Every question here is written by Prism in the style of the tests. None is copied from a real paper, and a fresh one is drawn each time a child practises.
From foundation to exam standard
Two questions at each level. Tap an option to check it.
Foundation where a child in Year 3 or 4 starts
Question 1Aim for about 45 seconds
Which figure completes the grid?
?
Show the worked answer
Answer: C
How to work it out
Each row keeps the same shape; each column keeps the same shading.
The missing figure is the bottom row’s shape with the right column’s shading.
Why the other options are wrong
A: Right shape, but a shading that is not in the grid.
B: Right shading, but it copies the top row’s shape.
D: Right shading, but a shape that is not in the grid.
E: Right shape, but it copies the left column’s shading.
Question 2Aim for about 45 seconds
Which figure completes the grid?
?
Show the worked answer
Answer: D
How to work it out
Each row keeps the same shape; each column keeps the same shading.
The missing figure is the bottom row’s shape with the right column’s shading.
Why the other options are wrong
A: Right shape, but a shading that is not in the grid.
B: Right shading, but it copies the top row’s shape.
C: Right shading, but a shape that is not in the grid.
E: Right shape, but it copies the left column’s shading.
Standard the 11 Plus standard, Year 5
Question 3Aim for about 45 seconds
Which figure completes the grid?
?
Show the worked answer
Answer: B
How to work it out
Across each row the shading changes in the same way; down each column the shape changes.
The missing figure needs the bottom row’s shape and the right column’s shading.
Why the other options are wrong
A: The shading is right (half black), but a chevron does not appear in this grid. The bottom row has the star.
C: The star is right, but the shading is striped, the left column's. Along a row it changes to half black.
D: The star is right, but cross-hatched shading does not appear in this grid. It should be half black.
E: The shading is right (half black), but the cross belongs to the top row. Down a column the shape changes to star.
Question 4Aim for about 45 seconds
Which figure completes the grid?
?
Show the worked answer
Answer: A
How to work it out
Across each row the outline changes in the same way (solid, dashed or dotted); down each column the shape changes.
The missing figure needs the bottom row’s shape and the right column’s outline.
Why the other options are wrong
B: The oval is right, but a dashed outline does not appear in this grid. It should be dotted.
C: The oval is right, but its outline is solid, the left column's. Along a row the outline changes to dotted.
D: The dotted outline is right, but the octagon belongs to the top row. Down a column the shape changes to oval.
E: The dotted outline is right, but a cross does not appear in this grid. The bottom row has the oval.
Exam standard what the papers ask in Year 6
Question 5Aim for about 45 seconds
In each row the third figure is made from the first two. Which figure completes the grid?
?
Show the worked answer
Answer: B
How to work it out
Look along the top row: the lines of the first figure and the second figure together make the third.
The bottom row follows the same rule.
Why the other options are wrong
A: This is only the second figure of the row.
C: One of the two lines is from this row, the other is not.
D: This is only the first figure of the row; the third combines the first two.
E: This is the third figure of the top row, not of the bottom row.
Question 6Aim for about 45 seconds
Which figure completes the grid?
?
Show the worked answer
Answer: A
How to work it out
In each row, lines that appear in both of the first two frames cancel out; lines that appear in only one of them stay.
Why the other options are wrong
B: This is just the first frame copied.
C: This is just the second frame copied.
D: This keeps every line, but the small ring is in both frames, so it cancels out.
E: This keeps only the shared line, which is exactly the one that should disappear.
The kinds of question in this topic
Each kind asks something different of a child, even when the numbers or shapes look alike.
Size across, shape down
Each row changes size, each column changes shape.
Standard
Question 7Aim for about 45 seconds
Which figure completes the grid?
?
Show the worked answer
Answer: D
How to work it out
Across each row the size changes from small to medium; down each column the shape changes.
The missing figure is a medium house.
Why the other options are wrong
A: The size is right, but a square does not appear in this grid. The bottom row has the house.
B: The size is right (medium), but the hexagon belongs to the top row. Down a column the shape changes to house.
C: The house is right, but it is small, the left column's size. Along a row the size changes to medium.
E: The house is right, but a large one does not appear in this grid. It should be medium.
The hidden second rule
Shading changes across; shape and a corner mark change down.
Exam standard
Question 8Aim for about 45 seconds
Which figure completes the grid?
?
Show the worked answer
Answer: C
How to work it out
Three things to check.
Across a row the shading changes (black to checked); down a column the shape changes (arrow to circle) and the small corner mark changes too (dot to ring).
Why the other options are wrong
A: The shading and the ring are right, but the arrow belongs to the top row.
B: Shape and shading are right, but a cross does not appear in this grid. The bottom row's mark is a ring.
D: The circle and the checked shading are right, but the corner mark is a dot, the top row's. Down a column the mark changes to a ring.
E: The circle and the ring are right, but the shading is black, the left column's. Along a row it changes to checked.
Overlay matrices
The third figure in each row is the first two laid on top of each other.
Exam standard
Question 9Aim for about 45 seconds
In each row the third figure is made from the first two. Which figure completes the grid?
?
Show the worked answer
Answer: A
How to work it out
Look along the top row: the lines of the first figure and the second figure together make the third.
The bottom row follows the same rule.
Why the other options are wrong
B: This is the third figure of the top row, not of the bottom row.
C: This is only the second figure of the row.
D: One of the two lines is from this row, the other is not.
E: This is only the first figure of the row; the third combines the first two.
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