OpenKidsPrep
Search Sign In
← All Tests
Gifted Test Grades K–12

Free NNAT Practice Test

The Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT) measures nonverbal reasoning and general problem-solving using geometric shapes and patterns. No reading, writing, or language required — it's used nationwide to identify gifted students across all language backgrounds.

Start Free Practice →
Grades K–12
Grade Range
4 Question Types
Test Sections
~30 min
Test Duration
NAI Score
Score Format

All Resources

Everything You Need to Prepare

Practice Questions
50 free questions
Skill Boosters
5 key terms
Study Guide
On this page
Books
2 study guides
Articles
2 guides

Test Structure

What the NNAT Covers

Each question type tests a distinct visual reasoning skill. Understanding the breakdown helps you focus your child's preparation on the areas that matter most.

Pattern Completion

Identify the missing piece that completes a geometric pattern. Tests visual reasoning and attention to spatial relationships.

Reasoning by Analogy

Figure out how shapes in a 3×3 matrix relate to each other, then find the missing shape. The most common NNAT question type.

Serial Reasoning

Find the rule governing a sequence of shapes changing across rows and columns. Requires holding multiple patterns in mind simultaneously.

Study Strategy

Prep Tips for Parents

1
Draw patterns together

Sketch grids on paper and ask your child to complete the pattern. This mirrors the exact NNAT format and builds visual thinking muscles.

2
Use pattern block toys

Physical pattern blocks, tangrams, and Tetris-style puzzles develop spatial reasoning better than any worksheet.

3
Practice with jigsaw puzzles

100+ piece jigsaw puzzles strengthen the visual completion skills tested in Pattern Completion questions.

4
Play 'what's different?' games

Show two nearly identical images and ask what changed. This sharpens detail-detection skills used in all NNAT question types.

5
Solve problems silently

The NNAT is nonverbal — train your child to solve problems visually, not by talking through them. Silent, visual problem-solving is the goal.

Study Materials

Recommended Books

Handpicked study guides to complement your online practice. Affiliate links — we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

NNAT Test Prep Book

NNAT2 Test Prep: Grade 2 Gifted and Talented Workbook

Full-length NNAT practice tests with all four question types. Includes answer explanations and scoring guides.

NNAT Practice Tests Book

Practice Tests for the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test

Multiple NNAT practice tests across levels B, C, and D with detailed parent scoring guides.

Try a Question

See How You Do

Sample Question Nonverbal

Which shape completes the pattern?

See all 50 free questions →

Learn More

NNAT Articles

Comparison

CogAT vs NNAT: Which Gifted Test Is Harder?

Both test reasoning ability but in very different ways. Learn which test your district uses, how they score, and how to prep for each.

Read article → Study Strategy

NNAT Prep Guide for Parents: What to Expect and How to Help

A plain-English guide to the four question types, what scores mean, and the most effective ways to prepare your child.

Read article →

View all articles →

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NNAT?

The Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT) is a gifted screening test using geometric shapes and patterns. No reading or language is required, making it one of the fairest tests for students from diverse backgrounds.

What grades take the NNAT?

The NNAT is administered in grades K–12, though gifted screening most commonly happens in grades 2–3. Different NNAT levels (A–G) correspond to different grade ranges.

What is a good NNAT score?

Scores are reported as a Naglieri Ability Index (NAI) with a mean of 100. A score at the 95th percentile or above (roughly NAI 125+) typically qualifies for gifted programs.

Does the NNAT require reading?

No — the NNAT is entirely nonverbal. All questions use shapes, patterns, and figures. This makes it ideal for English language learners and students with language-based learning differences.

How long does the NNAT take?

Approximately 30 minutes — one of the shorter gifted tests, which is why many districts use it as a screener before longer assessments.

Practice

Sample NNAT Questions

The NNAT uses no words or numbers — every question is purely visual. These examples show the four types of reasoning your child will encounter.

Pattern CompletionA 3×3 grid has 8 shapes filled in. The bottom-right cell is blank. The pattern alternates large circle, small square, large circle... Show answer ▾

✓ Strategy: Find the repeating rule

Pattern Completion questions follow a predictable rule governing each row, column, or diagonal. Scan all three rows (or columns) to identify what property changes and what stays constant — size, shape, shading, or number of elements. The missing piece is whatever satisfies the rule in both its row and its column simultaneously.

Reasoning by AnalogyLarge triangle : small triangle :: large circle : ___ Show answer ▾

✓ Answer: Small circle

Reasoning by Analogy on the NNAT works exactly like a verbal analogy — but using shapes instead of words. The relationship between the top-left and top-right image must match the relationship between the bottom-left and the missing image. Here, large becomes small while the shape identity stays constant.

Serial ReasoningWhite square → gray square → black square → white square → gray square → ___ Show answer ▾

✓ Answer: Black square

Serial Reasoning tests whether children can identify a repeating cycle in a sequence. The cycle here is white → gray → black, repeating. After white → gray, the next must be black. The NNAT presents this as rows of shapes in a matrix, but the underlying logic is identical to spotting the pattern in a simple list.

Spatial VisualizationA square is folded in half twice, then a hole is punched in one corner. How many holes appear when unfolded? Show answer ▾

✓ Answer: 4 holes

Each fold doubles the layers: one fold = 2 layers; two folds = 4 layers. One hole through 4 layers makes 4 holes when unfolded. Spatial Visualization is the hardest NNAT question type for most children. Hands-on practice — literally folding paper and punching holes — is far more effective than trying to visualize it abstractly.

Pattern CompletionAn arrow rotates 90° clockwise each step. It starts pointing right. After three rotations, which direction does it point? Show answer ▾

✓ Answer: Left

Each 90° clockwise rotation: right → down → left. After three rotations from right, the arrow points left. Rotation questions appear frequently in the NNAT at upper grade levels. Practicing with a physical arrow on paper — actually rotating it in your hand — builds this intuition far faster than verbal explanation.

See all 50 free NNAT practice questions →

Test Structure

What Is on the NNAT?

The NNAT-3 (current version) is a 48-question nonverbal reasoning test with no reading, no math, and no language of any kind. All reasoning is done by looking at shapes, patterns, and figures. This makes it one of the most equitable gifted screeners available — a child's vocabulary, reading fluency, and English proficiency have zero impact on their score.

Question Type What It Tests Grades Difficulty
Pattern CompletionIdentifying the missing piece in a visual matrixK–12★★☆
Reasoning by AnalogyVisual analogies using shapes and their attributesK–12★★☆
Serial ReasoningIdentifying the rule in a repeating visual sequenceGrades 3–12★★★
Spatial VisualizationMental rotation, folding, and spatial transformationsGrades 5–12★★★
Total questions / Total time 48 / ~30 min

The NNAT is organized by level (A through G), each corresponding to a range of grades. A second grader takes Level C; a fifth grader takes Level E. The publisher determines the level based on grade — parents do not choose. Younger children (Levels A–C) only encounter Pattern Completion and Reasoning by Analogy; Serial Reasoning and Spatial Visualization appear at higher levels as the reasoning demands increase.

The test is group-administered in schools and takes approximately 30 minutes — one of the shortest gifted assessments available. Because it is brief and visual, many districts use the NNAT as a first-pass screener before administering a longer test such as the CogAT to students who score well.

Score Guide

Understanding Your Child's NNAT Score

The NNAT reports a Naglieri Ability Index (NAI) score — a standard score with a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15, normed to children of the same age nationally. Higher is better; the gifted threshold is usually around NAI 125 (95th percentile).

100
Average NAI (50th percentile)
115+
Above average (84th percentile)
125+
Gifted threshold (95th percentile)
130+
Highly gifted (98th percentile)

The NNAT typically requires a higher percentile cutoff than the CogAT for gifted qualification. Because the NNAT produces a single composite score (no battery breakdown), districts set the threshold higher — usually at the 95th percentile — to compensate for the reduced diagnostic detail. The CogAT's three-battery profile lets evaluators see a child's strengths across Verbal, Quantitative, and Nonverbal domains; the NNAT offers only nonverbal reasoning, so the bar to qualify is steeper.

In New York City, the NNAT is combined with the OLSAT. Both tests contribute equally to the composite score used for admission to gifted and talented programs. If your child is preparing for NYC G&T placement, prepare for both tests simultaneously — the OLSAT covers verbal and quantitative reasoning while the NNAT covers nonverbal, so they complement each other and the skills do not overlap much.

Preparation

How to Prepare for the NNAT

Because the NNAT is entirely visual and nonverbal, preparation looks very different from language-based test prep. The goal is to build spatial reasoning intuition — the ability to mentally rotate, fold, and compare shapes without verbal mediation. The best preparation methods are often play-based, particularly for young children.

Most Effective

Physical puzzles and building

Tangrams, Tetris (board game or digital), and building block challenges (Lego, pattern block sets) build spatial reasoning in ways that translate directly to NNAT performance. Children who regularly build and assemble things tend to outperform peers on nonverbal tasks without any specific test prep.

High Impact

Hands-on paper folding

Spatial Visualization questions are the hardest type for most children. Practice literally folding paper, punching holes, and predicting where holes will appear when unfolded. This physical experience builds the mental model far more effectively than trying to visualize it abstractly or explain it with words.

Essential

Format familiarity

Even for a nonverbal test, format familiarity matters. Children who have never seen a 3×3 figure matrix will spend precious seconds figuring out what the question is asking. Structured practice removes that cost so your child can spend all their time on the actual reasoning.

Age-specific prep: Grades K–2

At this age, treat preparation as play. Limit practice to 10 minutes per session, a maximum of 3 sessions per week, and always stop before the child becomes frustrated. Pushy test prep at this age can create test anxiety that follows a child for years. Instead, make pattern-finding fun: puzzle time, building time, and 10–15 minutes of structured NNAT-format practice questions are the right ratio.

For young children who are new to the matrix format, the first session should simply introduce what a 3×3 grid is and what the question is asking. Do not introduce time pressure until the format feels completely natural.

Age-specific prep: Grades 3–8

Older children benefit from structured 4-week preparation: Week 1 focuses on Pattern Completion and Reasoning by Analogy (the most common types). Week 2 adds Serial Reasoning. Week 3 introduces Spatial Visualization with hands-on materials. Week 4 is mixed review under timed conditions — the NNAT's 30-minute limit is not punishing, but children who have practiced under light time pressure make fewer careless errors on test day.

Sessions of 20–25 minutes, 4–5 times per week, are more effective than longer, infrequent sessions. The reasoning patterns need to become automatic, and that requires repetition over time, not cramming.

Perspective

What the NNAT Does Not Measure

The NNAT is a powerful screening tool, but parents should understand its limits. A score in any range does not define your child's potential, their ceiling, or their future.

📚

Academic knowledge

The NNAT does not test reading, writing, math, science, or any academic content. A high NNAT score does not mean a child is academically advanced — and a lower NNAT score does not mean a child will struggle academically.

🎨

Creativity and artistic talent

Children with exceptional creative, artistic, or musical gifts often score well on the NNAT because those domains share spatial and pattern-recognition skills — but the test does not measure creativity directly.

💪

Effort and character

Persistence, curiosity, and work ethic — the traits that most consistently predict long-term achievement — are not assessed by any standardized reasoning test. These qualities matter enormously and are developed over time.

🔝

A fixed ceiling

NNAT scores reflect reasoning ability at a specific point in time. Scores can and do change with age and development. A score that does not meet a gifted threshold at one point does not predict a child's long-term reasoning trajectory.