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TARA question types, decoded
The current TARA Question Guide names seven Critical Thinking question types and three Problem Solving kinds. They are a map of operations, not a published weighting or score formula.
Critical Thinking has seven named jobs
Critical Thinking asks you to understand an argument and assess whether its reasons establish its claim. The fastest route is to translate the label into a question before you inspect the options.
| Official type | The move to make |
|---|---|
| Identifying the Main Conclusion | Separate the claim supported by the rest of the argument from its reasons. |
| Drawing a Conclusion | Choose only what follows from the information given. |
| Identifying an Assumption | Find the unstated bridge the argument needs. |
| Assessing the Impact of Additional Evidence | Ask whether the new evidence changes the support for the claim. |
| Detecting Reasoning Errors | Locate the step where the conclusion stops following from the reasons. |
| Matching Arguments | Match the structure of reasons and conclusion, not the subject. |
| Applying Principles | Apply the stated rule with its scope and conditions. |
Problem Solving has three kinds
Problem Solving assumes the basic mathematical knowledge set out in the specification. The teachable move is choosing and checking a route for a problem that may not look familiar.
| Official kind | The move to make |
|---|---|
| Relevant Selection | Keep the information that can change the requested output. |
| Finding Procedures | Build a sequence of operations that changes the starting state to the target. |
| Identifying Similarity | Find the relationship that stays fixed when the wrapper changes. |
- Write the output and unit before processing every number.
- Translate the constraint into a condition your route must satisfy.
- Check the final quantity against the wording, units and boundary.
The Writing Task is its own operation
The Writing Task lets candidates consider different aspects of a proposition and communicate them effectively in writing. The answer is limited to words, so the task rewards disciplined selection and organisation of ideas, with concise, accurate and effective expression.
Choose one of three prompts and treat the word limit as part of the problem. The specification says dictionaries and electronic spell-checkers are not permitted.
Do not turn the map into a blueprint
The current Question Guide contains seven Critical Thinking examples, three Problem Solving examples and one Writing example. Those counts describe the public guide sample. They do not establish a live question distribution.
The evidence report classifies BMAT and TSA archive questions as legacy proxy material. It keeps that material separate from the current guide examples. Use the map to choose a skill, not to predict how many questions of each type will appear.
Worked example Name the job before the answer
A council says library visits rose after opening hours were extended, so the later closing time caused the rise. Which operation should you use first?
- Identify the Main Conclusion.
- Find the necessary Assumption.
- Calculate a percentage.
- Apply a spatial formula.
- Write a -word response.
Why this works: Start with the argument job. The claim about the cause depends on an unstated bridge, so Identifying an Assumption is the useful first operation.
Why the tempting route fails: The topic contains a change over time, but it does not turn the item into a calculation, spatial problem or Writing Task.
Sources
UAT-UK, current TARA Question Guide. The seven Critical Thinking types, three Problem Solving kinds and public examples. Read the Question Guidehttps://uat-wp.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/08142344/TARA_Question_Guide.pdf
UAT-UK, current TARA Content Specification. The assessed modules, assumed mathematics and Writing Task purpose. Read the specificationhttps://uat-wp.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/08142350/TARA_Content_Specification.pdf
The move labels are a UniGenius study translation of the official names. They are not an official marking scheme.