LANGUAGE  AND  LITERACY  TESTS  I45
intelligence  or  general  ability.  How  trenchantly  this  fact
!s  indicated  by  the  somewhat  derisive  epithet  gift  of
gab.
The  use  made  of  verbal  tests  in  the  course  of  these  experiments ­
  has  demonstrated  that  their  value  is  confined
to  kinds  of  work  requiring  verbal  ability.  In  the  case  of
typists  and  stenographers,  for  example,  context  tests  were
found  to  be  particularly  apt.  This  was  to  be  expected,
s >nce  ability  in  typing  and  in  stenographic  work  involves
a bility  in  the  use  of  words.  The  grammar  test  may  also  be
placed  in  this  category.  Verbal  tests  were  also  found  to  be
significant  in  connection  with  the  work  of  certain  kinds
pf  clerks,  particularly  correspondence,  telephone,  and
lr iquiry  clerks.  In  general,  verbal  tests  should  be  very
S1 gnificant  in  all  cases  where  verbal  ability  is  essential.
Salesmen,  orators,  promoters,  writers,  ministers,  actors,
entertainers,  and  so  forth  are  all  greatly  dependent  on  the
S'ft  of  words,  and  to  the  occupations  and  professions
''phich  they  represent  language  or  verbal  tests  are  particularly ­
  applicable.
If  verbal  tests  are  to  be  applied  to  occupations  where
Verbal  proficiency  is  not  a  chief  requisite,  they  must  be
adapted  to  the  limited  vocabulary  of  the  particular  class
°f  workers  to  be  tested.  Every  trade  or  job  has  certain
"'ords  or  phrases,  the  names  of  specific  tools  and  processes,
^hich  are  peculiar  to  it.  Almost  every  worker  is  at  home
ln  the  vocabulary  of  his  own  trade,  more  so  than  in  a
Beneral  or  literary  vocabulary.  Therefore,  instead  of
verbal  tests  consisting  of  general  words  and  meanings,
We  can  have  tests  made  up  of  the  words  and  names
c haracteristic  of  a  given  job.  The  context  test,  for  instance, ­
  can  be  arranged  for  toolmakers  somewhat  as
follows: