This paper explores errors in the oral reasoning of rural Zulu-speaking primary school children in KwaZulu-Natal, using a culture-fair test, the Test of Ability to Explain for Zuluspeaking Children (TATE-ZC) (Solarsh 2001). The error patterns are similar to those of children designated as 'poor readers'. Verbal reasoning then appears to be a precursor to text-based reasoning which is crucial to academic progress.