importing outside knowledge — develops with practice. The more passages you work through under timed conditions, the better you get at the specific discipline of answering what the passage says rather than what you expect it to say.
When reviewing practice answers, pay particular attention to Cannot Say questions you got wrong. If you marked True when the answer was Cannot Say, ask what specifically in the passage you thought supported the statement — and whether it actually did. This reflection builds the habit of strict source-based reading.
Frequently asked questions
What if I disagree with a Cannot Say answer?
In the real test, Cannot Say means the passage does not explicitly confirm or deny the statement. Even if you are personally confident a statement is true based on your own knowledge, the correct answer is Cannot Say if the passage does not say so. This discipline is exactly what the test measures.
Are the passages about real fire service topics?
The passages are written in a style similar to operational notices, safety briefings, or incident reports. They use fictional content but the register and style of real fire service documents.
Is the Understanding Information test harder than Working with Numbers?
Most candidates find them roughly similar in difficulty. Some find verbal reasoning easier; others prefer numbers. Practise both equally rather than focusing on the one you already find comfortable.