How long does the Verbal Fluency Test take?
About 4 to 6 minutes, as listed in the test library.
Language
Verbal Fluency Test
Run timed letter fluency for F, A and S with typed responses, automatic rule checks, and flags for words that need review.
Useful for language, executive retrieval, longitudinal cognition, and multilingual research workflows.
Free to start: 10 free participants per account, then $0.99 per participant for academic research, or any yearly plan. Preview any test free after you sign up.
Executive function4-6 minUntimed
Time left 0:45F
fern
Enter
- 1.farm
- 2.forest
- 3.frame
- 4.fern
Type words that start with the letter
What this task measures
Measures letter fluency. Participants type as many words as they can that start with F, A and S, with 60 seconds per letter by default.
Core constructs
- Letter (phonemic) fluency
- Lexical retrieval
- Executive control of memory search
- Language production
Research fit
- Language and executive-function research batteries
- Aging and longitudinal cognition studies
- Typed fluency studies with review of raw responses
- Comparison with category fluency in the same session
Paradigm overview
Verbal Fluency measures how many words a person can produce for a letter in a fixed time. Participants see a letter and type as many words as they can that start with it, pressing Enter after each word. Each word joins a visible list, and a countdown shows the time left. The standard letters are F, A and S, with 60 seconds per letter. A short untimed practice with the letter B teaches the entry step and is not scored.
The instructions follow the classic FAS rules: no names of people or places, no numbers, and no repeats of the same word with a different ending. Pasting into the typing box is blocked and attempts are counted.
Scoring normalizes each entry (case, spacing, punctuation and simple plurals) and classifies it as a valid word, a repetition or a rule violation (wrong first letter, number, proper noun or non-word). English entries are checked against an English word list derived from Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0) and a list of common first names. Words the list does not recognize still count but are flagged for review, as are possible variants of an earlier word, such as fast and faster. Sessions in other languages get only the checks that do not depend on language and are always flagged for review. Every entry is kept with its time for review.
Key scoring outputs
Unique Valid Words
countWords that start with the letter and follow the rules, without repeats. Includes words flagged for review.
Higher is better
Verified Words
countValid words confirmed by the English word list.
Higher is better
Words for Review
countValid-looking words the word list does not recognize. They count and are flagged for review.
Informational
Repetitions
countRepeats of an earlier word for the same letter, including simple plurals.
Lower is better
Rule Violations
countWrong first letter, numbers, names of people or places, and non-words.
Lower is better
Possible Variants
countWords that may repeat an earlier word with a different ending. They count and are flagged for review.
Informational
Requires Review
flag1 when any entry needs researcher review.
Informational
Total Entries
countAll entries, including repetitions and rule violations.
Informational
Task design as built
The trial sequence participants see, as the test runs in ConductCognition. Settings a researcher can change are listed below.
- Letters
- F, A and S, 60 seconds each, after an untimed practice with B.
- Entry
- Typed. Enter or Add puts each word on a visible list; pasting is blocked.
- Rules
- No names of people or places, no numbers, and no repeats with a different ending.
- Checking
- English entries are checked against word lists from Open English WordNet. Unknown words still count and are flagged for review.
Published FAS norms count words spoken to an examiner. This test collects typed words, so those norms are not applied.
Running this test
Settings you can change
| Setting | Standard | Allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Time per letter (ms) | 60,000 | 30,000 to 90,000 |
Yearly plans can change settings within these limits. Free and pay-as-you-go studies use the standard settings.
Need a setting this test does not have?
Devices and languages
- Untimed test: runs on desktops, laptops, tablets and phones. Participant devices
- Task text: English and Italian.
- Available on: Every plan, including the free plan.
- Recruiting online? See the setup guides for Prolific, Sona Systems, CloudResearch Connect and Qualtrics.
Cite this test
ConductCognition versions: task version 2.0.0, scoring version 2.0.0. Every export records the versions each session used, for a methods section.
- Benton, A. L. (1968). Differential behavioral effects in frontal lobe disease. Neuropsychologia, 6(1), 53-60. https://doi.org/10.1016/0028-3932(68)90038-9
- Tombaugh, T. N., Kozak, J., & Rees, L. (1999). Normative data stratified by age and education for two measures of verbal fluency: FAS and animal naming. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 14(2), 167-177. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0887-6177(97)00095-4Spoken-response norms, not applied to typed responses.
Source papers
Tombaugh, Kozak & Rees (1999). Normative data stratified by age and education for two measures of verbal fluency: FAS and animal naming. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 14(2), 167-177. Spoken administration; not applied to typed responses.
Paradigm sourceN/A
Research FAQ
Common questions about this online cognitive test
What device does a participant need?
Untimed test: runs on desktops, laptops, tablets and phones. The browser must be Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari.
What scores does it produce?
Unique Valid Words, Verified Words, Words for Review, Repetitions, Rule Violations, Possible Variants, Requires Review and Total Entries. Each session is also marked valid, needs review or invalid, with the reason.
Which settings can a researcher change?
Time per letter (ms) (30,000 to 90,000). Settings can be changed on yearly plans; free and pay-as-you-go studies use the standard settings.
Which languages can participants use?
The test's own text is in English and Italian. Italian participant pages come with yearly plans.
Is this a clinical test?
No. ConductCognition is for research use only. It runs, scores and exports the test; clinical interpretation is outside the platform.
Every test: the full test list.
Run this test in your next study
Start free with 10 free participants on any test, then use participant credits or a yearly plan.
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