Non-Verbal Reasoning Test

Diagrammatic, abstract, inductive and spatial questions: the tests that work with shapes and figures rather than words. Every question below comes with a worked solution.

Free · No sign-up · Scored the moment you finish

Question 1 of 10
Question 1 of 10 Abstract Easy

Which shape comes next in the sequence?

Show worked solution

The answer is A. Each chevron turns 90° anticlockwise from the one before it. Continuing the turn gives the chevron at 180°. Option B repeats the last shape without applying the final turn. Option C over-rotates by one extra 90° step. Option D turns back the way the sequence came instead of continuing.

What is a non-verbal reasoning test?

A non-verbal reasoning test measures how well you reason with shapes, diagrams and images rather than words. Employers use it as a fair measure of reasoning across language backgrounds before interview. You are shown visual patterns and asked to work out the rule and pick the option that fits, whether by completing a sequence or finding the odd one out. It rewards clear visual logic and careful observation.

Free non-verbal reasoning test

What's inside
5 easy 3 medium 2 hard

Start the free test. It opens full screen, without leaving this page.

Prefer paper?

Download this test as a PDF.

Worked solutions included. No sign-up.

How to move up the scale

One test tells you the style. A pack gives you the pace: batches under time pressure, marked, with the working shown.

3
Non-Verbal Reasoning tests
27
questions, all solved

Types of non-verbal reasoning test

Non-verbal reasoning is an umbrella: the logic-based formats ask what comes next, the spatial format asks you to manipulate shapes. Each has its own free test and guide.

Abstract reasoning

Find the rule connecting a set of shapes: the classic logic-based format.

Practise abstract reasoning

Inductive reasoning

Sequences, odd-one-out and set questions built from pattern rules.

Practise inductive reasoning

Diagrammatic reasoning

Operators and processes: deduce what each symbol does and apply it.

Practise diagrammatic reasoning

Spatial reasoning

Rotate, fold and count shapes in your head rather than finding rules.

Practise spatial reasoning

What is a non-verbal reasoning test?

A non-verbal reasoning test is an assessment that measures how well you interpret visual information and solve problems with shapes and figures rather than words. It might ask you to find the relationship between patterns, work out what comes next in a sequence, or picture how a shape changes when it moves or rotates.

Crucially, the tests do not assess language, and no prior knowledge is needed. That is the point: by stripping out vocabulary and learned facts, they get closer to raw problem-solving ability, which is why they are so widely used to screen candidates from mixed educational and cultural backgrounds on equal terms.

“Non-verbal reasoning” is a family name rather than a single test. The rest of this guide explains the types you might be set and how to approach each.

Why do employers use non-verbal reasoning tests?

Employers use non-verbal reasoning tests because they are a strong, fair measure of general problem-solving ability. Problem solving matters in almost every role, and a test that predicts it without depending on language or background is unusually useful at the sift stage.

Three reasons they are favoured:

  • They measure potential, not knowledge. Because no learned skill is needed, the result reflects innate reasoning ability, which employers value for graduate schemes and roles with a steep learning curve.
  • They are technically discriminating. They are especially common for roles that reward analytical or technical ability, and are also used to assess leadership potential.
  • They level the playing field. By removing language and much cultural and educational bias, they let global employers compare a diverse pool on the same footing, judging candidates on cognitive ability alone.

How are non-verbal reasoning tests scored?

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.

From score to percentile
  1. Your scorePoints earned on the test.
  2. Comparison groupResults from people taking a comparable test.
  3. Your percentileWhere your result sits within that group.
A percentage score and a percentile are different measures. Employers choose their comparison groups and thresholds; there is no universal pass mark.

Who uses non-verbal reasoning tests?

Non-verbal reasoning tests appear across graduate and professional recruitment, and are especially common where a role rewards analytical or technical ability. They are widely used in graduate schemes, both to measure reasoning and to assess leadership potential.

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.

Video tutorials

The methods behind the questions above, from our team

Reviews

Rated 4.8 out of 5 across 154 reviews. A selection:

Challenging

I enjoyed the test though it was challenging, it helped me know that my non-verbal reasoning needs a lot of work.

To read the question carefully and follow the sequences.

I liked about that the question is testing what my grade is but one thing I disliked about this test is the question was kind of getting harder every time but till it was ok for me.

Manageable

Everything becomes easy once you decompartmentalize and identify the patterns. The tips and articles on the website are spot on.

Start practising today

Take a free test in any format, then upgrade when you know which one you need.