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If your child’s school mentions the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test, you are likely asking what NNAT3 measures, which level applies, and how scores such as the Naglieri Ability Index relate to gifted screening locally. This guide explains Pearson’s third edition in family-friendly terms and links to 45 original visual practice questions.
Key takeaway: NNAT3 asks students to reason with shapes and patterns rather than reading passages. That nonverbal design can reduce vocabulary barriers, but it is not culture-free, and schools still decide how any NAI or percentile fits a broader identification process.
NNAT3, the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test, Third Edition, is a Pearson nonverbal ability assessment for kindergarten through grade 12. It uses geometric designs in yellow and blue in official materials, along with pattern and relationship tasks that do not require reading, writing, or speaking to complete. For current assessment details, see Pearson’s NNAT3 product page.
Educational notice: The 45 questions below are original teaching examples. They are not official NNAT3 items, do not reproduce Pearson’s live forms, and are not endorsed by Pearson or your school district.
TestPrep-Online is an independent third-party preparation provider. It is not Pearson, a school, school district, education authority, or official test administrator.
What NNAT3 measures
NNAT3 is designed as a nonverbal measure of general ability. Its visual format can reduce the influence of English vocabulary on some tasks, but it is not culture-free and should not be interpreted as a complete picture of a child’s intelligence, creativity, or classroom achievement.
Schools may use NNAT3 for screening, program evaluation, placement conversations, or gifted identification alongside other evidence. Pearson describes it as group-administered, available online or on paper, with 48 multiple-choice items in about a 30-minute administration. The school determines the exact format, eligibility rules, and how results are used.
NNAT3-style reasoning can include pattern completion, analogy, serial reasoning, spatial visualization, rotation, reflection, matrices, counting, and shading changes. The useful habit is to name the rule briefly, then test that rule against every part of the image before choosing an answer.
NNAT3 levels and grade mapping
| NNAT3 level | Typical school grade |
|---|---|
| A | Kindergarten (K) |
| B | Grade 1 |
| C | Grade 2 |
| D | Grades 3-4 |
| E | Grades 5-6 |
| F | Grades 7-9 |
| G | Grades 10-12 |
Pearson lists two forms for Levels A-D and one form for Levels E-G. Third-party providers may emphasize early-level practice packs, but Pearson remains the source for higher-level official administration details.
NAI, percentiles, stanines, and local gifted policy
Reports can include the Naglieri Ability Index (NAI), percentile ranks, stanines, scaled scores, and NCEs by age. Families should confirm the reporting convention and norm group with the school. There is no universal gifted cutoff that applies in every district; local criteria may combine multiple measures, grade rules, and review procedures.
Naglieri Ability Index
School materials often describe the NAI with a mean near 100 and a standard deviation of 16. It is a norm-referenced ability index for this assessment family, not a percentage correct and not a complete intelligence profile.
Percentile ranks and stanines
A percentile compares a result with the relevant norm group. It is not the same as the number of questions answered correctly. Stanines place results into nine broad bands that are easier to scan but less detailed than a percentile.
NNAT, NNAT2, and NNAT3
Pearson has published more than one edition of this assessment family. NNAT3 is the current third edition with updated content, norms, and administration options. Earlier editions such as NNAT and NNAT2 used different norms and materials. A result from an older edition should not be mechanically converted to NNAT3. Ask the school which edition and norm year apply before comparing scores across years or siblings.
NNAT3 compared with CogAT and OLSAT
NNAT3 is often grouped with other school ability assessments, but the formats differ in ways that matter for preparation.
- CogAT includes verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal batteries. See our CogAT test guide.
- OLSAT 8 also spans verbal, nonverbal, and quantitative areas across Levels A-G. See our OLSAT test guide.
A student who does well on one publisher’s nonverbal tasks is not guaranteed the same outcome on another publisher’s full battery. Practice the visual reasoning habits NNAT3 emphasizes, but do not treat one sample set as a stand-in for a different test.
How to use the practice set below
Work calmly through one question at a time. State the rule you think you see, then eliminate any choice that breaks part of the pattern. These items are teaching examples only. They cannot predict an official percentile, stanine, or NAI score.
Optional third-party practice
For early-level visual reasoning practice beyond this page, one independent option is NNAT practice materials from TestPrep-Online.
Check current level coverage before buying, especially for Levels E-G. TestPrep-Online is not Pearson material and cannot guarantee a score or gifted program outcome.
45 original visual practice questions
1. Complete the alternating row.
A. black triangle B. white square C. black square D. black circle
Correct answer: C Explanation: The row alternates circle and square. A black square continues both the shape and fill rule.
2. A black circle becomes two black circles. Complete the analogy for a black square.
A. one black square B. two white squares C. two black squares D. one black triangle
Correct answer: C Explanation: The number doubles while the shape and fill stay the same. Only two black squares apply that rule.
3. Continue the turning arrow.
A. up arrow B. right arrow C. left arrow D. down arrow
Correct answer: C Explanation: Each arrow turns one quarter clockwise. The direction after down is left, not a repeated earlier direction.
4. Reflect the triangle across the horizontal line.
A. upward black triangle B. right-pointing black triangle C. left-pointing black triangle D. downward black triangle
Correct answer: D Explanation: A horizontal reflection reverses top and bottom. The triangle therefore points down, while its fill stays black.
5. Complete the counting matrix.
A. two black dots B. four black dots C. three black dots D. one black dot
Correct answer: B Explanation: Moving right adds one dot and moving down adds two. The final cell must therefore show four black dots.
6. Continue the groups of squares.
A. three white squares B. four black squares C. four white squares D. five white squares
Correct answer: C Explanation: The number rises by one and the shading alternates black, white, black. Four white squares are the only choice satisfying both changes.
7. Continue the size cycle.
A. medium black circle B. large black circle C. small white circle D. small black circle
Correct answer: D Explanation: The sizes progress small, medium, large and then restart. The next figure is the small black circle, not another large one.
8. A white circle becomes black. Complete the analogy.
A. black square B. white square C. black circle D. white triangle
Correct answer: A Explanation: The outline changes from white fill to black fill without changing shape. The white square must become a black square.
9. Continue the dot’s journey around a square.
A. dot at bottom-left B. dot at top-left C. dot at top-right D. dot at bottom-right
Correct answer: A Explanation: The dot moves clockwise through the four corners. Bottom-left is next after bottom-right.
10. The entire square is rotated one quarter turn clockwise. Where does the black dot move?
A. lower-right corner B. upper-left corner C. lower-left corner D. upper-right corner
Correct answer: D
Explanation: A clockwise quarter turn moves the square’s upper-left corner to the upper-right position. The dot moves with the square, so it appears near the upper-right corner.
11. Complete the shape matrix.
A. triangle B. circle C. square D. two triangles
Correct answer: A Explanation: Each row swaps the two shapes, and each column preserves the top-left shape in the lower-right position. The missing shape is a triangle.
12. Continue the shading pattern.
A. white circle B. half-shaded circle C. black circle D. black square
Correct answer: C Explanation: The pattern groups fill as one black circle followed by two white circles. The next group begins with black again.
13. Continue the increasing-sided shapes.
A. triangle B. hexagon C. square D. pentagon
Correct answer: B Explanation: The number of sides rises from three to four to five. The next polygon has six sides.
14. A black square gains one white dot. Complete the analogy for a black circle.
A. black circle with one white dot B. black square with two white dots C. white circle with two black dots D. black circle with two white dots
Correct answer: D Explanation: The operation adds one interior white dot and keeps the outside figure black. The circle must therefore contain two white dots.
15. Continue the rotating triangle.
A. right-pointing triangle B. downward triangle C. upward triangle D. left-pointing triangle
Correct answer: C Explanation: The triangle completes a full clockwise turn. After left, it returns to up.
16. Reflect the dot in the vertical mirror.
A. dot at lower-left B. dot at lower-right C. dot at upper-left D. dot at upper-right
Correct answer: D Explanation: A vertical mirror changes left to right but preserves height. The dot moves to the upper-right corner.
17. Complete the dot matrix.
A. four black dots B. two black dots C. one black dot D. three black dots
Correct answer: D Explanation: Moving either right or down adds one dot. The missing cell therefore has three black dots.
18. Continue the alternating group.
A. two white circles B. two black circles C. three black circles D. one black circle
Correct answer: B Explanation: The quantity remains two while the fill alternates black then white. The next pair returns to black.
19. Swap the inner and outer sizes in the square.
A. large white square with no inner square B. two small black squares C. small white square with large black square inside D. large black square with small white square inside
Correct answer: C Explanation: The inner and outer sizes exchange while their colours remain in their positions. Only the small white outer square with large black inner square fits.
20. Complete the alternating fill row.
A. white square B. black square C. black circle D. white circle
Correct answer: B Explanation: The shape remains a square and the fill alternates. The next figure must be a black square.
21. Continue the turning line.
A. up arrow B. right arrow C. down arrow D. left arrow
Correct answer: A Explanation: Each step turns clockwise by one quarter. The line points up after left.
22. Rotate the arrow through half a turn.
A. up arrow B. down arrow C. right arrow D. left arrow
Correct answer: B Explanation: A half turn reverses direction. An upward arrow becomes a downward arrow.
23. Complete the row-and-column matrix.
A. one square B. two triangles C. one triangle D. two squares
Correct answer: D Explanation: The lower row changes triangles to squares, while the right column contains two figures. The missing cell is two squares.
24. Continue the growing circles.
A. four black circles B. four white circles C. three black circles D. two white circles
Correct answer: A Explanation: The count rises one, two, three, four and the fill alternates white, black, white, black. Four black circles satisfy both rules.
25. Complete the dotted circle sequence.
A. circle with four dots B. circle with one dot C. square with four dots D. circle with three dots
Correct answer: A Explanation: One interior dot is added at each step. A circle with four dots is next, while a square changes the outer shape.
26. Turn the triangle one half-turn.
A. downward triangle B. right-pointing triangle C. upward triangle D. left-pointing triangle
Correct answer: A Explanation: A half turn reverses the triangle’s vertical direction. The result points down, not sideways.
27. Complete the fill-and-shape matrix.
A. white square B. white circle C. black circle D. black square
Correct answer: D Explanation: Moving right changes white to black and moving down changes circles to squares. The missing cell is a black square.
28. Continue the dot’s vertical movement.
A. dot in the middle B. dot at the top C. dot at the bottom D. dot outside the box
Correct answer: B Explanation: The dot moves top, middle, bottom and then restarts. The next location is the top.
29. Reflect the arrow in a vertical mirror.
A. right arrow B. left arrow C. up arrow D. down arrow
Correct answer: B Explanation: A vertical reflection reverses horizontal direction. The reflected arrow points left.
30. Continue the triangle groups.
A. three black triangles B. three white triangles C. two black triangles D. one white triangle
Correct answer: A Explanation: The group size increases by one and shading alternates. The next group contains three black triangles.
31. Complete the alternating shape row.
A. black circle B. white square C. black square D. white circle
Correct answer: A Explanation: Both shape and fill alternate together. The pattern returns to a black circle.
32. Swap the upper and lower fills.
A. black square above white square B. two black squares C. white square above black square D. two white squares
Correct answer: C Explanation: The fills exchange vertical positions while the shape stays the same. The white square must be above the black square.
33. Complete the increasing matrix.
A. four black dots B. two black dots C. one black dot D. three black dots
Correct answer: D Explanation: Each step right or down adds one dot. Three dots belong in the final cell.
34. Rotate the diagonal line one quarter clockwise.
A. rising diagonal B. horizontal line C. vertical line D. falling diagonal
Correct answer: D Explanation: Turning a rising diagonal by a quarter turn makes a falling diagonal. The horizontal and vertical choices are different transformations.
35. Continue the square groups.
A. four white squares B. three black squares C. four black squares D. two white squares
Correct answer: C Explanation: The number rises from two to three to four, while shading alternates black, white, black. Four black squares complete the pattern.
36. Complete the vertical arrow pattern.
A. down arrow B. up arrow C. right arrow D. left arrow
Correct answer: A Explanation: The arrows alternate up and down. The next arrow points down.
37. A triangle gains a dot. Complete the analogy for a square.
A. square with two dots B. square with one dot C. triangle with two dots D. circle with two dots
Correct answer: A Explanation: The rule adds one dot and preserves the outside shape. The square therefore needs two dots.
38. Continue the dot count.
A. two black dots B. three black dots C. four black dots D. one black dot
Correct answer: C Explanation: Each group has one more dot than the previous group. Four black dots are next.
39. Reflect the right-pointing triangle across a horizontal line.
A. left-pointing triangle B. right-pointing triangle C. upward triangle D. downward triangle
Correct answer: B Explanation: A horizontal reflection changes top and bottom, not left and right. The triangle remains right-pointing.
40. Complete the fill-and-shape matrix.
A. black square B. white square C. black circle D. white circle
Correct answer: B Explanation: Across the row black becomes white, and down the column circle becomes square. The final figure is a white square.
41. Continue the descending dots.
A. two white dots B. two black dots C. three white dots D. four black dots
Correct answer: A Explanation: The count decreases by one while the fill alternates white then black then white. The next group is two white dots.
42. Continue the dot around the square.
A. dot at the top B. dot at the right C. dot at the left D. dot at the bottom
Correct answer: C Explanation: The dot travels clockwise around the four sides. After top, right and bottom, it moves to the left.
43. A white triangle becomes black. Complete the analogy for the circle.
A. white circle B. black square C. white triangle D. black circle
Correct answer: D Explanation: The shape remains the same and only the fill changes. The white circle therefore becomes a black circle.
44. Rotate the arrow one quarter counter-clockwise.
A. right arrow B. up arrow C. down arrow D. left arrow
Correct answer: B Explanation: A counter-clockwise quarter turn from right points up. The other directions represent no turn, the wrong turn or a half turn.
45. Complete the triangle matrix.
A. four black triangles B. three black triangles C. two black triangles D. one black triangle
Correct answer: B Explanation: Moving one cell right or down adds one triangle. The lower-right cell therefore contains three black triangles.
Answer key
| # | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1 | C |
| 2 | C |
| 3 | C |
| 4 | D |
| 5 | B |
| 6 | C |
| 7 | D |
| 8 | A |
| 9 | A |
| 10 | D |
| 11 | A |
| 12 | C |
| 13 | B |
| 14 | D |
| 15 | C |
| 16 | D |
| 17 | D |
| 18 | B |
| 19 | C |
| 20 | B |
| 21 | A |
| 22 | B |
| 23 | D |
| 24 | A |
| 25 | A |
| 26 | A |
| 27 | D |
| 28 | B |
| 29 | B |
| 30 | A |
| 31 | A |
| 32 | C |
| 33 | D |
| 34 | D |
| 35 | C |
| 36 | A |
| 37 | A |
| 38 | C |
| 39 | B |
| 40 | B |
| 41 | A |
| 42 | C |
| 43 | D |
| 44 | B |
| 45 | B |
Unofficial practice bands
These informal bands apply only to this 45-question practice set. They are not NNAT3 scores, percentiles, stanines, NAI scores or gifted eligibility predictions.
| Correct | Informal practice interpretation |
|---|---|
| 0-15 | Revisit one rule at a time and practice slowly. |
| 16-29 | Build consistency with sequences, rotations and matrices. |
| 30-38 | Check the full rule before selecting an answer. |
| 39-45 | Maintain accuracy in calm timed practice. |
FAQ
Is NNAT3 an IQ test?
It is a nonverbal ability assessment, not a complete measure of a child’s intelligence, creativity, attainment or potential. The school should explain how it fits its wider process.
Does a high percentile guarantee gifted placement?
No. Criteria are local and may include multiple measures, grade-specific rules and review procedures.
Related guides
Next steps
Ask the school which NNAT3 level, edition, format, and local interpretation process it uses. Then run short visual-reasoning sessions that build familiarity without treating a practice score as an official result.