I85PREP
⌘ K
CFAT study materials
CFAT study resources

CFAT practice questions

One question at a time. Build your CFAT understanding.

First 50 of 199 questions. Each one lists the choices, the correct answer, and an explanation. The checker at the top of this page saves progress in this browser when it is available.

Continue in the practice tool above to load more questions, 50 at a time.

Question 1Verbal Skills

In the verbal skills portion of the CFAT, a word analogy item presents a pair such as 'pilot : cockpit' and asks you to complete a second pair. Which relationship does the first pair illustrate?

  1. Worker and the tools the worker uses
  2. Worker and the product the worker creates
  3. Worker and the place where the work is performed Correct answer.
  4. Worker and the person the worker supervises

Explanation

A cockpit is the enclosed space in which a pilot operates the aircraft, so the pair expresses a person-to-workplace relationship. The analogy answer must reproduce that same relationship in the second pair, not merely any plausible connection between the words.

Question 2Verbal Skills

Complete the analogy: 'frugal : lavish :: timid : ______'

  1. bashful
  2. quiet
  3. bold Correct answer.
  4. cautious

Explanation

Frugal and lavish are opposites on a scale of spending, so the second pair must be opposites on a scale of confidence. Bold is the direct antonym of timid, matching the contrastive structure of the first pair.

Question 3Verbal Skills

Complete the analogy: 'chapter : book :: stanza : ______'

  1. poem Correct answer.
  2. author
  3. rhyme
  4. verse

Explanation

A chapter is a major subdivision of a book, and a stanza is a major subdivision of a poem. The second term in each pair names the whole of which the first term is a part.

Question 4Verbal Skills

Which word is the closest synonym for 'meticulous' as used in the sentence 'The inspector kept meticulous records of every defect'?

  1. Scrupulous Correct answer.
  2. Hasty
  3. Reluctant
  4. Sporadic

Explanation

Meticulous describes extreme care and attention to detail, which is exactly the sense of scrupulous. The sentence context of recording every defect reinforces painstaking accuracy rather than speed or irregularity.

Question 5Verbal Skills

Choose the word that is most nearly opposite in meaning to 'candid'.

  1. Frank
  2. Cheerful
  3. Generous
  4. Evasive Correct answer.

Explanation

Candid means open and straightforward in speech, so its antonym must suggest withholding or dodging. Evasive carries precisely that sense of avoiding a direct answer.

Question 6Verbal Skills

In the sentence 'The sergeant's terse reply ended the discussion,' the word 'terse' most nearly means:

  1. Lengthy
  2. Confusing
  3. Rude
  4. Abruptly brief Correct answer.

Explanation

Terse means using few words, often with an effect of curtness. The context of ending a discussion supports brevity, which is the core meaning of the word.

Question 7Verbal Skills

Which sentence uses the word 'principal' correctly for a standard written report?

  1. She deposited the funds into the principal account.
  2. The principal danced gracefully across the stage.
  3. The principal of the school addressed the assembly.
  4. The principal reason for the delay was a shortage of parts. Correct answer.

Explanation

Principal as an adjective means chief or main, which fits 'principal reason.' The word is correctly used to modify a noun in that sentence, while other options either misuse the term or use principle where principal belongs.

Question 8Verbal Skills

Which pair of words is spelled correctly in both forms?

  1. Recieve, seperate
  2. Receive, separate Correct answer.
  3. Receive, seperate
  4. Recieve, separate

Explanation

The rule 'i before e except after c' accounts for receive, and separate is spelled with 'par' in the middle. Both standard spellings appear together only in one option.

Question 9Verbal Skills

Read the short passage: 'The bridge was closed for six months. Commuters who once crossed it in ten minutes now spent an hour on a detour. Local shops near the bridge reported a sharp drop in sales.' Which statement is best supported by the passage?

  1. The closure affected both travel time and nearby business. Correct answer.
  2. Commuters preferred the detour to the bridge.
  3. The detour route was poorly maintained.
  4. The shops near the bridge had always struggled.

Explanation

The passage explicitly links the closure to longer commutes and to reduced sales at nearby shops, so it supports a claim about two kinds of impact. Any answer that goes beyond those stated effects is not supported.

Question 10Verbal Skills

Passage: 'Although the new scheduling software reduced paperwork, supervisors complained that approving shifts took longer than before. The vendor attributed the delay to incomplete training.' Which conclusion is most reasonable?

  1. The software failed to reduce paperwork.
  2. The software's benefits were offset by a new inefficiency. Correct answer.
  3. The vendor planned to withdraw the software.
  4. Supervisors refused to use the software.

Explanation

The passage presents a gain (less paperwork) and a cost (slower shift approval), which together support the idea of mixed results. The vendor's explanation about training is offered as a cause, not as a denial of either effect.

Question 11Verbal Skills

Passage: 'The museum extended its weekend hours after attendance doubled during a free-admission trial. Officials cautioned, however, that free admission cannot continue indefinitely without new funding.' What is the officials' main point?

  1. Weekend hours should be shortened again.
  2. The popularity of free admission creates a funding problem. Correct answer.
  3. Free admission caused attendance to fall.
  4. The museum should stop tracking attendance.

Explanation

The caution clause is the officials' central claim: demand rose under free admission, but the policy is not sustainable without money. The other statements either reverse the passage or introduce ideas it does not contain.

Question 12Verbal Skills

Which sentence expresses the relationship of cause and effect?

  1. The flight was postponed, although the runway was cleared.
  2. The runway was cleared before the flight departed.
  3. The team practiced daily, and the coach reviewed each drill.
  4. Because the runway was icy, the flight was postponed. Correct answer.

Explanation

The subordinating conjunction 'because' explicitly marks the icy runway as the cause and the postponement as the effect. The other sentences show addition, contrast, or sequence rather than causation.

Question 13Verbal Skills

Which option best combines the two sentences into one clear sentence? 'The report was long. It contained only two recommendations.'

  1. The report contained only two recommendations, so it was long.
  2. The report was long, and it contained only two recommendations.
  3. Although the report was long, it contained only two recommendations. Correct answer.
  4. The report was long because it contained only two recommendations.

Explanation

The two facts stand in contrast: length usually suggests many recommendations, but here there were few. 'Although' captures that concession accurately, whereas the other connectors assert addition, cause, or a reversed cause.

Question 14Verbal Skills

Which sentence is written in the active voice?

  1. The committee reviewed the proposal. Correct answer.
  2. The proposal was reviewed by the committee.
  3. The proposal will be reviewed by the committee.
  4. The proposal has been reviewed.

Explanation

In the active voice the subject performs the action, as when the committee performs the reviewing. The other sentences place the receiver of the action in the subject position and use a form of 'be' with a past participle.

Question 15Verbal Skills

Which sentence maintains parallel structure in its list?

  1. The job requires to analyze data, writing reports, and meeting deadlines.
  2. The job requires analysis of data, writing reports, and to meet deadlines.
  3. The job requires analyzing data, writing reports, and meeting deadlines. Correct answer.
  4. The job requires analyzing data, writing reports, and to meet deadlines.

Explanation

Parallel structure requires each item in a list to use the same grammatical form. Only this option presents three gerund phrases (analyzing, writing, meeting) joined in a single series.

Question 16Verbal Skills

Which sentence uses the pronoun reference clearly?

  1. When the officer met the driver, he was visibly upset.
  2. When the officer met the driver, the driver was visibly upset. Correct answer.
  3. The officer told the driver that he had made an error.
  4. The officer and the driver argued because he was late.

Explanation

A pronoun must refer unambiguously to one antecedent. Replacing the ambiguous 'he' with the explicit noun 'the driver' removes the doubt about who was upset.

Question 17Verbal Skills

Complete the analogy: 'thermometer : temperature :: barometer : ______'

  1. pressure Correct answer.
  2. wind
  3. humidity
  4. altitude

Explanation

Each first term names an instrument and each second term names the quantity that instrument measures. A barometer measures atmospheric pressure, matching the pattern set by thermometer and temperature.

Question 18Verbal Skills

Which word best completes the sentence? 'The witness's account was so ______ that investigators could not determine the sequence of events.'

  1. vague Correct answer.
  2. precise
  3. verbose
  4. candid

Explanation

The clue is that investigators could not establish a sequence, which points to a lack of clarity. Vague means unclear or imprecise, fitting the consequence described in the sentence.

Question 19Verbal Skills

Which sentence uses 'affect' and 'effect' correctly?

  1. The storm's effect was to affect the schedule seriously.
  2. The storm had a serious affect on the schedule.
  3. The storm had a serious effect on the schedule. Correct answer.
  4. The storm effected the schedule in a serious way.

Explanation

Effect is normally a noun meaning result, while affect is normally a verb meaning to influence. The phrase 'had a serious effect on' uses the noun correctly in a standard construction.

Question 20Verbal Skills

Passage: 'The city planted 500 trees along the avenue. Three years later, summer surface temperatures on that street were measurably lower than on a comparable street without trees.' Which assumption underlies the comparison?

  1. The comparable street had more traffic.
  2. The two streets were similar in relevant respects other than trees. Correct answer.
  3. Trees always lower temperatures everywhere.
  4. The trees were fully grown within a year.

Explanation

A valid comparison requires that the streets differ mainly in the factor being tested, namely the trees. If other conditions such as traffic or pavement differed greatly, the temperature difference could not be attributed to the trees.

Question 21Verbal Skills

Which sentence contains a dangling modifier?

  1. I noticed a new mural while walking to the station.
  2. Walking to the station, I noticed a new mural.
  3. While I walked to the station, a new mural caught my eye.
  4. Walking to the station, the new mural caught my eye. Correct answer.

Explanation

A dangling modifier occurs when the introductory phrase does not logically describe the subject of the main clause. Here the mural appears to be walking to the station, which is impossible.

Question 22Verbal Skills

Complete the analogy: 'scalpel : surgeon :: gavel : ______'

  1. carpenter
  2. auctioneer
  3. judge Correct answer.
  4. musician

Explanation

The first pair links a professional to the characteristic tool of the profession. A gavel is the characteristic tool wielded by a judge, matching that person-to-tool relationship.

Question 23Verbal Skills

Read the passage: 'Critics praised the novel's ambition but faulted its pacing. Readers, by contrast, made it a bestseller within weeks.' Which inference is best supported?

  1. Critical and popular judgments of the novel diverged. Correct answer.
  2. The novel was poorly written by objective standards.
  3. Readers agreed with the critics about pacing.
  4. Critics ignored the novel entirely.

Explanation

The passage sets critical reservation against strong reader demand, which supports an inference of divergence between the two audiences. The text does not establish an objective standard or tell us readers' view of pacing.

Question 24Verbal Skills

Passage: 'Every student who completed the optional review session passed the certification exam. Therefore, the review session caused students to pass.' Which criticism of this reasoning is most accurate?

  1. The argument relies on an unrepresentative sample of instructors.
  2. The conclusion confuses correlation with causation. Correct answer.
  3. The premise is irrelevant to the conclusion.
  4. The conclusion is a restatement of the premise.

Explanation

The argument moves from an observed association (attendance and passing) to a causal claim. Students who chose the optional session may already have been more motivated or better prepared, so the inference from correlation to cause is the central flaw.

Question 25Verbal Skills

Which sentence uses a semicolon correctly?

  1. The drill ended early; because the rain began.
  2. The drill ended early; the rain had begun. Correct answer.
  3. The drill ended early; and the rain began.
  4. The drill ended early; rain.

Explanation

A semicolon may join two independent clauses that are closely related and not already joined by a coordinating conjunction. 'The drill ended early' and 'the rain had begun' are each complete clauses, so the semicolon is appropriate.

Question 26Verbal Skills

In the sentence 'The candidate's answer was so concise that the panel asked for elaboration,' the word 'concise' most nearly means:

  1. Brief and to the point Correct answer.
  2. Hostile in tone
  3. Vague and evasive
  4. Overly technical

Explanation

'Concise' describes speech or writing that expresses much in few words, so a concise answer is brief yet clear. The panel's request for elaboration confirms the answer was short rather than unclear or rude.

Question 27Verbal Skills

Complete the analogy: 'blueprint : building :: recipe : ______'

  1. Ingredient
  2. Kitchen
  3. Chef
  4. Dish Correct answer.

Explanation

A blueprint is a plan that guides the creation of a building, just as a recipe is a plan that guides the creation of a dish. The relationship is plan-to-finished-product, so the second pair must follow the same pattern.

Question 28Verbal Skills

A report states: 'Employees who attended the optional safety briefing had fewer workplace injuries than those who skipped it. The briefing therefore prevents injuries.' Which flaw most weakens this conclusion?

  1. It assumes the briefing caused a difference that may reflect who chose to attend. Correct answer.
  2. It uses a correlation where a controlled experiment would be unethical.
  3. It defines workplace injuries more broadly than the original data allow.
  4. It relies on a sample that may be too small to generalize.

Explanation

Because the briefing was optional, workers who attended may already have been more cautious or worked in safer roles, so the difference could stem from self-selection rather than the briefing itself. The argument treats a correlation as proof of cause without ruling out that alternative explanation.

Question 29Verbal Skills

A military selection test asks you to complete the analogy: 'sergeant : squad :: conductor : ______'. Which word best completes it?

  1. orchestra Correct answer.
  2. baton
  3. audience
  4. symphony hall

Explanation

The analogy pairs a leader with the group that leader directs, so a sergeant leads a squad just as a conductor leads an orchestra. The relationship is leader-to-led-group, not leader-to-tool or leader-to-venue.

Question 30Verbal Skills

Read this short passage: 'The recruiter told candidates that the physical fitness test would be scored strictly. Most candidates trained for weeks. A few arrived untrained and struggled on the run.' Which statement is best supported by the passage?

  1. All candidates who trained passed every event easily.
  2. The recruiter discouraged candidates from taking the fitness test.
  3. Training before the test was associated with better performance on the run. Correct answer.
  4. The run was the only event that counted toward the score.

Explanation

The passage contrasts most candidates who trained with a few who did not and then struggled, which supports a link between preparation and performance. The text never claims training guaranteed a pass, so the supported conclusion must stay modest.

Question 31Spatial Ability

A square sheet of paper is folded in half once, corner to corner, forming a triangle. A single straight cut is then made parallel to the fold, removing the corner opposite the fold. When the paper is unfolded, which pattern appears?

  1. A square with a smaller square-shaped hole centered in it
  2. A square with a diamond-shaped hole centered in it Correct answer.
  3. A square with two triangular notches on opposite edges
  4. A square with a single triangular notch on one edge

Explanation

The fold line acts as a mirror axis, so the cut is reflected across it. A cut parallel to the diagonal fold produces two edges that meet at right angles after unfolding, giving a diamond (rotated square) opening in the middle of the sheet.

Question 32Spatial Ability

A cube is painted on all six faces and then cut into 27 equal smaller cubes. How many of the small cubes have exactly two painted faces?

  1. 8
  2. 6
  3. 12 Correct answer.
  4. 1

Explanation

Cubes with exactly two painted faces sit on the edges of the large cube but not at its corners. A cube has 12 edges, and each edge contributes one such cube in a 3x3x3 division, so the total is 12.

Question 33Spatial Ability

A cube is painted on all faces and cut into 64 equal smaller cubes. How many small cubes have no paint on them at all?

  1. 4
  2. 16
  3. 8 Correct answer.
  4. 24

Explanation

Unpainted cubes form the interior block, found by subtracting one layer from each dimension: (4-2) x (4-2) x (4-2) = 8. Only cubes fully inside the painted shell remain clean.

Question 34Spatial Ability

A solid cube is viewed straight on so that only one face is visible. The cube is then rotated 45 degrees about a vertical axis. Which statement best describes the silhouette now seen?

  1. A hexagon with six equal sides
  2. A square of the same width as before
  3. A rectangle taller than it is wide
  4. A shape wider than the original square Correct answer.

Explanation

Rotating about a vertical axis brings a vertical edge toward the viewer, so the horizontal extent spans the cube's diagonal rather than one face width. The silhouette widens while its height stays the same.

Question 35Spatial Ability

Which net folds into a closed cube?

  1. Six squares arranged in a 2x3 rectangle
  2. Six squares arranged in a single straight row
  3. Five squares in a row with the sixth attached to the end of the row
  4. A cross-shaped arrangement of six squares: four in a row with one square attached above the second and one below the second Correct answer.

Explanation

A valid cube net needs six squares that fold without overlap, and the cross (T) pattern is a classic valid net. The four-in-a-row band forms the sides while the two attached squares become the top and bottom.

Question 36Spatial Ability

On a standard cube net shaped like a cross (four squares in a vertical column, with one square attached to the left of the second square and one to the right of the second square), which face ends up opposite the top square of the column?

  1. The square attached on the right
  2. The bottom square of the column
  3. The third square down the column Correct answer.
  4. The square attached on the left

Explanation

In a four-square column, faces separated by one square in the strip become opposite each other when folded. The top square and the third square down are two apart, so they face each other across the cube.

Question 37Spatial Ability

A figure is rotated 90 degrees clockwise, then reflected across a vertical line. Which single transformation produces the same final result?

  1. A reflection across the main diagonal Correct answer.
  2. A 90-degree counterclockwise rotation
  3. A reflection across a horizontal line
  4. A 180-degree rotation

Explanation

Composing a 90-degree clockwise rotation with a vertical reflection is equivalent to a single reflection, and the axis works out to the diagonal running from top-left to bottom-right. Reflections reverse orientation once, matching the combined effect.

Question 38Spatial Ability

A shape is reflected across a vertical line and then reflected across a horizontal line. The net effect is equivalent to which transformation?

  1. A 180-degree rotation about the intersection of the two lines Correct answer.
  2. A reflection across the main diagonal
  3. A reflection across a vertical line
  4. A translation to the right

Explanation

Two perpendicular reflections compose into a rotation about their point of intersection, with angle twice the angle between the lines. Since the lines are perpendicular, the result is a 180-degree rotation.

Question 39Spatial Ability

A cube is shown with a dot on its top face and a dot on its front face. The cube is tipped forward once so the top face becomes the front. Where does the dot originally on the front face end up?

  1. On the left face
  2. On the bottom face Correct answer.
  3. On the top face
  4. On the back face

Explanation

Tipping the cube forward rotates it about a horizontal left-right axis, so the front face swings downward to become the bottom. The top face moves to the front, matching the described motion.

Question 40Spatial Ability

A rectangular box is 4 units long, 3 units wide, and 2 units high. It is rotated so that its longest edge points straight up. What are the dimensions of the box as now oriented (height, width, depth)?

  1. 4 x 3 x 2 Correct answer.
  2. 4 x 2 x 3
  3. 3 x 2 x 4
  4. 2 x 3 x 4

Explanation

Rotating the box does not change its edge lengths, only which one is vertical. The 4-unit edge becomes the height, leaving the other two edges as width and depth.

Question 41Spatial Ability

Looking down on a floor plan, a chair faces north. A person standing at the chair turns the chair 90 degrees clockwise, then another 180 degrees clockwise. Which direction does the chair now face?

  1. South
  2. West Correct answer.
  3. North
  4. East

Explanation

Combining the turns gives 90 + 180 = 270 degrees clockwise, which is the same as 90 degrees counterclockwise. Rotating a north-facing object 90 degrees counterclockwise points it west.

Question 42Spatial Ability

Two identical right triangles are joined along their hypotenuses to form a quadrilateral. Which shape must result?

  1. A trapezoid with one pair of parallel sides
  2. A parallelogram that may not be a rectangle Correct answer.
  3. A rectangle
  4. A square

Explanation

Joining congruent right triangles along the hypotenuse produces a quadrilateral whose opposite sides are equal and parallel, so it is a parallelogram. It is a rectangle only when the two acute angles are equal, which is not guaranteed.

Question 43Spatial Ability

A square piece of paper is folded in half twice (once left to right, once top to bottom), then a single hole is punched through all layers near the folded corner. How many holes appear when the paper is fully unfolded?

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 4 Correct answer.
  4. 3

Explanation

Each fold doubles the number of layers, so two folds create four layers at the punched corner. One punch through four layers yields four holes when unfolded.

Question 44Spatial Ability

A transparent sheet has a letter printed on it. The sheet is flipped over horizontally (like turning a page left to right). What happens to the letter?

  1. It appears upside down
  2. It appears rotated 90 degrees
  3. It appears mirrored left to right Correct answer.
  4. It appears unchanged

Explanation

Flipping a transparent sheet about a vertical axis reverses left and right while keeping top and bottom fixed. The letter therefore reads as a mirror image across a vertical line.

Question 45Spatial Ability

A shape is drawn on a grid and then enlarged by a factor of 3 in both directions. How does the area change?

  1. It increases by a factor of 6
  2. It increases by a factor of 9 Correct answer.
  3. It triples
  4. It stays the same

Explanation

Area scales with the square of the linear scale factor. Enlarging by 3 in both dimensions multiplies the area by 3 x 3 = 9.

Question 46Spatial Ability

A 3D object is described as having a circular base, a single curved surface, and a single vertex at the top. Which solid is it?

  1. Sphere
  2. Cylinder
  3. Cube
  4. Cone Correct answer.

Explanation

A cone has one circular base, one curved lateral surface that tapers, and one apex vertex. This matches all three described features exactly.

Question 47Spatial Ability

A cube and an octahedron are duals of each other. This means that the number of faces of one equals the number of vertices of the other. How many faces does an octahedron have?

  1. 4
  2. 12
  3. 6
  4. 8 Correct answer.

Explanation

The cube has 8 vertices, and by duality the octahedron has 8 faces. Counting the octahedron's faces directly also gives 8 triangular faces.

Question 48Spatial Ability

A pattern of square tiles is laid so that each row alternates black and white, and each new row begins with the color opposite to the previous row's first tile. If the first tile is black, what color is the tile in the third row, second column?

  1. It depends on the row length
  2. Black
  3. White Correct answer.
  4. It alternates unpredictably

Explanation

Row one starts black, row two starts white, row three starts black. Within row three the second tile alternates to white.

Question 49Spatial Ability

A sequence of shapes is shown: a triangle, a square, a pentagon, a hexagon. Following the same rule, what is the next shape?

  1. An octagon
  2. A circle
  3. A heptagon Correct answer.
  4. A hexagon

Explanation

Each shape adds one side to the previous one: 3, 4, 5, 6, so the next has 7 sides. A seven-sided polygon is a heptagon.

Question 50Spatial Ability

An object is viewed from directly above and appears as a circle. Viewed from the front, it appears as a rectangle. Which solid is most consistent with both views?

  1. A cone standing on its base
  2. A sphere
  3. A cylinder standing upright Correct answer.
  4. A cube

Explanation

An upright cylinder projects as a circle from above (its circular top) and as a rectangle from the front (its rectangular profile). Both views match this solid.