Nonverbal Battery
CogAT Figure Matrices, Explained
A 2×2 (or larger) grid shows shapes changing across a row; your child applies the same change to complete the grid. It is the picture version of an analogy — and the subtest closest to the NNAT's Reasoning by Analogy.
A worked example
Example: Top row: a large circle becomes a small circle. Bottom row: a large square becomes — ?
Show the answer and reasoning
Answer: a small square
Say the change in the top row as a sentence: "it stayed the same shape but got small." Apply the identical sentence to the bottom row. Traps offer a small circle (right size, wrong shape) or a large square (right shape, no change).
An original Archer Anthem illustration of the format — on the assessment these appear as pictures for young test-takers.
Common mistakes
- Matching the answer to the shape ABOVE it instead of transforming the shape BESIDE it
- Tracking only one change when two happen at once (size AND shading)
Parent tip: The magic phrase is "what changed and what stayed the same?" — two questions, asked in that order, solve nearly every matrix.
The other CogAT subtests
Start from the beginning: the CogAT parent's guide · NNAT vs CogAT
CogAT practice books
Get free printable practice samples
Sample pages from our practice books by email — see the question style before you buy anything.
Get free samplesNNAT® (Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test®) is a registered trademark of Pearson Education, Inc. CogAT® (Cognitive Abilities Test™) is a registered trademark of Riverside Assessments, LLC. Neither Pearson nor Riverside is affiliated with, nor do they endorse, Archer Anthem. Archer Anthem materials are independent practice resources in the style of these assessments.