Wondering what kinds of questions your child will be asked on the NNAT (Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test) and NNAT3 (Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test, Second Edition)? Here are five examples below. For additional practice, sign up for our 100 free practice questions.
IMPORTANT: While the NNAT sample questions shown on this page are representative of what your child will see on the exam, they aren’t taken directly from the actual test that’s being administered this year.
Sections on the NNAT test
The NNAT consists of four sections: Pattern Completion, Serial Reasoning, Reasoning by Analogy, and Spatial Visualization. Here is a description of each section to help parents better understand the test:
Pattern Completion
In the Pattern Completion section, students are presented with a geometric design or pattern with a missing piece. They must analyze the pattern and choose the correct piece from a set of options to complete it. This section measures a child’s ability to recognize patterns and identify missing elements. It evaluates their attention to detail and visual discrimination skills.
Serial Reasoning
The Serial Reasoning section requires students to identify the logical sequence or pattern in a series of geometric shapes. They must determine the next shape in the sequence from a set of given options. This section tests a child’s ability to understand the principles of change and continuity in a series of visual elements. It measures their sequential reasoning and inductive reasoning skills.
Reasoning by Analogy
specific relationship. They must identify the relationship between the shapes and apply the same relationship to another set of shapes to select the correct answer. This section assesses a child’s ability to recognize and apply relationships and analogies between different visual elements. It evaluates their abstract reasoning and critical thinking skills.
Spatial Visualization
The Spatial Visualization section presents students with images of three-dimensional objects that have been rotated, folded, or otherwise manipulated. Students must visualize how these objects would look from different perspectives or after certain transformations and select the correct answer from a set of options. This section measures a child’s spatial reasoning skills, including mental rotation, spatial manipulation and visualization abilities.
To help your child prepare for the NNAT, encourage them to practice solving nonverbal problems, puzzles and brain teasers. Familiarize them with different types of patterns and analogies, and provide opportunities for them to practice spatial visualization skills through activities like building with blocks, solving jigsaw puzzles or drawing geometric shapes. Of course practice on Testing Mom and start with the free questions below.
NNAT Sample Question #1 — Pattern Completion 1
Parent tip to tell your child: Think of this section as a game of “Spot the Difference”. Have you ever seen a puzzle in your storybooks where one part of a picture is missing? It’s just like that. You’ll see a picture with a piece missing, and your job is to find the missing piece that completes the picture perfectly. It’s like fitting the last piece into a jigsaw puzzle!
Parent, say to your child: “Look at this puzzle.” Point to the empty box and say, “Something is missing.” Then point to the answer choices and say, “Which of these answer choices goes here?” (Be sure to point back to the empty box when you say“here.”)
NNAT Sample Question #2 — Pattern Completion 2
Parent tip to tell your child: Do you like doodling or coloring in a coloring book? You know how sometimes you start a drawing and it’s not finished until you’ve added all the details? Well, the Pattern Completion section is a lot like that. Imagine this: you’re coloring a zebra but you’ve only finished half of it. What does the other half look like? It would have the same stripes, right? That’s exactly what you need to do in this part of the test. They show you a picture, but uh-oh, a piece of it is missing. Your job is to figure out what that missing piece looks like so that the whole picture makes sense. So it’s like finishing a drawing in your coloring book. You just need to fill in the missing piece to complete the picture! Always remember, every piece has its place, just like every stripe on the zebra!
Parent, say to your child: “Look at this puzzle.” Point to the empty box and say, “Something is missing.” Then point to the answer choices and say, “Which of these answer choices goes here?” (Be sure to point back to the empty box when you say“here.”)
NNAT Sample Question #3 — Serial Reasoning 1
Parent tip to tell your child: You know how in cartoons, each scene comes after the next in a certain order? That’s what you’ll be doing in this part of the test. You’ll be given a series of pictures that are connected to each other in a special way, like a story. Your job is to find the next picture in the series. So it’s like predicting what the next scene in a cartoon episode would be!
Parent, say to your child: “Look at this puzzle.” Point to the empty box and say, “Something is missing.” Then point to the answer choices and say, “Which of these answer choices goes here?” (Be sure to point back to the empty box when you say“here.”)
NNAT Sample Question #4 — Reasoning by Analogy 1
Parent tip to tell your child: This section is similar to a game of “Match the Pairs”. Imagine you have a pair of socks that are the same color and pattern. In this part of the test, you’ll have to find a pair that’s the same, just in a different way. So, if they give you two pictures and they relate to each other in a certain way, you have to find another pair of pictures that have the same relationship. It’s like you’re a detective finding connections!
Parent, say to your child: “Look at this puzzle.” Point to the empty box and say, “Something is missing.” Then point to the answer choices and say, “Which of these answer choices goes here?” (Be sure to point back to the empty box when you say “here.”)
NNAT Sample Question #5 — Spatial Visualization
Parent tip to tell your child: Remember when you play with your blocks or LEGO sets and you have to imagine what it would look like if you turned it around, flipped it over, or added more pieces? That’s spatial visualization. In this part of the test, you might see pictures of blocks or shapes and you’ll have to imagine what they would look like if they were moved around or put together. So, it’s just like playing a mental game of blocks or LEGO!
Parent, say to your child: “Look at this puzzle.” Point to the empty box and say, “Something is missing.” Then point to the answer choices and say, “Which of these answer choices goes here?” (Be sure to point back to the empty box when you say “here.”)
Answers: 5, 3, 1, 1, 3
For additional NNAT practice questions, click the links below.
NNAT3 Practice Questions for the Naglieri Nonverbal Abilities Test