9 Tips for SSB Word Association Test (WAT)

Check out tips to write good answers in SSB WAT test. Total 60 words will be given in Word Association Test of SSB interview. Read best tips by experts to answer words of SSB interview.

It’s only your second day at SSB and you already have completed the Screening and TAT. The immediate next test waiting for you on the same day is the Word Association Test (WAT). This test is also called ‘Confirmatory Test’ to TAT or ‘Idea Writing Test’. This means that Word Association Test confirms qualities that you display in Thematic Apperception Test. Giving WAT immediately after the TAT brings your natural qualities in front of the assessors.

What is WAT test held in SSB interview?

WAT is a test of personality and test of mental function in which the candidate is required to respond to the words shown, with the first thought that comes to his/her mind. It is a test of personality and mental function.

The words shown can be used in any form and tense. Example, ‘die’ can be used as ‘died’ or ‘dying’.

A total of 60 words is shown for 15 seconds each in which the candidate has to form a meaningful sentence from it. It is recommended that a candidate attempts a minimum of 55 words. The test lasts for 15 minutes.

Best tips to Attempt WAT and Make Meaningful Sentences

Following are the best tips on how to attempt WAT test of SSB interview. These tips have been taken from all sources including ex-SSB officers & recommended candidates and are the best of the best tips in its category. That means you will now not have to look for other WAT test tips from any other source. So, here we go.

1. Make your own sentences:

Steer away from sentences that you have memorised or have learnt during practice. This shows a lack of originality. Instead, try making a link to the previous sentence as this is more natural and try showing your OLQ’s through the sentences.

E.g. for the word “Die”, don’t just write “Do or Die is a slogan given by Gandhiji”. Instead write, “I’m a die-hard cricket fan”. The sentence is both positive and shows your creative ability.

2. Make sure you write meaningful and logical sentences. Don’t use your imaginary power too much while forming sentences in WAT. Make real sentences and be grounded.
3. Write grammatically correct sentences and maintain a good handwriting. This is just something that no one will tell you and no one will bother telling. But through this, the assessors test your ability to remain calm and composed under pressure. A person struggling to write sentences with bad handwriting and scribbling answers is more likely not to have the ability to remain calm and composed under pressure.
4. Don’t make sentences related to Defence too much. Writing sentences solely on defence will not take you anywhere. Instead, it shows a lack of originality and thoughts.
5. Do not give suggestion or advice to the board or to anyone implicitly through the sentences.

For instance, for the work ‘bring’, don’t write, ‘India should bring back Dawood Ibrahim’. India knows what to do well, so don’t give advice to anyone, which takes us to our next point:

6. Don’t use words like should, could, might, ought, can, may, must, etc. too much. Again, these form the basis of imaginary sentences.
7. Keep the sentences to as short as possible. I’d say, sentences having 4-10 words are optimal. Don’t make it too short or too long.
8. While thinking about a sentence to make from a word, think of the first image that comes to your mind. This is your original idea of that word. Now, try to make a positive sentence from that word or relate that image to a positive story or current affair.
9. From negative words, try negating the words or having remedial approach. For example, for the word ‘hate’, try remedial approach as, ‘Love overcomes the fear hatred’. In negating this word, you can go, “A mother do not hate her children”.
10. If, for some words, you are unable to form full sentences, just write your idea about that sentence in a word or two. The assessor will understand what you want to convey. For instance, for the word ‘imagination’, if you couldn’t complete sentence within the given time, just write “good”. The assessor will understand that you are conveying something about good imagination or are stating that imagination is good.
11. The last thing about succeeding in WAT is practice a lot with a timer.

Also read:

Frequently asked WAT words in SSB interview

Online mock test for SSB Word Association Test Practice

So all the best and hope these valuable tips on how to write meaningful sentences for SSB WAT words will help you in the upcoming SSB interviews.