Candidate preparation guide
Detective Exam Practice Test: Free Investigative Reasoning Questions
Practice the investigative reasoning that detective and investigator assessments commonly measure. Rounds of eight questions mix evidence, reports, timelines, memory and judgment.
Independent practice. Content varies by department and civil service system, and these original questions are not official test material.
Quick answer
Detective and investigator exams differ by department, but they commonly test evidence evaluation, report writing, sequencing, observation memory and reasoning with case data. This free practice test covers all of those with 24 original questions, explained answers and an optional memory mode.
Investigative reasoning
Detective exam practice questions
Answer 8 original questions per round across evidence evaluation, report writing, sequencing, observation memory, case data and investigative judgment. Turn on memory mode to answer the observation scenes from memory.
Independent practice, not official test material.
Six skills the detective practice test covers
The questions are grouped into six categories that recur across investigator-style assessments. Each round mixes them so you practice switching between skills.
| Category | What it tests | Example task |
|---|---|---|
| Evidence evaluation | Separating direct from circumstantial evidence and testing conflicting accounts | Deciding what a fingerprint or access log actually proves |
| Report writing | Objective, precise, fact-based language | Choosing the entry that records observation rather than opinion |
| Sequencing | Working out timelines and custody gaps | Calculating arrival times or finding a documentation gap |
| Observation and memory | Recalling details from a short scene | Answering questions about a scene after the text is hidden |
| Case data | Simple calculations on case figures | Percentages, means and month-on-month change |
| Investigative judgment | Sound next steps and avoiding bias | Handling contradicting evidence and partial alibis |
How to use memory mode
Turn on memory mode before you begin and each observation scene appears first with a button to hide it. Once hidden, you answer from memory and the passage reappears with the explanation. Calculation and sequencing questions keep their data on screen because they test reasoning, not recall. Practice by reading the scene once, naming the key details in your head, and resisting the urge to reread. Real observation-memory sections often display material for a limited time.
What varies between detective exams
An entry route for investigators, a promotion process for experienced officers, and a civil service list exam can each look quite different. Some rely heavily on a published reading list of law and policy; others test reasoning almost entirely. Confirm the format, the source material and the scoring method in your official announcement before deciding how much time to spend on each area.
A simple weekly routine
Two or three short sessions a week beat one long one. Do one round in standard mode and one in memory mode, review every explanation, and write down the principle behind each miss. Pair the rounds with general written-skills practice and the verbal reasoning sets so your reading accuracy stays sharp.
Read the detective exam guide
Learn how to identify which detective exam you are taking and where to find the official source for it.
Continue preparingFrequently asked questions
Are detective exams the same everywhere?
No. Content, eligibility, source material and scoring are set by each department or civil service system, so always check the official announcement.
What is memory mode?
An optional setting that hides each scene after you read it so you answer from memory, similar to observation sections in some assessments.
How many questions are there?
The bank has 24 questions, delivered in rounds of eight that mix all six categories. Your saved history moves you to a fresh round each time.
Does this cover criminal law?
No. It practices reasoning skills. If your exam draws on a specific reading list of law or policy, study that official list separately.
