Non-Verbal Reasoning Overview
for GL Assessment / CEM
11 Plus Exams
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What is Non-Verbal Reasoning
(NVR)?
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What is NVR
- Non-verbal reasoning?
• It is a way of testing your intelligence using visual diagrams, and is not
dependent on a detailed understanding of language.
• It is fun and uses diagrams.
• You can learn what to look out for to be able to answer the questions-
see our checklist later on!
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NVR Question Types
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NVR Question Types
Here are some of the common question types:
• Rotation
• Reflection
• Cube Nets 3D
• Aerial view of combined shapes – 3D
• Complete the Shape (Square, triangle) 2D
• Shape within a Shape
• 2 Shapes Together
• Complete the Series
• Odd One out
• Analogies
• Codes
• Hole Punching
Please note that the titles of the questions may be
different, however, they are the same style of question ©Skyward Kids Limited 2022
Rotation
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Rotation
• This is when you move a shape or a combination of shapes around a
point:
Now we will rotate it
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Rotation
• This is when you move a shape or a combination of shapes around a
point:
Now we will rotate it
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Rotation
• This is when you move a shape or a combination of shapes around a
point:
Now we will rotate it
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Rotation
• This is when you move a shape or a combination of shapes around a
point:
• Now we will rotate it
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Rotation
• This is when you move a shape or a combination of shapes around a
point:
Now we will rotate it
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Reflection
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Reflection
• Images are reflected when you look in the mirror.
• There will often (but not always) be a dashed line to show where the
mirror is
• Top Tip: Please take note that where the dashed line is, affects the
reflected images.
Example 1
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Reflection
Example 2
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Reflection
Example 3
See how the images reflect when they are on the diagonal.
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Cube Nets
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Cube Nets
This is a cube when it is made
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Cube Nets
This is a cube when it is opened and flattened.
This is a cube net.
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Cube Nets
Top Tip: Understand and learn which sides touch when the cube is
closed.
• Try and build one!
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Cube Nets
Remember which sides touch and remember that cubes can be rotated
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3D Shapes
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Aerial View of 3D Shapes
• You could be asked many different types of questions relating to 3D
shapes and combinations of 3D shapes.
Including:
• What does the image look like from above?
• How would the image look if it is rotated?
• How do a set of images look when they all combine together to make
a larger 3D block?
Top Tip: The key is that you need to think in 3D
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Aerial View of 3D Shapes
Top Tips:
• Think in terms of different views of the same shape (from above, from the
side)
Think of how shapes come together to and how they would look from
certain views (e.g. one shape in front, the shapes are parallel)
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Shape within a Shape
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Shape within a Shape
• Find the yellow triangle within the heart
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Shape within a Shape
• Remember it may be a different size and a different direction
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Shape within a Shape
• Some are more difficult to see than others
• Find this shape within A- E options on next slide
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Shape within a Shape
• Some are more difficult to see than others
• Find this shape within A- E options on next slide
A: B: C: D: E:
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Shape within a Shape
• A is the answer- even though you cannot see the whole oval, the
arrow and the thick lines are all in the correct place
A: B: C: D: E:
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Shape within a Shape
• A is the answer- even though you cannot see the whole oval, the
arrow and the thick lines are all in the correct place
A:
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Shape within a Shape
• Take the rectangle away
• See it is the same shape
A:
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Complete the Series and
Odd One Out
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Complete the Series
Odd One Out
• These are 2 types of questions where you have to look for patterns
and relationships of one thing to another
• Complete the Series asks you to find the image that fits in the series
• Odd One Out ask you to identify which image does not fit in
• Both use the same skills
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Complete the Series
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Complete the Series
Complete the Series Example
Answer options are below:
A: B: C: D: E:
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Complete the Series
Complete the Series Example
The answer is B
A: B: C: D: E:
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Complete the Series
Complete the Series Example
The answer is B: The lines are increasing in number and the crosses are
blue then green, blue then green
A: B: C: D: E:
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Odd One Out
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Odd One Out
Odd One Out Example
A: B: C: D:
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Odd One Out
Odd One Out Example
A: B: C: D:
The odd one out is A because of the orange balloon
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Complete the Shape
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Complete the Shape
• It is not important what the shape is, you are just looking for patterns
again
• Answer options
A: B: C: D: E:
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Complete the Shape
• Not important what the shape is, you are just looking for patterns
again
• The Answer is D
A: B: C: D: E:
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Complete the Shape
• Not important what the shape is, you are just looking for patterns
again
• The Answer is D because the pattern in each row is big, small, big
A: B: C: D: E:
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Analogies / Connections
(as is to as)
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Analogies
• Look at how the first image and the second image are linked, then see
if you can find 2 images which are linked in the same way
• Image 1 is to Image 2
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Analogies
These images have the same relationships even though the shapes are
different, the colours are the same and the dot is in the same place on
both
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Brief Checklist to use
to answer many of the questions
• Count:
• Points
• Sides
• Number of shapes
• Look at the direction of:
• Shading
• Arrows
• Any other symbols
• Look at colours and patterns. Can you see anything which relates to each
other?
• Look at the thickness of lines
• Look at similarities and differences
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Codes
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Codes
• Codes are letters which relate to a part of a picture
• L is the black line
• A is
• Z is
• P is
• F is
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Codes
• L is the black line The Code LA would be
• A is for L
for A
• Z is
• P is
• F is
L A
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Codes
• L is the black line The Code PF would be
• A is for P
for F
• Z is
• P is
• F is
P F
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Hole Punching Questions
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Hole Punch Questions
• Visualise where the fold actually is
• How many layers are in the folded parts
• If you fold is once = 2 holes
• If you fold it twice = 4 holes
• If you fold it three times = 8 holes
• If you fold it four times= 16 holes
Top Tip: Remember the above as long as the punch has gone through all
folded sections!
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Hole Punch Questions
• How the paper has been folded is important as it means the holes will
end up in a different place
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Hole Punch Questions
• If you fold it horizontally
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Hole Punch Questions
• If you fold it horizontally
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Hole Punch Questions
• Punch the hole at the end
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Hole Punch Questions
• Open it out, and the holes will be at one end
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Hole Punch Questions
• If you fold it horizontally then vertically the holes will be at both ends
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Hole Punch Questions
• Then fold it vertically the holes will be at both ends
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Hole Punch Questions
• If you fold it horizontally then vertically the holes will be at both ends
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Hole Punch Questions
• Punch a hole
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Hole Punch Questions
• Unfold it and the holes will be at both ends
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Hole Punch Questions
• If you fold it diagonally and punch a hole at what was the centre of
the paper then the holes will be opposite each other
FOLDED
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Hole Punch Questions
FOLDED UNFOLDED
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Hole Punch Questions
• The holes will be in the centre of the paper (because 1 hole was
punched in the centre of the paper)
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Hole Punch Questions
• If you fold it diagonally and punch a hole in 1 corner
FOLDED
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Hole Punch Questions
• Unfold the paper and the holes will be opposite each other- here the
hole is on one corner
FOLDED UNFOLDED
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Hole Punch Questions
• If you fold it horizontally
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Hole Punch Questions
• If you fold it horizontally
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Hole Punch Questions
• Then diagonally in one corner
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Hole Punch Questions
• Then diagonally in one corner
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Hole Punch Questions
• Then punch a hole in the corner
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Hole Punch Questions
• Open it out
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