The Defence Aptitude Assessment (DAA) is the entry test used by the British Armed Forces — Army, Royal Navy, Royal Marines, and RAF — to evaluate candidates during recruitment selection. It replaced the BARB test and is administered online at Armed Forces Careers Offices (AFCOs) across the UK. Competition for places is high, and your DAA score determines which roles and trades you're eligible for, so thorough preparation makes a significant difference. Practice with the free DAA - Defence Aptitude Assessment practice test on PracticeTestGeeks (11 questions with answer explanations).
This page gives you a free DAA practice test PDF you can download, print, and work through at home. The questions cover every section of the assessment: abstract and spatial reasoning, verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning, mechanical comprehension, spatial pattern tasks, and working memory and processing speed exercises. Use it alongside timed online practice to build both accuracy and the speed you'll need on test day.
Interactive DAA - Defence Aptitude Assessment resources on PracticeTestGeeks, free to start:
Facts verified Oct 20, 2026 against UK Ministry of Defence: Royal Navy and Royal Air Force Recruitment. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
| Item | Detail | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Number of questions | 6 timed multiple-choice tests | UK Ministry of Defence: Royal Navy and Royal Air Force Recruitment |
| Time limit (RAF) | At least 25 minutes; each section timed | recruitment.raf.mod.uk |
| Time limit (Royal Navy) | About 90 minutes, one sitting, within a 14-day window | UK Ministry of Defence: Royal Navy and Royal Air Force Recruitment |
| Passing score | No single pass mark; depends on role | UK Ministry of Defence: Royal Navy and Royal Air Force Recruitment |
| Retake policy (Royal Navy) | All six sections must be attempted | UK Ministry of Defence: Royal Navy and Royal Air Force Recruitment |
| Delivery (RAF) | Online on own IT or at an AFCO | recruitment.raf.mod.uk |
| Delivery (Royal Navy) | Online at home or in person at an AFCO | UK Ministry of Defence: Royal Navy and Royal Air Force Recruitment |
| Eligibility (Royal Navy) | Taken after the online application (Step 2) | UK Ministry of Defence: Royal Navy and Royal Air Force Recruitment |
| Score release (Royal Navy) | Career Adviser discusses scores after completion | UK Ministry of Defence: Royal Navy and Royal Air Force Recruitment |
| Testing window (Royal Navy) | 14 days from the portal link | UK Ministry of Defence: Royal Navy and Royal Air Force Recruitment |
Facts verified Oct 20, 2026 against UK Ministry of Defence: Royal Navy and Royal Air Force Recruitment. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
The DAA assesses a range of cognitive abilities across six main areas. Here is a full breakdown of what each section tests and what to expect in the practice questions:
These questions present sequences of shapes or matrix patterns and ask you to identify the rule governing the sequence, complete the pattern, or identify the odd shape out. You may also be asked to mentally rotate shapes and identify which option matches a rotated version of a target figure. Speed and pattern recognition are both critical here — the adaptive format means correct answers quickly lead to harder items.
Verbal reasoning sections present short passages followed by statements you must evaluate as True, False, or Cannot Say based solely on the passage. Analogy questions (word A is to word B as word C is to ?) and word relationship tasks are also common. You are not tested on general knowledge — only on logical interpretation of the text provided.
Expect arithmetic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division), fractions, decimals, percentages, and ratios. Data interpretation questions require you to read values from tables and graphs and perform calculations on them. Mental arithmetic speed is heavily tested — many candidates lose marks not from lack of knowledge but from working too slowly under time pressure.
This section tests understanding of basic mechanical principles: levers and pulleys (mechanical advantage calculations), gear systems (gear ratios and direction of rotation for meshed gears), forces and pressure, spring behaviour, simple electrical circuits (series vs. parallel), and fluid pressure. Questions are typically illustrated diagrams with multiple-choice answers.
Net shape questions show a flat 2D net and ask which 3D shape it would form when folded. Mirror image tasks require you to identify the correct mirror reflection of a shape. Pattern assembly questions show component pieces and ask which finished shape they create. These tasks become significantly easier with deliberate practice beforehand.
Number sequence tasks, letter-number coding (where each letter maps to a number under a given code), and symbol substitution exercises all appear here. These sections reward practice specifically — the tasks are not intellectually complex, but doing them quickly and accurately under timed conditions requires familiarity with the format.
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The printable PDF is ideal for initial study and topic review, but you should also practise under timed conditions that replicate the online test environment. Our DAA practice test lets you work through questions in each section with instant answer feedback and a running score, helping you identify which areas need more work before your actual assessment at the AFCO.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Validates your knowledge and skills objectively | Study materials can be expensive |
| Increases job market competitiveness | Exam anxiety can affect performance |
| Provides structured learning goals | Requires dedicated preparation time |
| Networking opportunities with other certified professionals | Retake fees apply if you don't pass |
Try these questions from our free DAA - Defence Aptitude Assessment practice tests. The correct answer and an explanation follow each question.
The table below shows the results of a fitness test for 1,200 recruits, categorized by age group and test outcome. | Age Group | Pass | Fail | Total | |-----------|------|------|-------| | 18-21 | 450 | 50 | 500 | | 22-25 | 360 | 40 | 400 | | 26-30 | 270 | 30 | 300 | | Total | 1080 | 120 | 1200 | Which of the following statements is true based on the data?
Answer: C. Exactly 10% of all recruits failed the test.
Let's evaluate each statement: A) Pass rates: 18-21 is 450/500=90%; 22-25 is 360/400=90%; 26-30 is 270/300=90%. All are equal, so A is false. B) The 22-25 pass rate is 360/400 = 90%, so B is false. C) Total fails are 120. Total recruits are 1200. (120/1200) * 100 = 10%. This statement is true. D) Total who passed is 1080. Half of this is 540. The 18-21 group had 450 passes, which is less than half. So D is false.
If a soldier passes the fitness test, they advance. Private Lee did not advance. What can be inferred?
Answer: A. Private Lee failed the fitness test
By contrapositive: if a soldier did not advance, they did not pass the fitness test.
Sergeant Torres ranks above Corporal Singh. Corporal Singh ranks above Private Walsh. Who ranks lowest?
Answer: C. Private Walsh
Transitive reasoning: Torres > Singh > Walsh, making Private Walsh the lowest in rank.
Which word is a synonym for CONCUR?
Answer: D. Agree
'To concur' means to be of the same opinion; to agree. Therefore, 'Agree' is a direct synonym. The other options are antonyms ('Disagree', 'Object') or related to a different concept ('Decide').
Take the full DAA - Defence Aptitude Assessment practice test