Non-verbal reasoning
CAT4 figure classification
Three figures share a hidden feature. Pick the option that shares it too.
What the questions look like
Your child sees three figures that are alike in some way, then five options. Only one option is alike in the same way. The shared feature might be the shape, the number of sides, the shading, how many items there are, or which way something points.
In the digital CAT4 (Levels A–G) this section is timed at 10 minutes.
Worked example
Example 1 · easier
These three figures are alike in some way. Which option goes with them?
Show answer
Answer: B All three figures are white. The shapes and numbers change, but the colour stays the same. Only the right answer is white too.
What it measures
Spotting what different-looking things have in common: the core of non-verbal reasoning. It doesn't depend on reading or vocabulary, which is why schools value it for children who speak other languages at home.
Tips for your child
- Check one feature at a time: shape, number of sides, shading, number of items, direction, size.
- Look for what stays the same across all three figures. Ignore whatever changes.
- Count carefully. Sides and items are the most common hidden rules, and the easiest to miscount.
- Cross out options that break the rule before choosing, rather than hunting for the answer directly.
- If two options both seem right, look for a second feature the three figures share.
Watch out for: Options that look very similar to the examples overall but break the one rule that matters, for example the same shapes but a different shading.
A harder example
Example 2 · harder
These three figures are alike in some way. Which option goes with them?
Show answer
Answer: A Each shape has 3 straight sides, even though they look different. Only the right answer also has 3 sides.
Practise with fresh questions every time
Our figure classification questions are generated new on every visit, so your child can practise as much as they like without memorising answers. Choose a level:
Questions parents ask
What's the difference between figure classification and figure matrices?
Classification asks what several figures have in common. Matrices ask how one figure changes into another, then apply that change. Classification is about groups; matrices are about rules of change.
How can my child get better at figure classification?
Practise naming the shared feature out loud ("they all have four sides"). Children who say the rule before looking at the options make far fewer careless mistakes.
Questions on this page are original Edzuno practice items in the CAT4 style, not real CAT4 questions. CAT4 is a trademark of GL Education. Timing source: GL Assessment.