This study investigated the effects of verbal factors on item performance in mathematics tests. Experimental tryout units were constructed that varied the verbal load of each of 21 mathematics test items. Each tryout unit was randomly assembled to include A, B and C versions of items so that no examinee took a unit of only one item format. Each unit was administered to approximately 3,000 examinees as part of the American College Testing tryout procedure. Results suggest that increasing the verbal load of an item does affect item performance; as the verbal load in mathematics tests increases, the difficulty of the items increases. It may be that increasing the verbal load necessitates the use of verbal and reading skills as well as mathematics skills. Results of both analyses of variance and the standardization procedure indicate that there is little difference in performance between males and females on the types of items studied as verbal load increased. Four tables present study data. An appendix shows the three versions of a sample item. (SLD)