Abstract & Non-Verbal Reasoning Practice: Skills Guide for Selective Exams (2026)

What is abstract and non-verbal reasoning?

Abstract reasoning and non-verbal reasoning are the same family of skills: identifying relationships, patterns and rules in visual or symbolic information, then applying those rules to new situations, without relying on reading vocabulary or curriculum maths content.

Unlike reading or mathematics, abstract reasoning operates entirely without words or numbers. Instead, your child works with shapes, symbols, sequences and grids. Because the questions carry no reading load and no curriculum content, a child who has changed schools, or who speaks another language at home, is not disadvantaged by vocabulary in the way a comprehension paper can disadvantage them.

That is why these questions appear in selective testing at all: they show how a child handles an unfamiliar rule rather than how much they have already been taught. A child who can spot the hidden rule in a matrix of shapes, or mentally rotate a figure and predict its outcome, is showing the kind of thinking these tests are built to sample.

Abstract reasoning responds well to structured, systematic practice. A child who learns to identify transformation rules deliberately, rather than relying on intuition, generally improves in both accuracy and speed, provided they review their errors after each set.

Why Abstract Reasoning Matters for Selective School Exams

In Australian selective school exams, abstract reasoning questions appear primarily within the Thinking Skills component. In our marking, this is the section that moves slowest: it cannot be "crammed" through content knowledge alone. Improvement comes from repeated exposure to diverse question types and deliberate practice of pattern-finding strategies.

Families who underestimate abstract reasoning often prepare thoroughly for Reading and Mathematical Reasoning, then find the Thinking Skills score pulls the composite result down. Because all four components are weighted equally in the NSW Selective test, a weak abstract reasoning performance is costly. For the full picture, see our Selective School preparation hub and the detailed NSW Selective test format guide.

Which Australian exams test abstract reasoning?

Abstract and non-verbal reasoning questions appear across the major Australian selective school and gifted-education tests, but only HAST names a dedicated Abstract Reasoning component; the NSW Selective and OC tests carry the questions inside Thinking Skills, and the ACER Scholarship Tests have no abstract reasoning section at all. This table summarises where the skill sits, what each authority actually publishes, and what that means for your preparation.

Understanding how each exam uses abstract reasoning helps you prioritise appropriately. The sections below take each one in turn.

NSW Selective High School Placement Test

The Thinking Skills component of the NSW Selective test includes abstract and non-verbal reasoning questions alongside verbal reasoning and logical deduction tasks. Candidates sit 40 questions in 40 minutes (roughly 60 seconds per question), and Thinking Skills is weighted at 25% of the placement score, equal with Reading, Mathematical Reasoning and Writing. The placement test is computer-based, so your child needs to be comfortable working on screen. Official structure and sample materials are published by the NSW Department of Education; the HAST component list is published by ACER.

Abstract reasoning subtypes you can expect include:

• Pattern matrices — find the missing element in a 3×3 or 2×4 grid
• Figure series — identify the next image in a sequence of shapes
• Analogies — figure A is to figure B as figure C is to ?
• Odd one out — identify which figure does not share the common property
• Code patterns — decode a visual rule applied to symbols
• Spatial reasoning — mental rotation, folding, and reflection

NSW Opportunity Class (OC) Placement Test

The OC test, sat in Year 4 for entry into Year 5 opportunity classes, includes a Thinking Skills component with similar abstract reasoning content at an age-appropriate difficulty level. It runs 30 questions in 30 minutes and is worth a third of the placement score.

NSW publishes the shape of the component but not a breakdown of question types within it, so treat the following as our observation rather than published structure: across the OC practice papers we work through with children in Year 4, pattern sequences and matrix reasoning come up more often than the longer logical-deduction items that appear in the Year 6 Selective paper.

HAST (Higher Ability Selection Test)

HAST is the only exam here that names Abstract Reasoning as its own component, which is why this practice maps especially cleanly for HAST candidates. ACER names the component but does not publish a description of what it contains, so we have not characterised the question style here.

ACER's participating-schools list covers 83 schools: 30 in NSW, 26 in Victoria, 11 in Queensland, 9 in South Australia, 6 in Western Australia, and one in Singapore. If you have seen HAST described as a three-state test, that is out of date. Check the participating-schools list for your target school before you plan around it.

ASET (Academic Selective Entrance Test)

Every child applying for a WA Gifted and Talented academic programme sits ASET. The WA Department of Education publishes four components — reading comprehension, communicating ideas in writing, quantitative reasoning, and abstract reasoning — and states that Abstract Reasoning has exactly two question types: Next in Sequence and Complete the Pattern. Use those two formats when ASET is the target sitting; treat the six-type bank below as broader skill practice for Thinking Skills and HAST, not as WA’s published list. See the ASET / GATE preparation hub for TSS scoring and sitting dates.

EduTest ability sections

EduTest’s Verbal and Numerical Reasoning sections are ability tests rather than a labelled “non-verbal” paper, but many scholarship families still need visual pattern fluency for Numerical Reasoning matrices and series. Pair this guide with the EduTest exam format page when a target school uses EduTest.

ACER Scholarship and related ACER papers

ACER products differ by programme, and this is the distinction most worth getting right. HAST names an Abstract Reasoning component; the ACER Scholarship Tests do not have one at any level. ACER lists Reading and Viewing, Mathematics and Writing for Level P (primary), and Written Expression, Humanities and Mathematics for Levels 1–3 (secondary).

So if your child is sitting an ACER scholarship paper, an abstract reasoning question bank is not the purchase to make first. Use this guide when a school’s pack includes visual pattern items, and confirm the registered level on the school page before buying anything.

What are the types of abstract reasoning questions?

Abstract reasoning questions fall into six main subtypes. Each requires a slightly different approach. Working all six types reduces type-misidentification under time pressure in Thinking Skills practice.

1. Pattern Matrices

A pattern matrix presents a grid, usually 3×3, where every cell contains a figure. One cell is missing, and you must identify which of four or five answer options correctly completes the grid.

The rules can operate across rows, columns, or both. Common rules include:

• Rotation: Each figure in a row is rotated by a fixed amount (e.g., 45°, 90°)
• Size progression: Figures increase or decrease in size left to right or top to bottom
• Number of elements: Each row adds or subtracts an element
• Shading: Shading alternates between black, grey, and white
• Combination rules: Rows combine two properties simultaneously (e.g., shape changes AND rotation)

Strategy: Analyse rows first, then columns. Identify what stays the same and what changes. State the rule explicitly before looking at the answer options.

2. Figure Series

A figure series presents four or five images in a horizontal sequence. You must identify the next image in the pattern.

Changes from one image to the next may involve:

• Rotation (clockwise or anticlockwise, by a fixed number of degrees)
• Reflection (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal flip)
• Addition or removal of elements
• Size changes (progressive scaling)
• Colour/shading changes (alternating or progressing)
• Movement of a small element around a larger shape

Strategy: Compare adjacent images systematically. Focus on one attribute at a time: first shape, then shading, then size, then the position of internal elements.

3. Analogies

An analogy question shows two figures that are related in some way (A is to B), then shows a third figure (C) and asks you to identify the fourth figure (D) that completes the same relationship.

For example: A striped circle becomes a solid circle. A striped square becomes... a solid square.

Common analogy relationships include:

• Removing internal detail (striped → solid, detailed → simple)
• Adding a reflection or rotation
• Changing the number of sides
• Inverting colours (black → white)
• Resizing with consistent proportions
• Moving an internal element from one position to another

Strategy: Describe the transformation from A to B in precise language: "The stripes are removed and the shape is rotated 90° clockwise." Then apply the identical transformation to C.

4. Odd One Out

An odd one out question presents five or six figures. All but one share a common property; you must identify the figure that does not belong.

Common properties that link the majority include:

• Same number of sides (e.g., all quadrilaterals except one triangle)
• Same shading type (e.g., all have hatching except one solid)
• Same orientation (e.g., all point upward except one)
• Same number of internal elements
• All symmetrical except one
• All contain a curved element except one

Strategy: Look for the most specific shared property, not the most obvious one. In the papers we mark, the figures that trip children up are the ones that share an obvious surface feature with the group (same shading, same size) while differing on the property that actually defines it.

5. Code Patterns

A code pattern question presents a set of figures, each paired with a letter or symbol code. You must decode the rule and then identify the correct code for a new figure.

For example:

• A large striped triangle = AX
• A small striped triangle = BX
• A large solid circle = AY
• A small solid square = B?

Here, the first letter encodes size (A = large, B = small) and the second letter encodes shading (X = striped, Y = solid). A small solid square would be BY.

Strategy: Treat each code position independently. Identify which attribute each code position represents by finding figures that are identical except for one attribute and noting which code letter changes.

6. Spatial Reasoning

Spatial reasoning questions require you to mentally manipulate shapes. Common formats include:

• Mental rotation: A shape is shown, then displayed at a different rotation — is it the same shape or a mirror image?
• Paper folding: A square of paper is shown being folded and punched with a hole — where does the hole appear when unfolded?
• Cube nets: A flat net is shown — which 3D cube does it fold into?
• Hidden figures: A complex pattern contains a smaller shape — identify it
• Block counting: How many blocks make up a 3D arrangement?

Strategy: For rotation tasks, fix a reference point (a corner, an asymmetric detail) and mentally move only that point. For paper folding, track each fold in sequence rather than trying to visualise the final result in one step.

What do abstract reasoning practice questions look like?

An abstract reasoning practice question shows a small set of figures governed by a hidden rule, and asks your child to find that rule and apply it — as a matrix, a series, an analogy, an odd-one-out, a code pattern or a spatial task. The 17 worked examples below are Braintree-original practice framed for NSW Selective Thinking Skills, OC, HAST Abstract Reasoning and EduTest ability sections — not employment or adult aptitude tests. For ASET, WA publishes only Next in Sequence and Complete the Pattern; use those formats when ASET is the sitting. (ACER Scholarship Tests have no abstract reasoning paper; NSW DoE does not publish Thinking Skills subtype counts — our six-type taxonomy is a teaching structure from practice-paper work.)

Each example follows the transfer teaching pattern: name the Rule, show a Tempting error (a plausible wrong answer and why it tempts), give an Explained solution with the Answer, then a Transfer item — a fresh stem that retests the same skill — with a brief Transfer answer. Every question also includes a Visual alternative (table or structured bullets) so the item can be solved without relying on imaginary images. Work through each question before reading the solution; attempt the transfer item before peeking. Difficulty increases progressively.

Question 1 — Figure Series (Easy)

A sequence shows four figures. Each figure is a regular polygon: triangle (3 sides), square (4 sides), pentagon (5 sides), hexagon (6 sides). What comes next?

Visual alternative:

Rule: The side count increases by 1 at each step (3 → 4 → 5 → 6 → 7).

Tempting error: Choosing an octagon (8 sides) because the child assumes the jump might double after the fourth term. That fails because every step so far adds exactly one side — there is no doubling rule in the sequence.

Explained solution: List the side counts in order: 3, 4, 5, 6. Each term is one more than the previous. The next term is 6 + 1 = 7 sides — a heptagon.

Answer: A heptagon (7 sides).

Transfer item: A sequence shows four regular polygons with side counts 8, 9, 10, 11. What comes fifth?

Transfer answer: A dodecagon (12 sides). Same +1 rule: 11 + 1 = 12.

Question 2 — Pattern Matrix (Easy)

A 3×3 matrix:

• Row 1: 1 dot, 2 dots, 3 dots
• Row 2: 2 dots, 4 dots, 6 dots
• Row 3: 3 dots, 6 dots, ?

Visual alternative:

Rule: Each cell equals (column number) × (row number). Equivalently, each row multiplies Row 1 by the row index.

Tempting error: Choosing 12 dots because Row 3 seems to double Row 2 (6 × 2). That fails because Row 2 does not double Row 1 — it multiplies by 2 as the row index, and Row 3 must multiply by 3.

Explained solution: Column 3, Row 3: 3 × 3 = 9. Check: Row 3 Col 1 = 3 × 1 = 3; Row 3 Col 2 = 3 × 2 = 6.

Answer: 9 dots.

Transfer item: Same matrix rule. Row 1: 2, 4, 6. Row 2: 4, 8, 12. Row 3: 6, 12, ?

Transfer answer: 18 dots. Row 3 Col 3 = 3 × 6 = 18 (or column 3 × row 3 = 6 × 3).

Question 3 — Analogy (Easy)

A solid black circle relates to a circle with a white interior and black border in the same way that a solid black triangle relates to...?

Visual alternative:

• Pair A→B: outer shape = circle; fill changes from solid black → white interior with black outline only.
• Pair C→?: outer shape = triangle; apply the same fill change.

Rule: Remove the solid fill; keep the same outer shape as an outline only (white inside, black border).

Tempting error: Choosing a solid white triangle because "white" appeared in the first pair. That fails because the transformation is not "change colour to white" — it is "remove fill and keep the outline."

Explained solution: Circle lost its fill and became outline-only. Apply the identical change to the triangle: solid black triangle → triangle with white interior and black border.

Answer: A triangle with a white interior and black border (outline only).

Transfer item: A solid black pentagon relates to a pentagon with white interior and black border in the same way that a solid black hexagon relates to...?

Transfer answer: A hexagon with white interior and black border. Same outline-only transformation.

Question 4 — Odd One Out (Easy)

Five shapes: circle, oval, square, rectangle, hexagon. Which is the odd one out?

Visual alternative:

Rule: Count straight sides. Four figures have four sides or fewer (or none); exactly one has more than four.

Tempting error: Choosing the rectangle because it "looks different" from the square (stretched). That fails because both have four straight sides — they share the majority property.

Explained solution: Circle and oval: 0 sides. Square and rectangle: 4 each. Hexagon: 6 — the only figure with more than four straight sides.

Answer: Hexagon.

Transfer item: Five shapes: triangle (3 sides), square (4), rectangle (4), rhombus (4), pentagon (5). Which is the odd one out?

Transfer answer: Pentagon. Only shape with exactly five sides; all others have three or four.

Question 5 — Code Pattern (Easy)

• Large striped square = AS
• Small striped square = BS
• Large solid triangle = AT
• Small solid circle = ?

Visual alternative:

Rule: First letter = size (A = large, B = small). Second letter = shape (S = square, T = triangle, C = circle).

Tempting error: Choosing BT because the child maps the second letter to shading (striped vs solid). That fails — shading is not encoded; only size and shape are.

Explained solution: Small → B. Circle → C. Combine: BC.

Answer: BC

Transfer item: Large striped circle = AC, small striped circle = BC, large solid square = AS, small solid triangle = ?

Transfer answer: BT. Small (B) + triangle (T). Shading is not encoded in this code set.

Question 6 — Figure Series (Moderate)

In a sequence of four figures, a single black dot inside a square moves clockwise from the top-left corner to the top-right corner, then to the bottom-right corner, then to the bottom-left corner. Where is the dot in the fifth figure?

Visual alternative:

Rule: The dot cycles through the four corners clockwise and repeats every four steps.

Tempting error: Choosing bottom-right because the child expects the dot to keep moving forward without wrapping. That fails at figure 4 — after bottom-left, the only clockwise corner left is top-left (the cycle restarts).

Explained solution: Positions 1–4 complete one full clockwise lap. Figure 5 = position 1 again = top-left.

Answer: Back at the top-left corner.

Transfer item: A dot inside a square starts at top-right and moves clockwise: top-right → bottom-right → bottom-left → top-left → ?

Transfer answer: Top-right. Fifth step completes the cycle and returns to the starting corner.

Question 7 — Pattern Matrix (Moderate)

A 3×3 matrix where:

• Each row contains a circle, square, and triangle (in different orders)
• Each shape appears once per row and once per column (like a Sudoku)
• Shading alternates: the first row is solid, diagonal-striped, and hollow; the pattern means each shading type appears once per row and once per column

The top-right cell is missing. Row 1 shows: solid circle, striped square, ? Row 2 shows: hollow triangle, solid circle, striped square. Row 3 shows: striped square, hollow triangle, solid circle.

Visual alternative:

Shapes used in Row 1 so far: circle, square — triangle missing. Shadings used in Row 1: solid, striped — hollow missing. Column 3 already has striped and solid — hollow missing.

Rule: Latin-square constraints on both shape and shading (each appears once per row and once per column).

Tempting error: Choosing a solid triangle because triangle is the missing shape in Row 1. That fails because solid shading is already in Row 1 Col 1 — shading must also be unique in the row.

Explained solution: Row 1 needs triangle + hollow. Column 3 needs hollow (solid and striped taken). Intersection: hollow triangle.

Answer: Hollow triangle.

Transfer item: 3×3 matrix, same shape-and-shading Sudoku rules. Row 1: solid circle, striped square, ? Row 2: striped triangle, hollow circle, solid square. Row 3: hollow square, solid triangle, striped circle. What is Row 1 Col 3?

Transfer answer: Hollow triangle. Row 1 needs triangle (only shape missing) and hollow shading (only shading missing); Col 3 confirms hollow + triangle.

Question 8 — Analogy (Moderate)

A 3×3 grid of small dots (all filled) relates to a 3×3 grid where only the border dots are filled (the centre dot is empty) in the same way that a 4×4 grid of filled dots relates to...?

Visual alternative:

• 3×3 all filled = 9 dots → border only = 8 dots (centre removed).
• 4×4 all filled = 16 dots → remove interior; border = ?

Rule: Keep only perimeter (border) dots; remove the entire interior block.

Tempting error: Choosing a 4×4 with only the four corner dots filled because "border" is confused with "corners." That fails — border means the full outer ring, not corners alone.

Explained solution: 4×4 interior is a 2×2 block (4 dots removed). Border = 16 − 4 = 12 filled dots.

Answer: A 4×4 grid where only the border dots are filled (12 dots filled, the inner 2×2 removed).

Transfer item: A 5×5 grid of all-filled dots relates to a 5×5 grid where only the border dots are filled. How many dots are filled?

Transfer answer: 16 border dots. Remove inner 3×3 (9 dots); 25 − 9 = 16.

Question 9 — Spatial Reasoning (Moderate)

A square piece of paper is folded in half from left to right (the right half folds onto the left), then folded in half from top to bottom (the bottom half folds onto the top). A hole is punched in the top-right corner of the resulting folded square. When unfolded, how many holes appear, and where?

Visual alternative:

• Start: square paper, 4 corners labelled TL, TR, BR, BL.
• Fold 1 (L→R): layers = 2; right half on top of left.
• Fold 2 (T→B): layers = 4; bottom on top of top.
• Punch: top-right corner of the small folded square (the corner that was originally the centre-right area of the full sheet... track: after both folds, "top-right" of folded packet maps to one quadrant layer stack).
• Unfold: each layer punched once → 4 holes at symmetric corner positions.

Rule: Each fold doubles layers; one punch through all layers creates one hole per layer; symmetric folds map the punch to all four corners.

Tempting error: Choosing 2 holes (one per fold) because the child counts folds instead of layers. That fails — the second fold stacks four layers, so one punch makes four holes.

Explained solution: Two folds → 4 layers. Punch once → 4 holes. Left-right then top-bottom symmetry places one hole at each original corner.

Answer: 4 holes, one in each corner of the original square.

Transfer item: A square is folded in half top-to-bottom once (single fold). A hole is punched at the centre of the folded rectangle. How many holes when unfolded?

Transfer answer: 2 holes, symmetric about the horizontal fold line (one in the top half, one in the bottom half).

Question 10 — Odd One Out (Moderate)

Six figures: a square with a circle inside, a triangle with a circle inside, a pentagon with a circle inside, a hexagon with a circle inside, a rectangle with a circle inside, and a circle with a triangle inside.

Visual alternative:

Rule: In five figures, the inner shape is a circle; the outer shape varies.

Tempting error: Choosing the triangle-with-circle-inside because the outer triangle "looks different" from the quadrilaterals. That fails — it still has a circle inside, matching the group rule.

Explained solution: Five figures share "circle on the inside." Figure 6 reverses the pattern: circle outside, triangle inside.

Answer: The circle with a triangle inside.

Transfer item: Six figures: square with star inside, pentagon with star inside, hexagon with star inside, triangle with star inside, rectangle with star inside, and a star with a circle inside. Which is odd?

Transfer answer: The star with a circle inside. All others have a star on the inside.

Question 11 — Figure Series (Moderate)

In a sequence of five shapes, the shape has: 4 sides in figure 1, 3 sides in figure 2, 5 sides in figure 3, 3 sides in figure 4, 6 sides in figure 5. How many sides does figure 6 have?

Visual alternative:

Rule: Two interleaved tracks: even positions are always triangles (3 sides); odd positions increase by 1 (4, 5, 6...).

Tempting error: Choosing 7 sides because the odd-position counts went 4, 5, 6 and the child applies +1 to the latest term regardless of position. That fails — figure 6 is even-positioned, locked to 3 sides.

Explained solution: Figure 6 is position 6 (even) → triangle → 3 sides.

Answer: 3 sides (a triangle).

Transfer item: Same dual-track rule. Odd positions: 5, 6, 7 sides in figures 1, 3, 5. Even positions: all triangles. How many sides in figure 6?

Transfer answer: 3 sides (triangle). Even position overrides the odd-track +1 pattern.

Question 12 — Code Pattern (Challenging)

Figures and their codes:

• Large black circle moving right = TXR
• Small black circle moving right = SXR
• Large white square moving left = TYL
• Large black triangle moving up = TXU
• Small white circle moving down = ?

Visual alternative:

Rule: Three independent slots encode size, fill and direction.

Tempting error: Choosing SXD because the child swaps Y (white) for X (black) when they see "circle" again. That fails — white is Y, not X.

Explained solution: Small = S. White = Y. Down = D. Code = SYD.

Answer: SYD

Transfer item: Small black triangle moving up = ?

Transfer answer: SXU. S (small) + X (black) + U (up).

Question 13 — Pattern Matrix (Challenging)

A 3×3 matrix where each row contains three shapes. The rule is: the third shape in each row is made by combining the first two shapes (overlapping and keeping only the outline parts that appear in one shape but NOT the other, like an XOR operation).

Row 1: Shape A = circle, Shape B = square, Shape C = a circle with a square overlapping (only the non-overlapping parts are filled).

What is the third shape if Row 2 has Shape A = large circle, Shape B = small circle (centred inside), and the rule is the same?

Visual alternative:

• Row 2 A: large circle (outer boundary).
• Row 2 B: small circle (fully inside A).
• Overlap: entire small circle is inside large.
• XOR keeps areas in A only or B only, not both → ring (annulus) from A minus overlap.

Rule: Third shape = symmetric difference (XOR) of shapes A and B — regions belonging to exactly one shape.

Tempting error: Choosing a small solid circle because it was one of the inputs. That fails — the small circle's area is shared (overlap), so XOR removes it; only the large-circle ring remains unique to A.

Explained solution: Small circle is entirely inside large. Shared region = small disc. Unique to large = ring between outer and inner boundary. Unique to small = none. Result = ring (annulus).

Answer: A ring (annulus): the large circle outline with the small circle removed from the centre.

Transfer item: Row 2: Shape A = large square outline, Shape B = small square outline centred inside (same orientation). Same XOR rule. What is Shape C?

Transfer answer: A square frame (annulus shaped as a square ring) — the outer square band with the inner square removed.

Question 14 — Spatial Reasoning (Challenging)

A cube has different symbols on each face: star (top), circle (bottom, opposite star), triangle (front), square (back, opposite triangle), cross (left), heart (right, opposite cross). If you rotate the cube 90° to the right (the right face comes to the top), what symbol is now on top?

Visual alternative:

Rotation: 90° right → right face (heart) moves to top.

Rule: A 90° right rotation brings the former right face to the top; track faces, not symbols drifting arbitrarily.

Tempting error: Choosing cross because the child imagines the left face "following" the rotation to the top. That fails — a rightward turn lifts the right face, not the left.

Explained solution: Right face = heart. After 90° right, heart is on top.

Answer: Heart.

Transfer item: Same cube. Rotate 90° to the left (left face comes to top). What symbol is on top?

Transfer answer: Cross. Left face moves to top.

Question 15 — Analogy (Challenging)

A 2×2 grid of four cells relates to a 2×2 grid where the contents of each cell have been rotated 90° clockwise around the centre of the grid (so the top-left square moves to the top-right position, top-right to bottom-right, bottom-right to bottom-left, and bottom-left to top-left).

Now apply this transformation to a 2×2 grid where: top-left = striped square, top-right = solid circle, bottom-left = hollow triangle, bottom-right = dotted pentagon.

Visual alternative:

Rule: Each cell's content moves one position clockwise around the grid: TL→TR→BR→BL→TL.

Tempting error: Rotating each shape 90° inside its own cell instead of moving whole cells around the grid. That fails — the analogy is positional rotation of cell contents, not within-cell spin.

Explained solution: Striped square (was TL) → TR. Solid circle (was TR) → BR. Dotted pentagon (was BR) → BL. Hollow triangle (was BL) → TL.

Answer: Top-left = hollow triangle, top-right = striped square, bottom-right = solid circle, bottom-left = dotted pentagon.

Transfer item: Apply the same 90° clockwise grid rotation to: TL = solid star, TR = striped diamond, BL = hollow hexagon, BR = dotted circle.

Transfer answer: TL = hollow hexagon, TR = solid star, BR = striped diamond, BL = dotted circle. Each content shifts one grid position clockwise.

Question 16 — Figure Series (Challenging)

A sequence shows figures where the number of dots inside a shape follows this pattern across five images: 1, 2, 4, 7, 11. How many dots are in the sixth figure?

Visual alternative:

Rule: First differences increase by 1 each step (+1, +2, +3, +4...).

Tempting error: Choosing 15 because the child adds +4 again (treating differences as constant after 11). That fails — the difference itself grows: after +4 comes +5.

Explained solution: Next difference = 5. 11 + 5 = 16.

Answer: 16 dots.

Transfer item: Dot counts: 2, 3, 5, 8, 12, ? How many in the sixth figure?

Transfer answer: 17 dots. Differences +1, +2, +3, +4, +5 → 12 + 5 = 17.

Question 17 — Odd One Out (Challenging)

Five figures, each showing a 3×3 grid of shapes. In Figure A, all shapes in the diagonal (top-left to bottom-right) are circles. In Figures B, C, and D, the same is true. In Figure E, the diagonal contains a mix of circles and squares. Which is the odd one out?

Visual alternative:

Rule: The top-left to bottom-right diagonal must contain only circles.

Tempting error: Choosing Figure D because a square appears somewhere off the diagonal and "looks" prominent. That fails if that square is not on the main diagonal — the rule targets the diagonal only.

Explained solution: A–D satisfy "diagonal = circles only." E places a square on the diagonal, breaking the rule.

Answer: Figure E.

Transfer item: Five 4×4 grids. Rule: the anti-diagonal (top-right to bottom-left) contains only triangles. Figures A–D comply; Figure E has a square on the anti-diagonal. Which is odd?

Transfer answer: Figure E. Same logic on the other diagonal — one violating figure breaks the shared property.

How do you prepare for an abstract reasoning test?

Improving abstract reasoning scores takes a different approach from preparing for content-based subjects. Here is what we see work in our Thinking Skills coaching. These steps sit within our broader NSW Selective test preparation strategies, and you can benchmark your child's current reasoning level with a free Year 5 sample paper.

Start Well Before the Exam

Abstract reasoning is the component that responds most slowly to practice. Unlike Mathematical Reasoning, where a child can learn a new formula and apply it the same afternoon, this ability builds gradually through exposure and reflection, so a long, light run-up suits it better than a short intense one.

Build a Question-Type Library

The six question types described above are stable across Australian exams. For each type, your child should:

• Understand the rules — what transformations are possible?
• Practise recognition — how do you spot which type it is quickly?
• Apply strategies — what is the most efficient approach for each type?
• Review errors — why did you get it wrong, and what would catch the error next time?

Keep a dedicated notebook or digital document with worked examples of each type.

Practise Systematic Thinking, Not Guessing

The habit that helps most is refusing to guess without first identifying the rule. Even if you cannot find the rule, articulate what you have checked: "I've ruled out size, rotation, and shading. The remaining variable is the number of elements." This systematic elimination approach prevents the careless errors that cost marks on easy questions.

Use Activities That Build Spatial Reasoning

Beyond formal test practice, these activities develop the underlying spatial and pattern-recognition abilities:

• Puzzles: Jigsaw puzzles, tangrams, Rubik's cubes
• Construction: Lego, origami, building kits
• Strategy games: Chess, draughts, strategy video games
• Visual arts: Drawing, geometric design, tessellations
• Coding: Block-based and text-based coding (develops pattern thinking)

They are worth doing on their own terms, and children who enjoy them tend to arrive at formal practice already comfortable with rotating and comparing shapes in their head.

Simulate Exam Conditions

Once foundational skills are established, shift to timed practice under exam conditions. Your child needs to practise:

• The 60-second-per-question pace of the NSW Selective test
• Moving on when stuck rather than spending 3 minutes on one question
• Managing cognitive fatigue across a 40-question sitting
• Reading questions carefully on screen (not paper)

Use official practice materials first, then third-party mock tests that match the question style of the target exam.

Analyse Every Error

After each practice session, review every incorrect answer. For each error, determine:

• Did you misidentify the question type?
• Did you find the wrong rule?
• Did you apply the correct rule but make a careless error?
• Did time pressure cause you to guess?

Each error category requires a different remedy. Group your errors by category to find the weakness they share.

Structured coaching option

Plenty of families prepare well on their own, and the 17 questions above are there to be used that way. What a coach adds, if you want one, is:

• Diagnosis of specific weaknesses across question types
• Question variations your child would not run into on their own
• Immediate feedback on the reasoning, not just the right or wrong answer
• A structured, progressive programme that keeps the work moving

At Braintree Coaching Australia, our Selective preparation courses include dedicated Thinking Skills modules covering abstract and non-verbal reasoning.

What do parents ask about abstract reasoning practice?

Parents most often ask whether abstract reasoning can improve with practice, how much weekly time to allocate, and how the skill differs across NSW Selective, OC, HAST and ACER pathways — answers below.

Can abstract reasoning be improved with practice?

Yes. Abstract reasoning has a cognitive component that reflects natural ability, but in our coaching sessions timed practice on the six question types in this guide plus error review usually lifts accuracy — the gains come from strategy and error analysis, not from volume alone. That is a programme observation, not a placement guarantee.

How much time should we spend on abstract reasoning each week?

For a child preparing for the NSW Selective or OC test, Braintree Coaching Australia recommends three to four sessions of 20 to 30 minutes per week dedicated specifically to abstract and non-verbal reasoning. That sits inside our recommended weekly preparation caps, and it is in addition to practice for Reading, Mathematical Reasoning and Writing.

At what age should children start abstract reasoning practice?

For OC test preparation (Year 4), abstract reasoning practice is appropriate from Year 3. For Selective test preparation (Year 6), Year 5 is ideal for starting systematic work. Casual exposure through puzzles and spatial activities is beneficial at any age.

Is the abstract reasoning component the same in all Australian exams?

No. NSW Selective and OC carry abstract-style items inside Thinking Skills; HAST names a dedicated Abstract Reasoning component; WA ASET names Abstract Reasoning with exactly two published question types (Next in Sequence and Complete the Pattern). Difficulty and distributions vary, and the ACER Scholarship Tests have no abstract reasoning section at all. Our six-type bank is a Braintree teaching taxonomy for practice, not a claim that every exam publishes those formats.

What is the difference between abstract reasoning and logical reasoning?

Abstract reasoning refers to pattern-based, visual or non-verbal tasks such as matrices, series and shape analogies. Logical reasoning involves language-based deduction such as syllogisms and conditional statements. The Thinking Skills component of the NSW Selective test includes both. This guide covers the abstract and non-verbal side; our NSW Selective Thinking Skills test guide covers the full component, logical deduction included.

Are there free abstract reasoning practice resources?

Yes. This guide contains 17 worked abstract reasoning questions with full explanations, and Braintree Coaching Australia's Free Practice Tests section includes free Thinking Skills practice tests.

How is abstract reasoning tested on computer versus paper?

The question types are identical, but computer-based delivery requires working comfortably on screen: tracking patterns in digital images, using a mouse or trackpad to select answers, and navigating between questions with on-screen controls. Computer-based practice is essential for the NSW Selective Placement Test, which is computer-based.

Related Reading:

• NSW Selective Thinking Skills test — format, mistake patterns and a 2027 prep plan
• Verbal reasoning test practice — word-based transfer items for the same Thinking Skills strand
• Numerical reasoning practice — Mathematical Reasoning transfer items
• Non-verbal reasoning mastery course — structured course handoff (KEEP SPLIT from this skill guide)
• NSW Selective School Test Components: Complete 2026 Guide
• OC exam format — Thinking Skills in the Opportunity Class paper
• HAST exam preparation — Abstract Reasoning as a dedicated HAST component
• EduTest selective and scholarship exam
• ACER Scholarship Test preparation
• Victoria SEHS preparation hub