Test-Taking Strategies Flashcards

When approaching a Pattern Completion question on the NNAT, what is the most effective first step?

Answer: Study the overall design to identify the repeating rule before looking at answer choices

Identifying the overall design rule first lets you predict what the missing piece should look like before checking the answer choices.

If an NNAT matrix shows shapes rotating 90 degrees clockwise with each step, what rule should guide your answer selection?

Answer: Choose the shape that continues the same 90-degree clockwise rotation

Continuing the established rotation rule is the key strategy for rotation-based NNAT patterns.

How should you handle a shading pattern you notice in an NNAT matrix?

Answer: Track shading changes systematically across rows and columns to find the rule

Shading patterns follow rules just like shape changes, so tracking them systematically reveals the correct answer.

For a Serial Reasoning question on the NNAT, which approach is most reliable?

Answer: Analyze both rows and columns to identify a rule that holds consistently throughout the entire matrix

Serial Reasoning requires finding a rule that works consistently across all rows and columns, not just one direction.

What is the best approach when you encounter an NNAT question that seems unusually difficult?

Answer: Use process of elimination to remove wrong answers, then make your best guess and move on

The NNAT has no wrong-answer penalty, so eliminating obvious distractors and guessing improves your expected score.

When two NNAT answer choices look nearly identical, what is the most effective strategy?

Answer: Go back to the pattern rule and find the one subtle detail that matches exactly

Similar-looking distractors are intentional; the exact pattern rule reveals which subtle feature makes one choice correct.

When an NNAT pattern shows a consistent relationship between size and position, what is the correct strategy?

Answer: Track how size and position change together across the matrix to predict the missing piece

Multiple attributes—including size and position—can combine into one pattern rule on the NNAT.