Free Online CCAT Grade 3 Test Preparation: Practice CCAT Level 9 Sample Questions & Tips – 2025

What Is the CCAT 3rd Grade Test?

3rd graders in Canada that plan to be admitted into a Canadian gifted and talented program will first need to pass the CCAT 3rd Grade Test. The CCAT 3rd Grade Test, also known as the Canadian Cognitive Abilities Test and CCAT Level 9, will be taken by children that are 9 years old. This aptitude assessment is used to measure a student’s cognitive abilities by asking quantitative, verbal, and nonverbal questions. Keep in mind that the questions on this exam will not cover material that can be taught in school. Rather, the information will gauge the ability of a student to pick up on new ideas and concepts.

Starting in 3rd grade, the questions and instructions will no longer be read aloud to the students. Instead, the 3rd graders will have to read the printed instructions and questions to themselves. 3rd graders are expected to have a developed verbal ability, which means that the verbal section will hold equal importance to the nonverbal and quantitative sections. The difference in the way the test is formatted may seem daunting to 3rd graders, but preparation can easily assist your child in becoming familiar with the new format and gaining admittance into a gifted and talented program or another specialized program.

What Are the CCAT 3rd Grade Test Sections?

As the children grow older, they will be asked to answer more questions on the CCAT 3rd Grade Test. This year, 3rd graders will be asked 170 questions spread across a verbal battery, a nonverbal battery, and a quantitative battery. Additionally, questions that previously included pictures will now be replaced with words or numbers. This is especially true in the verbal analogy and verbal classification sections. In order to score well on all three batteries, students will need to conduct online practice exams that teach them about the following three batteries.

Verbal Battery

• Verbal Analogies: The 3rd graders will first be presented with two words that have a related meaning. Then, a third word will be presented to the students. Based on the relation between the first two words, the 3rd graders will need to identify a word answer that would relate to the third word in the same way.
• Sentence Completion: Rather than listening to a sentence, the 3rd graders will now read a sentence that is intentionally missing one word. The 3rd graders will need to figure out which word in the answer options would logically complete the sentence.
• Verbal Classification: The 3rd graders will see three words outlined in bold. The three words will hold a meaning that relates to each other. The students will first figure out the relation between the three words, and then choose one word from the answer group that fits with the original three words.

Nonverbal Battery

• Paper Folding: 3rd graders will first see an image of a piece of paper. That paper will be folded several times and will then receive one or more hole punches. The students will then be asked to imagine how the piece of paper would look if it were to be unfolded. The 3rd graders will choose one answer that depicts their idea.
• Figure Matrices: 3rd graders will see a box with four cells divided along two rows. The first row of two cells will include shapes that belong together. The second row of two cells will only include one shape that belongs with one of the answers. The 3rd graders will figure out how the first row of shapes go together, and apply that theory to the bottom row in order to solve the problem.
• Figure Classification: 3rd graders will see three figures that follow a specific rule. The students will need to figure out what the figure rule is, and then choose a fourth shape from the answer options that follows the figure rule.

Quantitative Battery

• Number Analogies: 3rd graders will see three number pairs. The first two sets of number pairs will hold a specific pattern between them. The last set of numbers will only include one number that is missing its pair. The 3rd graders will use the pattern from the first two sets of numbers to identify the pair for the last number set.
• Number Series: 3rd graders will see a number series that follow a specific pattern or rule. The rule determines the way in which the numbers are presented. The students will first figure out what the number series rule is, and then choose a number that would come next in the series of numbers.
• Number Puzzles: 3rd graders will see a number equation in which one of the numbers has been substituted with a question mark. The students will be required to solve for the equation by choosing a number from the answer options that would replace the question mark and complete the equation.

How to Read CCAT 3rd Grade’s Score Report?

3rd graders taking the CCAT 3rd Grade Test will also receive a report that shows the child’s testing results. In total, the score report will include an Age Percentile Rank (APR), a Grade Percentile Rank (GPR), and a Stanine (S) score. The APR shows an evaluation of your child’s scores versus scores achieved by children of the same age. The GPR shows a scale of your child’s scores versus scores achieved by children in the same grade. Lastly, the Stanine score is a number from 1 to 9 that shows each 3rd grader’s learning ability, with 9 being the best score possible.

CCAT 3rd Grade Tips

1. Create a reasonable and achievable study plan. It is recommended that you create a daily or weekly timetable that allocates time for studying. Studying schedules are a great way to ensure that your child completes the necessary studying requirements without becoming overwhelmed. If your child knows that they have to complete a certain number of studying hours, they will be less likely to be caught off guard every time you ask them to sit down and study.
2. Have your child write down new concepts. After carefully reading through the answer explanations, have your child write down any new information they learned. Explanations almost always include new insight about test questions. Some children find it helpful to write down any new information they learned. Then, when they encounter another question that they find difficult, they can reference their sheet of new information, which will also help engrain the new information into their head.

How to Prepare for the CCAT 3rd Grade Test?

The CCAT 3rd Grade Test is the first time that students encounter verbal analogy and verbal classification subsections. During previous aptitude tests, less emphasis was placed on verbal sections. Starting in 3rd grade, verbal skills make up a third of the entire score report. This means that children need to have a developed language sense. If you are unsure about your child’s language abilities, you can easily assess their knowledge through the use of online practice exams. Even if you are confident in your child’s language abilities, you should also consider practicing sample questions online with your child. There are various ways that each question can be answered, and you will want to make sure that your child understands the concept of the test questions. Continue practicing the practice exams and study guides until you feel confident that your child completely understands the information and are more likely to score high on the CCAT 3rd Grade Test.