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Non-Verbal Reasoning Test

Diagrammatic, abstract, inductive and spatial questions: the tests that work with shapes and figures rather than words. Every question below comes with a worked solution.

10 questions
10 minutes
Worked solutions
Printable PDF

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Excellent, 4.8/5 · 154 reviews

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Written by Guy Thornton, Founder, Practice Aptitude Tests

Published 19 July 2021 · Updated 11 September 2026

Built to frameworks from chartered occupational psychologists, and checked against real candidate results

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

What's inside

5 easy 3 medium 2 hard

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Question 1 of 10

01 / 10 Abstract Easy

Which shape comes next in the sequence?

A

B

C

D

Show worked solution

The answer is A. Each chevron turns 90° anticlockwise from the one before it. Continuing the turn gives the chevron at 180°. Option B repeats the last shape without applying the final turn. Option C over-rotates by one extra 90° step. Option D turns back the way the sequence came instead of continuing.

Question 2 of 10

02 / 10 Abstract Medium

Which shape comes next in the sequence?

A

B

C

D

Show worked solution

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. Option B rotates the triangle 90° clockwise rather than reflecting it. Option C rotates the triangle 180° rather than reflecting it. Option D keeps the flipped orientation instead of alternating back.

Question 3 of 10

03 / 10 Abstract Hard

Which shape comes next in the sequence?

A

B

C

D

Show worked solution

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. Option A skips a cell, moving two positions clockwise instead of one. Option B moves the marker anticlockwise, the wrong way round. Option D leaves the marker where it was, ignoring the move.

Question 4 of 10

04 / 10 Abstract Medium

Which shape comes next in the sequence?

A

B

C

D

Show worked solution

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. Option A leaves the shape unshaded instead of toggling the fill back to shaded. Option B both fails to shade the shape and enlarges it. Option D shades the shape correctly but enlarges it, though the size never changes.

Question 5 of 10

05 / 10 Abstract Easy

Which shape comes next in the sequence?

A

B

C

D

Show worked solution

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. Option A changes size in the wrong direction. Option C changes size by two steps instead of one. Option D repeats the previous size instead of changing it again.

Question 6 of 10

06 / 10 Abstract Easy

Which shape comes next in the sequence?

A

B

C

D

Show worked solution

The answer is C. The number of circles increases by 1 at each step. The next group therefore has 5 circles. Option A adds two steps instead of one. Option B reduces the count instead of increasing it. Option D repeats the previous count without adding any more.

Question 7 of 10

07 / 10 Abstract Hard

Which shape comes next in the sequence?

A

B

C

D

Show worked solution

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. Option A jumps to the third shape in the cycle, skipping one. Option B introduces a square, a shape the cycle never uses. Option D repeats the shape just shown rather than advancing the cycle.

Question 8 of 10

08 / 10 Abstract Easy

Which shape comes next in the sequence?

A

B

C

D

Show worked solution

The answer is C. Each arrow turns 90° anticlockwise from the one before it. Continuing the turn gives the arrow at 90°. Option A turns back the way the sequence came instead of continuing. Option B over-rotates by one extra 90° step. Option D repeats the last shape without applying the final turn.

Question 9 of 10

09 / 10 Abstract Medium

Which shape comes next in the sequence?

A

B

C

D

Show worked solution

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. Option A rotates the triangle 180° rather than reflecting it. Option C rotates the triangle 90° clockwise rather than reflecting it. Option D keeps the flipped orientation instead of alternating back.

Question 10 of 10

10 / 10 Abstract Easy

Which shape comes next in the sequence?

A

B

C

D

Show worked solution

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. Option A moves the marker anticlockwise, the wrong way round. Option C skips a cell, moving two positions clockwise instead of one. Option D leaves the marker where it was, ignoring the move.

How to interpret your score

Illustrative bands for a 10-question non-verbal reasoning test, not measured pass marks
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.

How to move up the scale

One test tells you the style. A pack gives you the pace: batches under time pressure, marked, with the working shown.

Unlock 3 Non-Verbal Reasoning tests £39 a year, or £29 a month. Cancel any time

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 reasoning

Inductive reasoning

Sequences, odd-one-out and set questions built from pattern rules.

Practise inductive reasoning

Diagrammatic reasoning

Operators and processes: deduce what each symbol does and apply it.

Practise diagrammatic reasoning

Spatial reasoning

Rotate, fold and count shapes in your head rather than finding rules.

Practise spatial reasoning

What is a non-verbal reasoning test?

A non-verbal reasoning test is an assessment that measures how well you interpret visual information and solve problems with shapes and figures rather than words. It might ask you to find the relationship between patterns, work out what comes next in a sequence, or picture how a shape changes when it moves or rotates.

Crucially, the tests do not assess language, and no prior knowledge is needed. That is the point: by stripping out vocabulary and learned facts, they get closer to raw problem-solving ability, which is why they are so widely used to screen candidates from mixed educational and cultural backgrounds on equal terms.

“Non-verbal reasoning” is a family name rather than a single test. The rest of this guide explains the types you might be set and how to approach each.

Why 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. Competitive graduate schemes commonly sift at around the 70th to 80th 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.

From score to percentile

Your scorePoints earned on the test.
Comparison groupResults from people taking a comparable test.
Your percentileWhere your result sits within that group.

A percentage score and a percentile are different measures. Employers choose their comparison groups and thresholds; there is no universal pass mark.

Who uses non-verbal reasoning tests?

Non-verbal reasoning tests appear across graduate and professional recruitment, and are especially common where a role rewards analytical or technical ability. They are widely used in graduate schemes, both to measure reasoning and to assess leadership potential.

Most employers license their tests from a small number of publishers, and the timing and question style vary between them, so find out which publisher your employer uses before you prepare seriously. It is usually named in the invitation email. Our test publisher guides cover each format, and the employer guides cover specific companies’ processes.

Video tutorials

The methods behind the questions above, from our team

Rotated Views 1 min

Similar Shapes 1 min

Unfolding Shapes 1 min

Frequently asked questions

What candidates ask us most often

How do you practise for a non-verbal reasoning test?

Find sample tests that match your recruiter’s format as closely as possible and work through them under timed conditions. Practice Aptitude Tests covers every non-verbal type, so once you know whether your test is diagrammatic, abstract, inductive or spatial you can rehearse the exact style you will face.

What comes under non-verbal reasoning?

Diagrammatic, abstract, inductive and spatial reasoning all sit under the non-verbal umbrella. The first three ask you to find and apply a rule in a set of shapes; spatial reasoning asks you to picture how shapes move, rotate or fit together. All of them avoid language entirely.

Is non-verbal reasoning the same as an IQ test?

They overlap. Both aim to measure general reasoning ability independent of learned knowledge. Non-verbal reasoning tests are narrower and job-focused, but they draw on the same pattern-spotting and problem-solving ability that IQ tests reward.

How long is a non-verbal reasoning test?

It depends on the type and publisher, but most run for a fixed window at roughly a minute per question, so around 20 to 30 minutes. Some publishers time each question individually. Your invitation email usually states the length.

Can I use pen and paper in a non-verbal reasoning test?

Usually yes, and for spatial questions especially it helps to sketch a rotation or fold rather than hold it in your head. Ask for paper if it is not provided, but check your invitation first, since a few supervised tests do not allow it.

Which is harder, the logic-based or the spatial questions?

It varies by person. Many candidates find rule-spotting easier than mental rotation, or the reverse, which is exactly why practising your weaker family pays off most. Identify which one slows you down and give it the bulk of your preparation time.

What is the best way to prepare?

Practise under the real time limit from the start, and review every answer you got wrong; untimed work builds accuracy but not the speed the test measures. Our method guide goes deeper.

Logic-based or spatial: what is the difference?

The logic-based types (abstract, inductive and diagrammatic) test what rule connects a set of figures; the spatial type tests whether you can picture shapes moving. It is deduction versus visualisation, and most candidates find one family noticeably easier than the other, so try both before the real thing.

Reviews

Rated 4.8 out of 5 across 154 reviews. A selection:

Challenging

I enjoyed the test though it was challenging, it helped me know that my non-verbal reasoning needs a lot of work.

To read the question carefully and follow the sequences.

I liked about that the question is testing what my grade is but one thing I disliked about this test is the question was kind of getting harder every time but till it was ok for me.

Manageable

Everything becomes easy once you decompartmentalize and identify the patterns. The tips and articles on the website are spot on.

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