NNAT Test (Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test)

What is the NNAT?

The NNAT (Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test) is a nonverbal test used for qualifying K-12 students for gifted and talented programs. It is a group-administered aptitude test commonly given as an entrance exam into schools’ gifted programs. The NNAT utilizes shapes and figures to evaluate the problem-solving and reasoning abilities of a child without relying on their language skills. In other words, the NNAT assesses how a student thinks instead of what a student knows.

Watch these videos to learn more about the NNAT:

Differences between the NNAT-2 and NNAT3 test

The NNAT, NNAT-2 and NNAT3 are widely used for gifted and talented admission screenings across the US. These tests assess a child’s problem-solving and visual-spatial reasoning abilities (instead of what he or she has learned in school) with questions that incorporate abstract shapes and designs.

The NNAT-2 (second edition) and NNAT3 (third edition) are two different versions of the test. Here are the key differences between these two versions:

• Test structure: The NNAT-2 and NNAT3 both consist of 48 questions, but the NNAT3 has an improved structure that is better aligned with the cognitive abilities of the children being tested. This improved structure provides a more accurate assessment of a child’s nonverbal reasoning skills.
• Item content: The NNAT3 contains updated questions and item content compared to the NNAT-2. This update aims to provide a more engaging and contemporary experience for the test-takers, making the assessment process more enjoyable and accessible.
• Accessibility: The NNAT3 has been designed to be more accessible to a diverse range of students, including those with special needs. The test’s visual presentation and administration have been improved, ensuring that children with various learning needs can effectively take the test.
• Scoring: While both NNAT-2 and NNAT3 use the same scoring system (Naglieri Ability Index), the NNAT3 has updated its norms to reflect more recent demographic data. This ensures that the test’s results are more representative of the current population, leading to a more accurate comparison among the test-takers.
• Digital administration: The NNAT3 has been updated to be more compatible with modern technology. While both NNAT-2 and NNAT3 can be administered online, the NNAT3 has improved digital features, making it easier for test administrators to manage the testing process.
• Test preparation materials: The NNAT3 has updated its test preparation materials to be more comprehensive and helpful for test-takers. These materials are specifically designed to help students familiarize themselves with the test’s content and format.

The NNAT3 is an updated version of the NNAT-2, featuring an improved test structure, updated questions, better accessibility for diverse students, updated norms for scoring, enhanced digital administration, and more comprehensive test preparation materials. These updates aim to provide a more accurate, engaging, and accessible assessment of nonverbal reasoning skills in children.

The NNAT is also considered to be the gold standard for unbiased scoring regardless of each student’s primary language, socioeconomic status, educational history or color/ vision impairment. This is because the NNAT test utilizes minimal language and written directions to avoid relying on a child’s reading, writing or language skills. Additionally, only two colors (blue and yellow) are shown.

NNAT Test Quick Facts

There are 4 types of questions on the NNAT test:

• Pattern completion
• Reasoning by analogy
• Serial reasoning
• Spatial visualization

The latest version, the NNAT3, takes 30 minutes to complete and includes 48 questions broken down into these four unique question types.

Prepare your child to tackle all four NNAT question categories with ease. TestingMom.com can help! We have 4,700+ practice questions, organized by grade level, to help your child build the confidence and familiarity to score higher on the NNAT.

Plus, we offer parent resources to help you navigate the testing process, access to 30+ games from top educational publishers, a Student Success Team who’s standing by to help with your questions and more!

Want to try us out? Sign up for a free account today and get 100 practice questions.

What Grade Levels Do You Support for the NNAT?

TestingMom.com provides support for Kindergarten through 8th grade for the NNAT-2 and NNAT-3 available with all levels of Membership.

Pro tip: If my child doesn’t know an answer, should they guess?

The official guideline from the publisher is that students should not guess if they do not know the answer – that random guessing compromises the validity of the scores. However, the NNAT3 score is calculated based on the number of right answers and the student is not penalized for incorrect answers. As a parent looking for a high score, it is better for your child to answer all questions than leave an answer blank.

Four Subtypes of NNAT3 Questions

• Pattern completion – Students must perceive a pattern within a larger design from which a section has been removed and then identify the correct missing piece (this type often resembles a jigsaw puzzle).
• Reasoning by analogy – Students use visual-spatial reasoning abilities to discern logical relationships between various geometric shapes and figures (e.g., large triangle to small triangle, then large circle to small circle and so on).
• Serial reasoning – Students must recognize sequences created by shapes and figures that change visually to form logical patterns. For example: Once a student identifies the relationship between two images shown in the top row, the same rule applies to images shown in subsequent rows.
• Spatial visualization – Students must determine how two or more designs would look when they’re combined (and it some cases, rotated). They may also see questions that ask what a design should look like after it’s been folded, rotated or otherwise altered, like punching holes in a piece of folded-up paper and then identifying the new pattern that’s visible when it’s unfolded.

NNAT Questions Types By Grade Level

Even though the NNAT3 test is assigned by grade level, it is scored based on a child’s age. Children are compared to other children within 3 months of their own age. Whether your child is taking the NNAT-2 test or NNAT3 test, the questions are formatted in the same way.

• • Children entering or in kindergarten will take the Level A exam, which has Pattern Completion and Reasoning by Analogy questions.
  • Children in first grade will take the Level B exam, which has Pattern Completion, Reasoning by Analogy and Serial Reasoning questions.
  • Children in second grade will take the Level C exam, which has Reasoning by Analogy, Pattern Completion, Serial Reasoning, and Spatial Visualization questions.
  • Children in third and fourth grade will take the Level D exam, which has Spatial Visualization questions, Reasoning by Analogy, Serial Reasoning, and Pattern Completion questions.
  • Children in fifth and sixth grade will take the Level E exam, which has Spatial Visualization questions, Serial Reasoning, Reasoning by Analogy, and Pattern Completion questions.
  • Children in seventh through ninth grade will take the Level F exam, which has Spatial Visualization questions, Reasoning by Analogy, Serial Reasoning and Pattern Completion questions.
  • Children in tenth through twelfth grade will take the Level G exam, which has Spatial Visualization questions, Serial Reasoning and Reasoning by Analogy questions.

Want to help your children build the confidence and familiarity they need to score higher on the NNAT? Join TestingMom.com! In addition to thousands of practice questions, we’ve also got lessons for parents so you understand the best way to help your child prep for this important test.

We’ll get you started with 100 free practice questions. Just sign up for a free account below to try us out!

Looking for more resources to help your child approach the NNAT with confidence? TestingMom.com can help with:

• 4,700+ NNAT practice questions, organized by question type and grade level, to help your child build confidence and familiarity for Test Day.
• A customizable program, based on your child’s grade level and upcoming tests, so you can target your child’s prep for maximum improvement.
• Interactive practice with 30+ games from top educational publishers to strengthen your child’s overall skills like math, language arts, science, social studies and more.
• A Student Success Team to help you if you need a little advice or if you get stuck.
• Over 100,000 practice questions for the most popular tests for Pre-K to 8th Grade, including gifted and talented, private school admissions, state tests and more—all for one low price.
• Parent resources to help you easily navigate your child’s testing process.

Want to try us out? Sign up for a free account today and get 100 free practice questions.

Father Reviews TestingMom.com NNAT Test Prep

What is the NNAT?

Tell us about your experiences

18 Responses

Pam Linker

How much does this nnat test cost to order for my district?
Is it easy to score?
Who do I need to contact to order for my District?

TestingMom.com

Hi Pam,

You would have to get in touch with the publisher of the test directly, we just offer prep materials for the skills on the NNAT, not the test itself.

girish_appaji@yhaoo.com

like it

girish_appaji@yhaoo.com

like the method

ccpizza@gmail.com

Cool I like it it’s a very good method

manjubharathy@gmail.com

Its hard but fun

Dani

In Testing mom site, it says NNAT 2 and 3. what should I choose for a 2nd grader taking NNAT? It’s not very clear how this maps to the NNAT levels

TestingMom.com

Hi Dani –

The NNAT2 and NNAT3 are the most current versions of the test. Typically, a 2nd grader would take the Level C test.

All the best,

Marcus

hind@inpsaa.com

Hello, is this program available in USA only or worldwide?

TestingMom.com

Thank you for reaching out to us!

Our memberships are available worldwide! If you don’t see your country listed on the purchase page when providing your billing details, please email us at help@testingmom.com so we can provide you with information for purchasing via PayPal.

All the best,

Marcus

josh

how do i get in contact with the publisher, I need these tests i am in NIgeria.

TestingMom.com

Hi Josh –

The publisher of the NNAT is Riverside Insights. Here is a link to their website: https://store-omjzcgdh1f.mybigcommerce.com/

Marcus

spinedoctor13@yahoo.com

Where can I access the free 100 questions. Thank you.

TestingMom.com

Our 100 Free Questions are a great sampling from many of the tests we support. Here are step-by-step instructions on how to access the 100 Free Practice Questions (No purchase necessary):

Go to www.testingmom.com and log in using your email address and password.
Once you are logged in, click the “100 FREE QUESTIONS” button on the left-hand side of the page Or, you can follow this link: 100 Free Questions.
Once redirected, you will see a large, blue box that reads “FREE QUESTIONS.” Click the orange button that reads “UNLOCK NOW.”

We look forward to having you onboard with us!

Best regards,

Marcus

Nini

Hi,
Are the free 100 questions NNAT3 version ?

Thank you so much

TestingMom.com

Hi Nini,

The 100 free questions we offer are from many different tests across the entire site. Please reach out to us at help@testingmom.com and a member of our Parent Success Team can explain all the benefits of our membership. We have thousands of questions that will help your child with the NNAT3 test and even some test practice for many other tests that will help your child score their highest on the NNAT3 test.

Mangalya

Hi I paid for NNAT test but the link is not opening, can you help me with that. Thanking you in advance.

TestingMom.com

Hello,

Please reach out to our Parent Success Team at help@testingmom.com or by calling (877) 609-6203. They will be more than happy to assist you!

See if TestingMom.com supports your child’s test by your school district. If you don't see your child's school district listed, check with us! We have practice for other tests as well.