NNAT3 Level G

Schools use Level G results as one piece of evidence for gifted and talented identification, magnet or selective program admission, and sometimes instructional planning in grades 7-9. Because it is nonverbal, it can add information about students whose reasoning is not captured well by reading- or math-heavy tests. The publisher does not set a single national cutoff; each school or district chooses its own criteria.

Every item is a multiple-choice picture problem. Pattern Completion asks you to pick the piece that finishes a design. Reasoning by Analogy asks you to complete a shape relationship. Serial Reasoning asks you to continue a visual sequence. Spatial Visualization asks you to rotate, fold, or combine figures in your head. No reading or arithmetic is required, but the figures become denser at this level.

The official publisher, Pearson, publishes the current number of items and the administration time for each level. Those figures are updated periodically, so check Pearson's NNAT3 page or your school's testing coordinator for the exact numbers that apply to your test date. Do not rely on older prep materials for timing.

Level G is intended for grades 7-9, so the patterns are more complex, with more distracting answer choices and more multi-step spatial transformations. Most students find the first items approachable and later items demanding. Difficulty is relative: strong spatial reasoners often move quickly, while students who rush on analogy items tend to lose points through careless mismatches rather than lack of ability.

Retake rules are set by the school or district, not by the publisher, and they vary widely. Some programs allow one retake after a waiting period; others do not. Ask your school's testing coordinator before you register for a second attempt, and find out whether both scores are reported or only the higher one.

Start with Pattern Completion and Serial Reasoning, because they build quick visual scanning habits. Then move to Reasoning by Analogy, which requires comparing two relationships at once. Finish with Spatial Visualization, which is usually the slowest type to master. Practice each type in short sets, then mix all four so you can switch strategies under time pressure.

The usual errors are answering before checking every choice, confusing a rotation with a mirror image, matching only one feature of an analogy (such as color) while ignoring shape or position, and spending too long on one hard item. Another common problem is failing to notice that a pattern changes in two ways at once, such as size and shading.

Take one or two full-length practice sets under quiet, timed conditions so you know your pacing. Review every wrong answer and name the specific feature you missed. The day before, do a short mixed set to stay sharp, then stop. Sleep matters more than last-minute drilling, because this test rewards careful visual attention.

No. The items are pictorial, and directions are typically given orally by the test administrator, so English reading fluency is not required to solve the problems. That is one reason schools use it with multilingual students. You still need to understand the practice examples and follow the administrator's instructions about when to start and stop.