CogAT Nonverbal Battery: Question Types Explained
Learn all about the CogAT Nonverbal Battery, which is made up of the following question types: Figure Matrices, Paper Folding, and Figure Classification.
Number of Items by Level & Section
For more general CogAT information, click here.
Cognitive Abilities Test Non-Verbal section
The CogAT Nonverbal Battery is used to assess a student’s reasoning abilities through the use of spatial and figural content. The test is useful for assessing the development of students who have trouble with reading, limited capability in English, or who have limited opportunities.
The subtests use geometric shapes and figures which have unlikely been seen by the students in their formal schooling. There is no reading required among the questions in the CogAT Nonverbal test. These three subtests are: Figure Matrices, Paper Folding, and Figure Classification. These three subtests combined make up the CogAT Nonverbal score.
Learn more about the different types of CogAT questions:
Number of Items by Level & Section
| Nonverbal Battery | Level 5/6 | Level 7 | Level 8 | Level 9 | Level 10-18 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Figure Matrices | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 |
| Paper Folding | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 16 |
| Figure Classification | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 |
Figure Matrices
Each question in this subsection portrays a 2 x 2 matrix. As in the Picture/Verbal Analogies in the CogAT Verbal Battery and the Number Analogies in the CogAT Quantitative Battery, the students must determine the relationship between the pictures in the two boxes in the top row and apply the same relationship in the bottom row. However, the Figure Matrices utilizes spatial forms. In all levels, students are presented with pictures in the matrices. This sub-test presents a relationship that is not always clear. Therefore, developing the skill to decipher the relationship is crucial to solve these types of questions. Below, you can see an example of two Figure Matrices questions from a Level 9 and Level 10 CogAT test:
Figure Matrices Sample Question #1
Which figure goes in the blank space?
Figure Matrices Sample Question #2
Which figure goes in the blank space?
Paper Folding
For Level 5/6 - Level 8, students must determine how a piece of paper will look once folded. In Levels 9 and up, the questions may include hole punching and require students to determine how the paper will appear when it is unfolded. This sub-test measures the spatial capabilities of a student. The ability to unfold the paper and foresee the resulting image can be indicative of a strong analytical mind. Below, you can see two examples of a Paper Folding questions from the CogAT test:
Paper Folding Sample Question #1
A piece of paper is folded and holes are punched in it:
What will the paper look like after it is unfolded?
The correct answer is C. First the paper was folded diagonally from the upper-left corner to the lower-right corner. Then it was folded again from the lower-left corner to the upper-right corner. Then three holes in different shapes were punched out. Therefore, when the paper is unfolded the holes will mirror each other across the diagonals of the page like this:
To solve this question look for the answer choices in which the holes do not mirror each other in the right way. Answer choices B and D can be eliminated in this way. Next, focus on the area of each remaining answer choice that appears in the rightmost frame of the question series (in this case the triangular area on the right side) and eliminate all choices that are different. Answer choice A can be eliminated as the circular hole is under the pentagon hole but should be above it. E can also be eliminated as the pentagon has been rotated. We are left with C as the only correct answer.
Paper Folding Sample Question #2
A piece of paper is folded and holes are punched in it:
What will the paper look like after it is unfolded?
Figure Classification
Like the Picture/Verbal Classification in the CogAT Verbal Battery, students are presented with three figures and the student is to select the answer choice that is supposed to be the fourth figure of the set by determining how the figures and shapes are similar. The idea is to develop the skill of recognizing patterns and applying them to make a smart choice. Below, you can see an example of two Figure Classification questions from the CogAT test:
Figure Classification Sample Question #1
Which figure is like these three?
Figure Classification Sample Question #2
Which figure is like these three?
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