CogAT Level 12 key terms

A comparison stating that one pair of words relates in the same way as a second pair, so the missing word can be found by matching the relationship, not by matching meaning.

A short sentence that states the link between the first pair of words in an analogy, such as 'a glove is worn on a hand,' which is then tested on the answer choices.

The category of connection between words, such as part-to-whole, cause and effect, category and member, worker and tool, or synonym and antonym, used to predict the missing term.

A word that means nearly the same as another word, such as 'begin' and 'start,' so either can replace the other without changing the sentence's meaning.

A word that means the opposite of another word, such as 'expand' and 'shrink,' often used in analogy and sentence-completion items that signal contrast.

A verbal item in which one or more words are missing from a sentence and the candidate picks the choice that makes the whole sentence logical and grammatically correct.

A word or phrase elsewhere in a sentence that hints at the meaning of an unfamiliar or missing word, such as a definition, example, or cause-and-effect statement.

A connecting word such as 'although,' 'but,' or 'unlike' that tells the reader two ideas differ, so the missing word likely means the opposite of what is nearby.

A verbal item that lists several words belonging to one category along with one word that does not fit, and the candidate identifies the odd word out.

A group that shares a defining feature, such as tools, mammals, or vehicles; recognizing the shared feature is the core skill in classification and analogy items.

The single item in a list that does not share the category or property common to the others, chosen by finding the rule the majority follow.

A relationship in which one word names a piece of something and the other names the entire thing, such as 'petal' and 'flower,' a frequent analogy pattern.

A relationship in which two words differ only in how strong they are, such as 'warm' and 'scorching,' so the answer pair must show the same size of jump.

A quantitative item showing a sequence of numbers with one missing or next value, solved by finding the rule that generates each term from the one before.

A number pattern in which the same amount is added or subtracted at each step, such as 3, 7, 11, 15, where the constant difference is four.

The constant amount added or subtracted between consecutive terms of an arithmetic sequence, found by subtracting any term from the term that follows it.

A number pattern in which each term is multiplied or divided by the same factor, such as 2, 6, 18, 54, where the constant multiplier is three.

The operation or combination of operations that turns one term of a sequence into the next, which must be identified before a missing value can be predicted.

A sequence built from two or more interleaved rules, so the odd-positioned terms follow one pattern and the even-positioned terms follow another and must be read separately.

A quantitative item pairing two numbers in a stated relationship and asking for the number that completes a second pair in the same relationship, such as doubling or squaring.

An equation stating that two ratios are equal, such as 3 to 4 equals 9 to 12, used to find an unknown value when the relationship between quantities stays constant.

A comparison of two quantities by division, telling how many times one amount contains another, often written with a colon as in 5:2.

A rate expressed for exactly one unit of the second quantity, such as miles per one hour or cost per one item, found by dividing the two given amounts.

A part expressed out of one hundred, so 40 percent means 40 per 100, or 0.40, and is used to compare portions of different totals.

A statement that two mathematical expressions are equal, containing an unknown value that can be isolated by performing the same operation on both sides.

A letter or symbol standing for an unknown or changing number in an expression or equation, such as x in 3x plus 5 equals 20.

The operation that undoes another, such as addition undoing subtraction or multiplication undoing division, used step by step to solve for an unknown.

A nonverbal item showing two related shapes and a third shape, asking which choice relates to the third the same way the second relates to the first.

A nonverbal item presenting several shapes that share a hidden rule plus one that breaks it, and the candidate selects the shape that does not belong.

The consistent feature shared by shapes in a set, such as number of sides, shading, symmetry, or position, which must be stated before choosing an answer.

A change applied to a shape, such as rotation, reflection, translation, or resizing, that must be repeated identically on a new shape in analogy items.

A turn of a figure about a fixed point by a certain angle, clockwise or counterclockwise, which changes orientation but keeps size and shape unchanged.

A flip of a figure across a line, producing a mirror image in which left and right are reversed while size and angles stay the same.

A measurable property of a shape, such as side count, color, fill pattern, size, or orientation, used to describe how figures differ or match.

A strategy of tallying a shape's parts, such as sides, corners, enclosed regions, or lines of symmetry, to detect the numerical rule behind a figure series.

A property in which a figure can be folded or turned and still look the same, either across a line or around a center point.

A nonverbal item showing shapes that change step by step according to one or more rules, asking which shape comes next in the progression.

A nonverbal task in which a sheet is folded, holes are punched, and the candidate predicts the hole pattern when the paper is unfolded, using mirror symmetry.