Hidden Words Notes for SSC Exams
Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
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PDF Notes: Hidden Words Notes for SSC Exams
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In hidden words questions, a word such as an animal, a bird or a body part is hidden inside a longer word or across two words of a sentence. You are asked to find it. These hidden words notes for SSC explain the method, list the commonly hidden words and give solved examples.
Types of Hidden Word Questions
| Type | Example |
|---|---|
| Hidden in one word | The word EDUCATION has the animal CAT |
| Hidden across two words | The sentence "Rahul came late" has CAMEL |
| Hidden across three words | A word that begins in one word and ends in the third |
| Category given | You are told that the hidden word is an animal, a bird or a body part |
Method to Find the Hidden Word
- Write all the letters of the word or sentence together without spaces.
- Note the category of the hidden word, such as animal or colour.
- Look for short words of 3 to 5 letters, from left to right.
- For a sentence, check that the hidden word starts in one word and ends in the next.
- Confirm the word by marking its letters one by one.
Solved Examples
Example 1. Find the animal hidden in PIRATE.
piRATe, so the animal is RAT.
Example 2. Find the animal hidden in EDUCATION.
eduCATion, so the animal is CAT.
Example 3. Find the insect hidden in the sentence "Lalita ran to market".
Write it without spaces: lalitaranto market becomes lalitarantomarket. The letters a, n and t appear together in "ran to", which gives ANT hidden across the words ran and to.
Example 4. Find the animal hidden in "Rahul came late".
The letters "came" and the first letter "l" of "late" give CAMEL.
Example 5. Find the bird hidden in WHENEVER.
wHENever, so the bird is HEN.
Commonly Hidden Words
| Category | Common hidden words |
|---|---|
| Animals | ant, rat, cat, bat, cow, pig, ape, ox, ram, fox, eel |
| Birds | hen, owl, emu, crow, dove |
| Body parts | arm, leg, ear, eye, lip, hip, toe, rib, jaw |
| Colours | red, tan, pink, blue |
| Numbers | one, two, six, ten |
| Household items | mat, pot, pan, cup, bed |
Tips
- Learn the list of common three-letter hidden words and scan for them first.
- A longer hidden word, such as CAMEL, usually runs across two words.
- Check the options given, because the answer is one of them.
- Do not stop at the first hidden word. Check that it is in the category asked.
Quick Tips
- Write the sentence without spaces to see the hidden word clearly.
- Scan for three-letter words of the asked category first.
- Use the options to confirm the answer.
- Check that the hidden word really crosses the word boundary when the question says so.
Quick Revision Points
- PIRATE hides RAT, EDUCATION hides CAT and WHENEVER hides HEN.
- "Rahul came late" hides CAMEL.
- Remove the spaces to find words across the boundaries.
- Learn the common animals, birds and body parts.
- The hidden word is always in the given category.
Practice Questions With Answers
- Find the animal hidden in SCRATCH.
Answer: RAT - Find the bird hidden in KNOWLEDGE.
Answer: OWL - Find the body part hidden in LEARN.
Answer: EAR - Find the household item hidden in "I met Ram at ten".
Answer: MAT - Find the insect hidden in MOTHER.
Answer: MOTH - Find the body part hidden in SHIPPING.
Answer: HIP - Find the number hidden in ALONE.
Answer: ONE - Find the animal hidden in COWARD.
Answer: COW - Find the drink hidden in STEAM.
Answer: TEA - What is the first step in solving a hidden word question?
Answer: Write all the letters together without spaces
How to Practise This Chapter
Practise ten questions daily and keep a small notebook of the rules. Then attempt timed sets from our practice papers and the previous year papers page. See all topics on the Verbal Reasoning notes page, and also read the Coding-Decoding and Reasoning notes. Read the previous topic, Inserting the Missing Character, and then start Non Verbal Reasoning notes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are hidden words in reasoning?
They are words hidden inside a longer word or across the words of a sentence.
How do I find a hidden word?
Write the letters together without spaces and scan for short words of the given category.
Can a hidden word be across two words?
Yes. It can start in one word and end in the next word.
What are commonly hidden animals?
Ant, rat, cat, bat, cow, pig, ape, ox, ram and fox.
What are commonly hidden body parts?
Arm, leg, ear, eye, lip, hip, toe, rib and jaw.
How do I check the answer?
Mark the letters of the word one by one in the sentence.
Should I use the options?
Yes. The answer is one of the options, so check each option in the sentence.
Is this topic asked in SSC exams?
Yes. Hidden word questions have been asked in SSC reasoning papers.
How much time should I take for one question?
About 30 seconds.
What are common mistakes?
Missing a word that crosses a word boundary and choosing a word of the wrong category.
How can I improve my speed?
Learn the common hidden words and practise ten sentences every day.
How many questions come from this topic in SSC exams?
Usually zero to one question, and the number changes from year to year.
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Inserting the Missing Character Notes for SSC Exams
Next chapter
Letter Series Reasoning Tricks: Missing Letter and Alphabet Pattern Questions for SSC CGL, CHSL
Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
Rahul is a senior SSC exam strategist with 8+ years of experience helping aspirants crack CGL, CHSL and MTS exams. He writes in-depth notification breakdowns, exam pattern guides and preparation strategies.