Shape sequences, matrices, pattern completion and odd-one-out, in the formats employers actually set. Every question below comes with the rule explained, not just the answer.
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An abstract reasoning test measures how well you identify patterns and relationships between shapes, with no words or numbers involved. Employers use it as a culture-fair measure of reasoning before interview. You are shown a sequence or set of figures and asked to work out the underlying rule, then pick the shape that comes next or completes the pattern. It rewards spotting the rule quickly and applying it accurately.
A timed test covering abstract.
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| 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.
One test tells you the style. A pack gives you the pace: batches under time pressure, marked, with the working shown.
Most questions are one of a few formats built from the same short list of transformation rules. Each guide below covers one.
Find the rule that moves the sequence on a frame. Work one element at a time; a chaotic frame is two or three simple rules running at once.
How to spot the ruleComplete the grid. Read along the rows and down the columns separately: the rule usually works in one direction.
How matrix questions workRotation, reflection, size, count, shading and position. Learn the short list and questions become recognition, not guesswork.
Learn the transformation rulesAn abstract reasoning test measures how well you spot the rule that connects a set of shapes, and how fast you can do it. It is a test of fluid intelligence: the ability to reason with unfamiliar information rather than recall anything you have learned. There is no maths, no vocabulary and no subject knowledge involved, which is exactly why employers rely on it.
The skill transfers to real work. Someone who can look at unfamiliar data, see the underlying pattern and act on it quickly is doing the same thing a developer does with a new codebase or an analyst does with a dataset they have never seen. Because the questions carry no cultural or educational baggage, two candidates with very different backgrounds can be compared on the same footing.
In practice you are shown shapes that change according to a hidden rule, and you choose the option that fits. Almost every question is multiple choice with four or five options, and you usually have a minute or less for each one.
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.
Abstract reasoning tests are standard in graduate recruitment across technology, engineering, consulting, finance and other data-driven sectors. If a role rewards spotting patterns and learning quickly, expect one. Software developers, engineers, analysts, consultants, project managers and graduate scheme applicants are the most commonly assessed.
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.
The methods behind the questions above, from our team
What candidates ask us most often
They are designed to be. The test has to separate large numbers of able candidates, so the rules are layered, the distractors are built from common mistakes, and the clock is tight. The difficulty is in reading several simple rules at once under pressure, not in any single rule being complex.
Usually yes, and it helps. Jotting the rule you have spotted for each element stops you holding three patterns in your head at once. Many online tests allow paper even when supervised, but check the instructions in your invitation, since a few do not.
Most run for a fixed window with roughly one minute per question, so a typical test is around 20 to 25 minutes. Some publishers time each question individually. The exact length is usually stated in your invitation email.
Often, yes. Many tests order questions from easier to harder, so do not spend so long on an early question that you run out of time before reaching ones you could have answered. If a question stalls you, mark your best guess and move on.
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 abstract preparation guide covers the full sequence. The improvement guide goes deeper.
They overlap so heavily that publishers use the names interchangeably. Abstract and inductive are the closest pair, both centred on shape sequences, matrices and odd-one-out questions; diagrammatic leans towards process logic, following operators that transform an input into an output. Practice transfers across all three, so do not worry if the label on your invitation is not the one you expected.
Rated 4.9 out of 5 across 434 reviews. A selection:
It was fine but I fell like you should definitely add more questions as it would be more fun, challenging and the results would be more accurate. You did the questions from easy to hard, so that was one good thing about as everyone needs a challenge eventually. Pretty good 👍😊👍
The practice abstract reasoning test I just took was a breeze. The questions were straightforward and didn't require much critical thinking. Overall, it was a good warm-up for more challenging tests to come. It was a great way to sharpen my skills and brush up on my problem-solving
I like that it has a practice and timed test because you will be more prepared and it has a solution for every practice test
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