Non-Verbal Reasoning Test
Diagrammatic, abstract, inductive and spatial questions: the tests that work with shapes and figures rather than words. Every question comes with a worked solution.
- 10 questions
- 10 minutes
- Worked solutions
- Printable PDF
Free · No sign-up · Scored the moment you finish
What is a non-verbal reasoning test?
A non-verbal reasoning test measures how well you reason with shapes, diagrams and images rather than words. Employers use it as a fair measure of reasoning across language backgrounds before interview. You are shown visual patterns and asked to work out the rule and pick the option that fits, whether by completing a sequence or finding the odd one out. It rewards clear visual logic and careful observation.
Free non-verbal reasoning test
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Free Non-Verbal Reasoning Test
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Question 1 of 10
Which shape comes next in the sequence?
- Figure A
- Figure B
- Figure C
- Figure D
Show the answer
Answer: A. Figure A
The answer is A. Each chevron turns 90° anticlockwise from the one before it. Continuing the turn gives the chevron at 180°. Figure B repeats the last shape without applying the final turn. Figure C over-rotates by one extra 90° step. Figure D turns back the way the sequence came instead of continuing.
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Question 2 of 10
Which shape comes next in the sequence?
- Figure A
- Figure B
- Figure C
- Figure D
Show the answer
Answer: A. Figure A
The answer is A. The triangle is flipped left-to-right at each step, so the orientation alternates. After the fourth shape (flipped) the sequence returns to the original, right angle at the bottom-left. Figure B rotates the triangle 90° clockwise rather than reflecting it. Figure C rotates the triangle 180° rather than reflecting it. Figure D keeps the flipped orientation instead of alternating back.
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Question 3 of 10
Which shape comes next in the sequence?
- Figure A
- Figure B
- Figure C
- Figure D
Show the answer
Answer: C. Figure C
The answer is C. The shaded cell moves one position clockwise around the grid at each step. The next clockwise position is the top-right cell. Figure A skips a cell, moving two positions clockwise instead of one. Figure B moves the marker anticlockwise, the wrong way round. Figure D leaves the marker where it was, ignoring the move.
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Question 4 of 10
Which shape comes next in the sequence?
- Figure A
- Figure B
- Figure C
- Figure D
Show the answer
Answer: C. Figure C
The answer is C. The diamond alternates between shaded and unshaded at each step. The fourth shape is unshaded, so the next one is shaded again. Figure A leaves the shape unshaded instead of toggling the fill back to shaded. Figure B both fails to shade the shape and enlarges it. Figure D shades the shape correctly but enlarges it, though the size never changes.
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Question 5 of 10
Which shape comes next in the sequence?
- Figure A
- Figure B
- Figure C
- Figure D
Show the answer
Answer: B. Figure B
The answer is B. The triangle changes size by the same amount each step, getting smaller. The next triangle continues the progression to width 16. Figure A changes size in the wrong direction. Figure C changes size by two steps instead of one. Figure D repeats the previous size instead of changing it again.
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Question 6 of 10
Which shape comes next in the sequence?
- Figure A
- Figure B
- Figure C
- Figure D
Show the answer
Answer: C. Figure C
The answer is C. The number of circles increases by 1 at each step. The next group therefore has 5 circles. Figure A adds two steps instead of one. Figure B reduces the count instead of increasing it. Figure D repeats the previous count without adding any more.
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Question 7 of 10
Which shape comes next in the sequence?
- Figure A
- Figure B
- Figure C
- Figure D
Show the answer
Answer: C. Figure C
The answer is C. The shapes repeat in a fixed three-step cycle: pentagon, then diamond, then circle. After the cycle restarts with the pentagon, the next shape is the diamond. Figure A jumps to the third shape in the cycle, skipping one. Figure B introduces a square, a shape the cycle never uses. Figure D repeats the shape just shown rather than advancing the cycle.
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Question 8 of 10
Which shape comes next in the sequence?
- Figure A
- Figure B
- Figure C
- Figure D
Show the answer
Answer: C. Figure C
The answer is C. Each arrow turns 90° anticlockwise from the one before it. Continuing the turn gives the arrow at 90°. Figure A turns back the way the sequence came instead of continuing. Figure B over-rotates by one extra 90° step. Figure D repeats the last shape without applying the final turn.
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Question 9 of 10
Which shape comes next in the sequence?
- Figure A
- Figure B
- Figure C
- Figure D
Show the answer
Answer: B. Figure B
The answer is B. The triangle is flipped left-to-right at each step, so the orientation alternates. After the fourth shape (flipped) the sequence returns to the original, right angle at the bottom-left. Figure A rotates the triangle 180° rather than reflecting it. Figure C rotates the triangle 90° clockwise rather than reflecting it. Figure D keeps the flipped orientation instead of alternating back.
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Question 10 of 10
Which shape comes next in the sequence?
- Figure A
- Figure B
- Figure C
- Figure D
Show the answer
Answer: B. Figure B
The answer is B. The shaded cell moves one position clockwise around the grid at each step. The next clockwise position is the top-left cell. Figure A moves the marker anticlockwise, the wrong way round. Figure C skips a cell, moving two positions clockwise instead of one. Figure D leaves the marker where it was, ignoring the move.
How to interpret your score
| Score | What it suggests |
|---|---|
| 9 to 10 | Comfortably above the bar for most graduate schemes |
| 7 to 8 | Around the typical pass mark. Worth practising for speed |
| 5 to 6 | Below most employer thresholds. Focus on method before speed |
| 4 or fewer | Work through the worked solutions above before retrying |
Employers set their own thresholds and many sift on the top percentage of applicants rather than a fixed mark, so treat these as a guide.
Practise with the full pack
One test tells you the style. A pack gives you the pace: batches under time pressure, marked, with the working shown.
- 3
- Non-Verbal Reasoning tests
- 27
- questions, all solved
Types of non-verbal reasoning test
Non-verbal reasoning is an umbrella: the logic-based formats ask what comes next, the spatial format asks you to manipulate shapes. Each has its own free test and guide.
Abstract reasoning
Find the rule connecting a set of shapes: the classic logic-based format.
Practise abstract reasoningInductive reasoning
Sequences, odd-one-out and set questions built from pattern rules.
Practise inductive reasoningDiagrammatic reasoning
Operators and processes: deduce what each symbol does and apply it.
Practise diagrammatic reasoningSpatial reasoning
Rotate, fold and count shapes in your head rather than finding rules.
Practise spatial reasoningWhy do employers use non-verbal reasoning tests?
Employers use non-verbal reasoning tests because they are a strong, fair measure of general problem-solving ability. Problem solving matters in almost every role, and a test that predicts it without depending on language or background is unusually useful at the sift stage.
Three reasons they are favoured:
- They measure potential, not knowledge. Because no learned skill is needed, the result reflects innate reasoning ability, which employers value for graduate schemes and roles with a steep learning curve.
- They are technically discriminating. They are especially common for roles that reward analytical or technical ability, and are also used to assess leadership potential.
- They level the playing field. By removing language and much cultural and educational bias, they let global employers compare a diverse pool on the same footing, judging candidates on cognitive ability alone.
How are non-verbal reasoning tests scored?
Most employers score you against other candidates, not against a fixed pass mark: your raw score becomes a percentile. Attempting questions matters, because most tests are built so few candidates finish, and guessing usually pays: negative marking is rare, but check the instructions.
- Your scorePoints earned on the test.
- Comparison groupResults from people taking a comparable test.
- Your percentileWhere your result sits within that group.
Video tutorials
The methods behind the questions above, from our team
