Nonverbal and Abstract Reasoning
Nonverbal and Abstract Reasoning
This subtest presents shape series, matrices, analogies, odd-one-out, and rotation or reflection items without relying on language. Each item follows a consistent rule; your job is to find the rule and apply it once more.
Core rules
- Check attributes in a fixed order: number (sides, dots, lines), position, orientation (rotation in degrees), size, shading, and symmetry.
- Distinguish rotation from reflection: a rotated figure keeps its handedness; a mirrored one does not (an "L" facing the other way).
- In a series, isolate one changing attribute at a time, then verify with the second and third frames. Do not assume an alternating pattern until two cycles confirm it.
- In 3×3 matrices, read rows first, then columns; often each row adds, subtracts, or rotates elements.
- For odd-one-out, name the property shared by the majority before rejecting a figure.
- Count hidden features: intersections, enclosed regions, and line segments are frequent rules.
Worked example
A series shows a triangle, then a quadrilateral, then a pentagon, each with one dot more than the previous figure. The side counts are 3, 4, 5, so the next figure is a hexagon with 6 sides. If the dot counts are 1, 2, 3, the next has 4 dots. Verify both rules against all frames before choosing; a single frame rarely proves a pattern.
Traps that cost marks
- Rotating mentally in the wrong direction (clockwise versus counterclockwise).
- Missing a shading or size change while tracking only shape.
- Overfitting a rule to the first two frames that fails on the third.
- Forgetting that "which does NOT belong" asks for the exception.
- Ignoring answer choices that differ by one small detail, then picking too quickly.