On this page
Intraverbal ABA describes a verbal response controlled by another person's words, without simply repeating those words and without naming something currently present. For RBT study, intraverbal examples fit C.6 discrimination training because the learner responds differently to different verbal cues.
How Intraverbal Questions Fit C.6#
The RBT Test Content Outline (3rd ed.) places discrimination training in Domain C, Behavior Acquisition. Domain C has 19 scored questions and 25% of the scored exam, per the RBT Test Content Outline (3rd ed.).
Study scenarios about intraverbals can ask candidates to:
- Identify what verbal cue controls the answer.
- Separate a conversational answer from an echoic repetition.
- Distinguish a fill-in response from a tact or mand.
- Notice whether the learner responds differently to "who," "where," "what," and category cues.
The broader verbal behavior aba guide explains how verbal operants are grouped. The aba terms hub is the better parent page when a study session mixes intraverbal examples with other ABA vocabulary.
Intraverbal Definition And Features#
The table shows the decision points that make a response intraverbal in an exam-study scenario.
| Feature | What to check | Intraverbal example | Not an intraverbal when... |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verbal cue | Another person's words set the occasion for the response. | Adult says, "You sleep in a..." and the learner says, "bed." | No verbal cue is described. |
| Different wording | The response does not simply match the cue. | Adult asks, "Where do fish live?" and the learner says, "water." | The learner repeats "water" after hearing "water." |
| No current item required | The answer is not naming a visible object. | Adult asks, "What do you use to write?" and the learner says, "pencil." | A pencil is shown and the learner says "pencil." |
| Cue discrimination | Different verbal cues call for different answers. | "Who drives the bus?" and "Where is the bus stop?" produce different responses. | The same answer is given to every question regardless of cue. |
Intraverbal programs can include fill-ins, category questions, associations, personal information, and conversational exchanges. The RBT-level study point is not designing those targets; it is recognizing and implementing the written discrimination between verbal cues and expected responses.
Fill-Ins, Questions, And Associations#
The categories below keep common intraverbal examples separate without pretending to describe official exam wording.
| Category | Example cue | Example response | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fill-in phrase | "Ready, set..." | "go" | The response completes a verbal cue without copying it. |
| Category association | "Name something you wear." | "hat" | The answer belongs to the category named by the words. |
| Wh-question | "Where do you sleep?" | "bed" | The answer is controlled by the question, not by a visible bed. |
| Function question | "What do you cut with?" | "scissors" | The verbal cue asks for a related item by use. |
| Social exchange | "How are you?" | "fine" | The response is part of a conversational relation. |
If the target response is a request for something currently wanted, review motivating operations because motivation can change the value of that consequence. If the response names something present, the tact aba page is the clearer comparison.
Intraverbal Vs Echoic Vs Tact Vs Mand#
This decision table is the main comparison for this page's information gain.
| Verbal relation | Main controlling variable | Simple cue | Simple response | Study distinction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intraverbal | Another verbal stimulus, with different wording | "What says meow?" | "cat" | Answer relates to the words but does not copy them. |
| Echoic | A spoken model with matching sound pattern | "Say cat." | "cat" | Response repeats the model. |
| Tact | A nonverbal stimulus currently present | Adult shows a cat picture. | "cat" | Response names what is present. |
| Mand | Current motivation for a consequence | Child wants bubbles. | "bubbles" | Response requests access or removal. |
The dedicated mand vs tact vs intraverbal comparison is useful after this page because it forces the same response form through different controlling variables. For implementation practice tied to the official C.6 task, use stimulus control transfer aba before moving into mixed items.
Worked Scenario#
Mara is following a written language program. The teaching sheet lists three verbal cues: "What do you drink from?", "Where do you wash hands?", and "Who helps when you are sick?" The expected responses are "cup," "sink," and "doctor." No cup, sink, or doctor picture is present during the trial.
The responses are intraverbal study examples because each answer is controlled by a different verbal cue. The learner is not repeating the adult's exact words and is not labeling a visible object. The discrimination-training part is the difference between cues: "what do you drink from" should not produce the same answer as "who helps when you are sick."
If Mara says "cup" after every question, the issue is not that "cup" is always wrong as a word. The study issue is weak discrimination among verbal cues. In real service, the technician follows the supervising BCBA's written correction and prompting plan rather than inventing a new teaching sequence.
Common Mistakes#
The mistakes below are common when intraverbal examples are mixed with other verbal operants.
- Calling a response intraverbal just because the response uses words; the controlling cue still matters.
- Calling an echoic response intraverbal when the learner simply repeats the spoken model.
- Calling a tact intraverbal when the learner labels an item, picture, person, or event currently present.
- Treating every fill-in phrase as mastered when the learner answers only one memorized phrase.
- Ignoring question words; "who," "where," and "what" cues should control different response classes.
The rbt practice test behavior acquisition mixes verbal-behavior scenarios with other Domain C tasks so the topic label does not cue the answer.
Practice Allocation#
This table separates official scored-exam weights from the original practice set on this page.
| Measure | Count or tag | Source or purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Official Domain C scored questions | 19 | RBT Test Content Outline (3rd ed.) |
| Official Domain C share | 25% | RBT Test Content Outline (3rd ed.) |
| Total scored exam items | 75 scored questions | RBT Handbook, Examination section |
| This page's practice items | 4 | Original article practice, not an official allocation |
| Task tags used below | 4 C.6 items | Page-level practice, not an official task allocation |
Practice Questions#
These original items practise C.6 discrimination among verbal cues without using recalled BACB exam content.
1. During a language lesson, the adult says, "What do you use to brush hair?" Lina answers, "comb," with no comb present. What relation is shown?
A Echoed word would mean Lina repeated the adult's model.
B Correct. The answer is controlled by a verbal cue about item use and does not simply copy it.
C Picture label would require a visible picture or object to name.
D Item request would be controlled by current motivation for the item.
2. In one program, "Where do birds live?" should produce "nest," while "What says chirp?" should produce "bird." What should guide scoring?
A Same reply for both would miss the discrimination between verbal cues.
B Longest spoken answer is not the scoring rule in the teaching sheet.
C Correct. The response should match the specific verbal cue in the program.
D Current toy choice would matter for requesting, not these question cues.
3. An RBT places a spoon card on the table, asks "What is this?", and the learner says "spoon." Which relation is shown?
A Spoken fill-in would depend on completing a phrase or answering from words alone.
B Access request would depend on wanting access to the spoon.
C Repeated model would require copying a spoken word.
D Correct. The visible card is the main cue for naming the item.
4. The adult says, "Say toothbrush," and Ben says, "toothbrush." No question is asked. Which relation is closest?
A Correct. Ben repeats the spoken model rather than answering a different verbal cue.
B Function answer would name what an item is used for after a question.
C Room label would name something present in the room.
D Choice request would ask for access to a preferred item or activity.
FAQ
What is an intraverbal response?
An intraverbal response is a verbal response controlled by another verbal stimulus without simply matching it. Answering "bed" after "Where do you sleep?" is a simple study example.
What are intraverbal fill-ins?
Intraverbal fill-ins are phrase-completion responses, such as saying "go" after "ready, set..." The response is controlled by the verbal cue rather than by a visible object.
Is answering a question always intraverbal?
No. A question can produce a tact if the learner names a visible object, an echoic if the learner repeats a model, or a mand if the response requests something currently valuable.
Why does intraverbal study belong with discrimination training?
Intraverbal study belongs with discrimination training when the learner must answer differently in the presence of different verbal cues. C.6 of the RBT Test Content Outline (3rd ed.) is "Implement discrimination training."
Does the BACB publish exact intraverbal exam questions?
No exact BACB intraverbal item is cited here. The BACB publishes the RBT Test Content Outline and a limited set of retired sample questions in the RBT Handbook; the intraverbal scenarios on this page are original study practice, not BACB items.
Sources
- RBT Test Content Outline (3rd ed.), updated 09/2024, overview, Domain C allocation, and C.6 task statement.
- RBT 2026 40-Hour Training Requirements and Curriculum Outline, v03/2026, training topics listing elementary verbal operants, including mand, tact, echoic, and intraverbal.
- RBT Handbook, updated 06/2026, examination section for scored-item context.