OC thinking skills: following a shape as it turns

Quick Answer

To follow a shape as it turns, pick one corner or mark and track where it goes with each quarter turn. This page from Braintree Coaching Australia has ten original diagrams, and every picture is also described in words so a child can answer from the text alone. Each explanation says which way the shape turned and by how much.

Who is this practice for?

This set is for children in Year 3 or 4 who are starting on visual reasoning for the NSW Opportunity Class (OC) Thinking Skills test, and for parents who want a calm way to practise it at home.

The NSW Department of Education's Opportunity Class Practice Test 3 for Thinking Skills includes a question where tiles on a wall have been rotated (question 22). That is one practice-test question, not a list of what the real test holds. The Department says only that there is a range of question types, which you can see in its practice tests. This page does not claim how many rotation questions a sitting has.

All ten items are original and written by Braintree Coaching Australia. They are not copied from a Department test.

How do I track a turn?

Use two things the child can see: one corner and one red dot.

1. Find the dot and the corner next to it. Say where they are: "the dot is at the end of the foot".
2. Decide the turn: which way (clockwise is the way a clock's hands go) and how far (a quarter turn is one corner of a square, a half turn is two).
3. Move the arm first. Say where it points now.
4. Put the foot and the dot back on the arm in the same way: the foot is always on the same side of the arm.
5. Check the dot is still on the foot. If it stayed behind, the picture is wrong.

A quarter turn is 90°. A half turn is 180°. Three quarter turns clockwise is the same as one quarter turn anticlockwise.

The questions

Each item has a picture and a full written description. Read the description aloud for a child who cannot see the picture, or for one who prefers to work from words. In the descriptions, "looking along the arm" means standing at the corner and looking toward the far end. For the P-shape, "looking along the bar away from the foot end" means standing at the end of the bar that is not joined to the block and looking toward the block.

Item 1

Turn the shape a quarter turn clockwise.

Text description of the picture. Start: The L-shape: its arm points up and its foot points right. Looking along the arm away from the corner, the foot is on your right. The red dot is on the foot.

A. The L-shape: its arm points left and its foot points down. Looking along the arm away from the corner, the foot is on your left. The red dot is on the foot.

B. The L-shape: its arm points right and its foot points down. Looking along the arm away from the corner, the foot is on your right. The red dot is on the foot.

C. The L-shape: its arm points left and its foot points up. Looking along the arm away from the corner, the foot is on your right. The red dot is on the foot.

D. The L-shape: its arm points right and its foot points down. Looking along the arm away from the corner, the foot is on your right. The red dot is in the bottom-right of the box, beside the shape, not on the foot.

The start picture is described in the first line. Turn it a quarter turn (90°) clockwise.

Item 2

Turn the shape a quarter turn clockwise.

Text description of the picture. Start: The P-shape: its bar points right and its block points down. Looking along the bar away from the foot end, the block is on your right. The red dot is on the block.

A. The P-shape: its bar points down and its block points right. Looking along the bar away from the foot end, the block is on your left. The red dot is on the block.

B. The P-shape: its bar points up and its block points right. Looking along the bar away from the foot end, the block is on your right. The red dot is on the block.

C. The P-shape: its bar points down and its block points left. Looking along the bar away from the foot end, the block is on your right. The red dot is in the right of the box, beside the shape, not on the block.

D. The P-shape: its bar points down and its block points left. Looking along the bar away from the foot end, the block is on your right. The red dot is on the block.

The start picture is described in the first line. Turn it a quarter turn (90°) clockwise.

Item 3

Turn the shape a quarter turn clockwise.

Text description of the picture. Start: The L-shape: its arm points down and its foot points left. Looking along the arm away from the corner, the foot is on your right. The red dot is on the foot.

A. The L-shape: its arm points left and its foot points up. Looking along the arm away from the corner, the foot is on your right. The red dot is on the foot.

B. The L-shape: its arm points right and its foot points up. Looking along the arm away from the corner, the foot is on your left. The red dot is on the foot.

C. The L-shape: its arm points right and its foot points down. Looking along the arm away from the corner, the foot is on your right. The red dot is on the foot.

D. The L-shape: its arm points left and its foot points up. Looking along the arm away from the corner, the foot is on your right. The red dot is in the top-left of the box, beside the shape, not on the foot.

The start picture is described in the first line. Turn it a quarter turn (90°) clockwise.

Item 4

Turn the shape a quarter turn clockwise.

Text description of the picture. Start: The P-shape: its bar points left and its block points up. Looking along the bar away from the foot end, the block is on your right. The red dot is on the block.

A. The P-shape: its bar points up and its block points left. Looking along the bar away from the foot end, the block is on your left. The red dot is on the block.

B. The P-shape: its bar points down and its block points left. Looking along the bar away from the foot end, the block is on your right. The red dot is on the block.

C. The P-shape: its bar points up and its block points right. Looking along the bar away from the foot end, the block is on your right. The red dot is on the block.

D. The P-shape: its bar points up and its block points right. Looking along the bar away from the foot end, the block is on your right. The red dot is in the left of the box, beside the shape, not on the block.

The start picture is described in the first line. Turn it a quarter turn (90°) clockwise.

Item 5

The shape turns by the same amount each step. What comes next?

Text description of the picture. Step 1: The L-shape: its arm points up and its foot points right. Looking along the arm away from the corner, the foot is on your right. The red dot is on the foot. Step 2: The L-shape: its arm points right and its foot points down. Looking along the arm away from the corner, the foot is on your right. The red dot is on the foot. Step 3: The L-shape: its arm points down and its foot points left. Looking along the arm away from the corner, the foot is on your right. The red dot is on the foot.

A. The L-shape: its arm points right and its foot points up. Looking along the arm away from the corner, the foot is on your left. The red dot is on the foot.

B. The L-shape: its arm points right and its foot points down. Looking along the arm away from the corner, the foot is on your right. The red dot is on the foot.

C. The L-shape: its arm points left and its foot points up. Looking along the arm away from the corner, the foot is on your right. The red dot is on the foot.

D. The L-shape: its arm points left and its foot points up. Looking along the arm away from the corner, the foot is on your right. The red dot is in the top-left of the box, beside the shape, not on the foot.

Item 6

The shape turns by the same amount each step. What comes next?

Text description of the picture. Step 1: The P-shape: its bar points up and its block points right. Looking along the bar away from the foot end, the block is on your right. The red dot is on the block. Step 2: The P-shape: its bar points left and its block points up. Looking along the bar away from the foot end, the block is on your right. The red dot is on the block. Step 3: The P-shape: its bar points down and its block points left. Looking along the bar away from the foot end, the block is on your right. The red dot is on the block.

A. The P-shape: its bar points right and its block points down. Looking along the bar away from the foot end, the block is on your right. The red dot is on the block.

B. The P-shape: its bar points left and its block points down. Looking along the bar away from the foot end, the block is on your left. The red dot is on the block.

C. The P-shape: its bar points left and its block points up. Looking along the bar away from the foot end, the block is on your right. The red dot is on the block.

D. The P-shape: its bar points right and its block points down. Looking along the bar away from the foot end, the block is on your right. The red dot is in the bottom of the box, beside the shape, not on the block.

Item 7

The shape turns by the same amount each step. What comes next?

Text description of the picture. Step 1: The P-shape: its bar points up and its block points right. Looking along the bar away from the foot end, the block is on your right. The red dot is on the block. Step 2: The P-shape: its bar points down and its block points left. Looking along the bar away from the foot end, the block is on your right. The red dot is on the block. Step 3: The P-shape: its bar points up and its block points right. Looking along the bar away from the foot end, the block is on your right. The red dot is on the block.

A. The P-shape: its bar points down and its block points right. Looking along the bar away from the foot end, the block is on your left. The red dot is on the block.

B. The P-shape: its bar points right and its block points down. Looking along the bar away from the foot end, the block is on your right. The red dot is on the block.

C. The P-shape: its bar points down and its block points left. Looking along the bar away from the foot end, the block is on your right. The red dot is in the top of the box, on the bar, not on the block.

D. The P-shape: its bar points down and its block points left. Looking along the bar away from the foot end, the block is on your right. The red dot is on the block.

Item 8

Which picture shows the shape turned, not flipped?

Text description of the picture. Start: The L-shape: its arm points up and its foot points right. Looking along the arm away from the corner, the foot is on your right. The red dot is on the foot.

A. The L-shape: its arm points up and its foot points left. Looking along the arm away from the corner, the foot is on your left. The red dot is on the foot.

B. The L-shape: its arm points left and its foot points up. Looking along the arm away from the corner, the foot is on your right. The red dot is on the foot.

C. The L-shape: its arm points down and its foot points right. Looking along the arm away from the corner, the foot is on your left. The red dot is on the foot.

D. The L-shape: its arm points right and its foot points up. Looking along the arm away from the corner, the foot is on your left. The red dot is on the foot.

Item 9

Which picture shows the shape turned, not flipped?

Text description of the picture. Start: The P-shape: its bar points up and its block points right. Looking along the bar away from the foot end, the block is on your right. The red dot is on the block.

A. The P-shape: its bar points up and its block points left. Looking along the bar away from the foot end, the block is on your left. The red dot is on the block.

B. The P-shape: its bar points right and its block points up. Looking along the bar away from the foot end, the block is on your left. The red dot is on the block.

C. The P-shape: its bar points down and its block points left. Looking along the bar away from the foot end, the block is on your right. The red dot is on the block.

D. The P-shape: its bar points left and its block points down. Looking along the bar away from the foot end, the block is on your left. The red dot is on the block.

Item 10

Which picture shows the shape turned, not flipped?

Text description of the picture. Start: The L-shape: its arm points right and its foot points down. Looking along the arm away from the corner, the foot is on your right. The red dot is on the foot.

A. The L-shape: its arm points down and its foot points left. Looking along the arm away from the corner, the foot is on your right. The red dot is on the foot.

B. The L-shape: its arm points down and its foot points right. Looking along the arm away from the corner, the foot is on your left. The red dot is on the foot.

C. The L-shape: its arm points up and its foot points left. Looking along the arm away from the corner, the foot is on your left. The red dot is on the foot.

D. The L-shape: its arm points right and its foot points up. Looking along the arm away from the corner, the foot is on your left. The red dot is on the foot.

Answers and worked explanations

Every explanation gives the direction and the size of the turn.

Item 1: B. Follow the red dot. The arm points up at the start. A quarter turn (90°) clockwise moves it to point right, and the foot (with the dot) moves from pointing right to pointing down. A is the mirror image of the right answer. The picture was flipped, not turned, so the shape is back-to-front. C is a turn in the wrong direction. It has been turned a quarter turn (90°) anticlockwise instead of clockwise. D has the shape in the right place but the red dot has been left where it started. The dot has to move with the shape.

Item 2: D. Follow the red dot. The bar points right at the start. A quarter turn (90°) clockwise moves it to point down, and the block (with the dot) moves from pointing down to pointing left. A is the mirror image of the right answer. The picture was flipped, not turned, so the shape is back-to-front. B is a turn in the wrong direction. It has been turned a quarter turn (90°) anticlockwise instead of clockwise. C has the shape in the right place but the red dot has been left where it started. The dot has to move with the shape.

Item 3: A. Follow the red dot. The arm points down at the start. A quarter turn (90°) clockwise moves it to point left, and the foot (with the dot) moves from pointing left to pointing up. B is the mirror image of the right answer. The picture was flipped, not turned, so the shape is back-to-front. C is a turn in the wrong direction. It has been turned a quarter turn (90°) anticlockwise instead of clockwise. D has the shape in the right place but the red dot has been left where it started. The dot has to move with the shape.

Item 4: C. Follow the red dot. The bar points left at the start. A quarter turn (90°) clockwise moves it to point up, and the block (with the dot) moves from pointing up to pointing right. A is the mirror image of the right answer. The picture was flipped, not turned, so the shape is back-to-front. B is a turn in the wrong direction. It has been turned a quarter turn (90°) anticlockwise instead of clockwise. D has the shape in the right place but the red dot has been left where it started. The dot has to move with the shape.

Item 5: C. Each step is a quarter turn (90°) clockwise. The arm points up, then right, then down, so the next step points left. A is the mirror image of the right answer. The picture was flipped, not turned, so the shape is back-to-front. B has been turned the wrong way. It goes back one step instead of forward, which undoes the last turn. D has the shape in the right place but the red dot has been left where it started. The dot has to move with the shape.

Item 6: A. Each step is a quarter turn (90°) anticlockwise. The bar points up, then left, then down, so the next step points right. B is the mirror image of the right answer. The picture was flipped, not turned, so the shape is back-to-front. C has been turned the wrong way. It goes back one step instead of forward, which undoes the last turn. D has the shape in the right place but the red dot has been left where it started. The dot has to move with the shape.

Item 7: D. Each step is a half turn (180°), which looks the same clockwise or anticlockwise. The bar points up, then down, then up, so the next step points down. A is the mirror image of the right answer. The picture was flipped, not turned, so the shape is back-to-front. B is a quarter turn (90°) from the last step, not a half turn (180°). The turn size must stay the same each step. C has the shape in the right place but the red dot has been left where it started. The dot has to move with the shape.

Item 8: B. The right answer is the start picture after a three-quarter turn (270°) clockwise, which is the same as a quarter turn (90°) anticlockwise: the arm moves from pointing up to pointing left, and the foot stays on the same side of the arm. The other three are flipped. A, C and D are mirror images: in each, the foot is on the wrong side of the arm, which a turn cannot do.

Item 9: C. The right answer is the start picture after a half turn (180°): the bar moves from pointing up to pointing down, and the block stays on the same side of the bar. The other three are flipped. A, B and D are mirror images: in each, the block is on the wrong side of the bar, which a turn cannot do.

Item 10: A. The right answer is the start picture after a quarter turn (90°) clockwise: the arm moves from pointing right to pointing down, and the foot stays on the same side of the arm. The other three are flipped. B, C and D are mirror images: in each, the foot is on the wrong side of the arm, which a turn cannot do.

How is a turn different from a flip?

A turn keeps the shape the same way round. A flip makes a mirror image. To tell them apart, stand at the corner, look along the arm and ask which side the foot is on. If it is on the same side as in the start picture, the shape was turned. If it has moved to the other side, the shape was flipped, and no amount of turning will make it match.

In the questions on this page, the options that were flipped are marked in the answers as "mirror image". Spotting them is usually faster than tracking the dot.

Can my child make their own?

Yes, and it is the best way to learn the method.

1. Cut a square of paper and draw an L on it. Mark the end of the foot with a dot.
2. Put it on a sheet and trace around it.
3. Turn the paper a quarter turn clockwise. Trace and draw the dot again.
4. Repeat until the paper is back where it started. That takes four quarter turns.
5. Ask the child to say, for each drawing, which way the arm points.
6. Now turn it over (flip it) and trace. Ask how this differs from a turn.

If you want more Opportunity Class practice, see OC practice tests, what the OC test looks like and OC past papers. For a wider plan, see the Opportunity Class course.

Sources and review

About the facts: the reference to a rotated-tile question comes from the NSW Department of Education's Opportunity Class Practice Test 3, Thinking Skills, question 22, read on 2026-10-15 on the Department's Opportunity Class practice tests page. The Department publishes no used OC papers and no list of question types.

About the method: the tracker-dot method, the ten items and every description and explanation are Braintree Coaching Australia's own teaching material. They are not official Department questions.

Author: James Rush, content writer, Braintree Coaching Australia.

Review status: a named teacher review has not yet been recorded for this practice set. If something is unclear, please tell us.

Last updated: 2026-10-15.