NNAT - Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test — Questions and Answers

Question 1: Sequence: small circle, medium circle, large circle, small square, medium square. Next?

Large square (Correct answer)
Medium circle
Small triangle
Large circle

Correct answer: Large square

Each shape appears in three sizes before moving to the next shape.

Question 2: Each row of a matrix contains circle, square, triangle. The last cell is empty. What goes there?

Whichever shape is missing from that row and column (Correct answer)
The most common shape
A new shape
All three combined

Correct answer: Whichever shape is missing from that row and column

The missing cell must complete both the row and column sets.

Question 3: What is the most effective approach to difficult classification problems?

Systematically check multiple attributes: shape, size, color, number, orientation, symmetry (Correct answer)
Go with first instinct
Focus on the odd figure out
Only look at the obvious feature

Correct answer: Systematically check multiple attributes: shape, size, color, number, orientation, symmetry

A systematic approach checking each possible attribute finds the correct rule.

Question 4: Examine the shapes in the boxes along the top. Do you see how they link to one another? Can you discover the solution that goes in the empty box so that the forms in the following row relate to each other in the same manner as the shapes in the top row do?

C
E (Correct answer)
D
A
B

Correct answer: E

The correct answer, E, completes the visual analogy by applying the same transformation observed in the top row to the bottom row. For example, if the first image in the top row transforms into the second by adding a specific element or rotating, then the bottom image must undergo the identical transformation to become answer E. This ensures a consistent relationship across both pairs.

Question 5: Three figures have curved lines, one has only straight. What is the classification?

Direction they face
Total number of lines
Size of each figure
Presence or absence of curved lines (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Presence or absence of curved lines

The distinction is between figures with curves and those with only straight lines.

Question 6: A white shape becomes shaded. The next shape has stripes. What should the answer look like?

The same shape with stripes and added shading (Correct answer)
A different shape with shading
White without stripes
Only shading replacing stripes

Correct answer: The same shape with stripes and added shading

The transformation adds shading without removing existing features.

Question 7: How many vertices (corners) does a pentagon have?

7
6
5 (Correct answer)
4

Correct answer: 5

A pentagon has 5 sides and therefore 5 vertices, since the number of vertices equals the number of sides in any polygon.

Question 8: An analogy shows 90-degree clockwise rotation. How do you apply this?

Rotate the third shape 90 degrees clockwise (Correct answer)
Rotate counterclockwise
Flip upside down
Keep same orientation

Correct answer: Rotate the third shape 90 degrees clockwise

The rotation direction and degree must match exactly.

Question 9: A flat shape with exactly 3 sides and 3 angles is called a:

Triangle (Correct answer)
Quadrilateral
Hexagon
Pentagon

Correct answer: Triangle

A triangle is defined as a polygon with exactly three sides and three interior angles.

Question 10: Shapes alternate black/white while increasing in size. What must the answer satisfy?

Only correct color
A new color
Only correct size
Both the correct color AND the correct larger size (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Both the correct color AND the correct larger size

Multiple simultaneous patterns must all be satisfied.

Question 11: A matrix subtraction rule states that column 3 shows what remains after removing the column 2 shape from the column 1 shape. Column 1 has a large square; column 2 has a small square centered inside. What does column 3 show?

a large solid square
two separate squares
a large square with a square hole in the center (Correct answer)
a small square

Correct answer: a large square with a square hole in the center

Removing the small center square from the large square leaves a large square with a square-shaped cutout in the middle.

Question 12: A circle with a dot inside becomes an empty circle. What rule applies?

The shape changes
The shape gets smaller
Dots always disappear
Internal elements are removed; outer shape preserved (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Internal elements are removed; outer shape preserved

The transformation removes interior elements while keeping the outer shape.

Question 13: Shapes rotate across rows and change color down columns. What must the answer have?

Only correct color
Correct rotation for its row AND correct color for its column (Correct answer)
Only the shape type matters
Only correct rotation

Correct answer: Correct rotation for its row AND correct color for its column

The answer must satisfy all rules simultaneously.

Question 14: A shape rotates 45 degrees each step. After four steps, total rotation is?

90 degrees
360 degrees
45 degrees
180 degrees (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 180 degrees

4 steps x 45 degrees = 180 degrees total.

Question 15: If a triangle pointing right is rotated 90 degrees clockwise, which direction does it point?

Down (Correct answer)
Right
Up
Left

Correct answer: Down

A 90-degree clockwise rotation moves the pointing direction one quarter turn to the right: right becomes down.

Question 16: How much time should you spend studying a figure before it disappears?

Close your eyes to visualize it early
Stare at one part intensely
Use all available time efficiently, first getting the overall structure then scanning details (Correct answer)
Glance briefly and move on

Correct answer: Use all available time efficiently, first getting the overall structure then scanning details

Use all available viewing time strategically: overall structure first, then systematic scanning of details, reinforcing the mental image.

Question 17: If a circle is to an oval as a square is to ___:

Triangle
Rectangle (Correct answer)
Hexagon
Pentagon

Correct answer: Rectangle

A circle stretched sideways becomes an oval; a square stretched sideways becomes a rectangle.

Question 18: How do you distinguish between a rotation and a reflection of a figure?

They produce identical results
Reflections only work on symmetrical figures
A rotation preserves the same orientation (handedness); a reflection reverses it (Correct answer)
Rotations change size; reflections do not

Correct answer: A rotation preserves the same orientation (handedness); a reflection reverses it

A key difference is that rotation preserves handedness (a clock stays clockwise) while reflection reverses it (a clock becomes counter-clockwise).

Question 19: What is a double transformation in figural analogies?

The analogy repeats twice
Two changes happen simultaneously, like rotating and changing color (Correct answer)
Shapes doubled in number
Two correct answers

Correct answer: Two changes happen simultaneously, like rotating and changing color

Double transformations involve two simultaneous changes.

Question 20: What number comes next? 100, 91, 82, 73, __

62
63
66
64 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 64

Each number decreases by 9, so 73 − 9 = 64.

Question 21: A pattern grid has shading that follows a diagonal rule: all cells on the same diagonal (top-right to bottom-left) share the same shade. The top-right cell is white. What shade is the bottom-left cell?

Black
Striped
Gray
White (Correct answer)

Correct answer: White

In a top-right to bottom-left diagonal rule, top-right and bottom-left are on the same diagonal, so they share the same shade—white.

Question 22: What number comes next? 30, 25, 20, 15, __

5
10 (Correct answer)
8
12

Correct answer: 10

Each number decreases by 5, so 15 − 5 = 10.

Question 23: You have been stuck on one NNAT question for over a minute. What should you do?

Record your best guess, move on, and return to it if time allows (Correct answer)
Ask the proctor to read the question aloud for a new perspective
Skip it permanently and focus only on later questions
Continue until you are completely certain of the answer

Correct answer: Record your best guess, move on, and return to it if time allows

Moving past a single difficult question protects your time and ensures you can answer easier questions that follow.

Question 24: How many lines of symmetry does a circle have?

4
1
Infinite (Correct answer)
0

Correct answer: Infinite

A circle can be folded along any diameter and the halves will match, giving it infinite lines of symmetry.

Question 25: What continues this pattern? 2, 4, 3, 6, 4, 8, __

10
6
12
5 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 5

Odd-position terms (2, 3, 4, ...) increase by 1 each time, so the next odd-position term is 5.

Question 26: Three figures share a trait the fourth does not. What is the first step?

Choose the most different one
Identify what the three have in common (Correct answer)
Count total figures
Look only at size

Correct answer: Identify what the three have in common

Examine the three that belong together and identify their shared attribute.

Question 27: Shapes darken: white, light gray, dark gray. What comes next?

White
No change
Black (Correct answer)
Light gray

Correct answer: Black

The progression goes from lightest to darkest; black follows dark gray.

Question 28: A row has large and small shapes. What size should the missing shape be?

Any unused size
Small
Large
Medium (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Medium

Each row contains all three sizes; medium completes the set.

Question 29: In a figural analogy A:B::C:?, how do you find the answer?

Choose the shape similar to C
Choose the most complex option
Identify the transformation from A to B, then apply the same to C (Correct answer)
Choose the shape most similar to B

Correct answer: Identify the transformation from A to B, then apply the same to C

Identify what changed (rotation, size, color) between A and B, then apply identical changes to C.

Question 30: Which of the following shapes has exactly 6 sides?

Heptagon
Octagon
Pentagon
Hexagon (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Hexagon

A hexagon has exactly 6 sides; 'hex' is the Greek prefix for six.

Question 31: Shapes progressively add sides: triangle, square, pentagon. What comes next?

Circle
Triangle
Octagon
Hexagon (6 sides) (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Hexagon (6 sides)

Each shape adds one side: 3, 4, 5, so next is 6 sides.

NNAT - Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test

The NNAT (Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test) is a nonverbal measure of general ability used to identify gifted and talented students in grades K–12. It uses geometric shapes and figures to assess reasoning and problem-solving skills independent of language and cultural background.

Questions

20 min

Time Limit

70%

To Pass

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Exam Rules

You can skip questions and return to them later
Flag questions for review before submitting
No feedback shown until you submit the entire exam
Unanswered questions count as wrong — answer everything
10 pretest questions are mixed in and don't affect your score
Timer auto-submits when time runs out
Your progress is auto-saved every 30 seconds

These practice questions were written with AI tools. They are not real exam questions. Exam facts are checked against the official sources listed below. Not reviewed by a subject-matter expert. Editorial policy

Sources & references

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