Free Online CogAT Grade 1 Test Preparation: Practice CogAT Level 7 Sample Questions & Tips – 2025
What Is the CogAT 1st Grade Test?
CogAT stands for Cognitive Abilities Test and is a test that measures the ability of students in K-12th grade. Students that score high on the CogAT are then eligible for gifted and talented programs within their school. The CogAT Level 7 is used for students that are studying in the 1st grade. This test will include quantitative, verbal, and nonverbal sections that will assess each student’s reasoning abilities. The test will mainly be comprised of shapes and images that will require that students to use problem-solving skills to figure out the answers.
What Are the CogAT 1st Grade Test Sections?
CogAT 1st Grade Test will include three sections with a total of 136 questions. This test includes questions that are designed for children that are 7 years of age, and in most cases, enrolled in 1st grade. Although one of the CogAT 1st grade test sections includes a verbal component, 1st graders will not have a reading requirement. Instead, the test proctor will read the instructions to the students out loud and will explain what the students are expected to do. Each test battery may be administered altogether or individually, depending on the school’s policy.
Verbal Battery
This section will include three separate subtests, specifically picture analogies, picture classification, and sentence completion. Each of the subtests will ask exactly 16 questions. Your 1st grader will not be asked to read. Instead, the instructions and questions will be read to them out loud before the exam begins.
- Sentence Completion: As 1st graders are not expected to be able to read, students will not be required to complete the sentence completion portion. Instead, the questions will be optional. If your child chooses to complete this section, they will first hear the teacher read them a sentence, and will then need to pick the answer that they believe would complete the sentence.
- Picture Classification: Three images will be offered to each student. These three images are alike in some form or another. Each student will search through the answers and select an image answer that is similar to the previous three images.
- Picture Analogies: Three images will be provided to each student. The top row of images will include two different pictures that are linked to each other. The bottom row will have one image that is missing its partner. The test proctor will ask the students to match a picture located in the answer options with the third image in the bottom row.
Read more about CogAT’s verbal section.
Nonverbal Battery
This section will include three subtest categories, including figure classification, paper folding, and figure matrices. Spatial content is used to determine each student’s reasoning ability. This test section allows the test to be fair for students who do not have a firm grasp on the English language. The figure matrices and classification sections will each have 16 questions, and paper folding will only have 12 questions in total.
- Figure Matrices: Figure matrices will present a 2×2 matrix that is filled with three shapes. The first row of shapes will be related, and the bottom shape will be missing its partner. The students will apply the pattern from the top row to the bottom row, and then choose the answer that fits that pattern.
- Paper Folding: A small image of a sheet of paper is provided to the students. The paper will then be folded several times, and will finally receive several hole punches. Then, the test proctor will instruct the students that they need to figure out how the paper image would look if it were unfolded. There will be several possible options presented to them, and they will need to choose the one that shows how the paper would appear once unfolded.
- Figure Classification: The students will find images of three shapes that are lined together. The three shapes will be similar with each other. Then, the instructor will ask the children to find the answer with a shape that matches the first line of three shapes.
Read more about CogAT’s nonverbal test battery.
Quantitative Battery
This section will contain three subtest categories, including number series, number analogies, and number puzzles. This battery will evaluate each child’s problem-solving ability as well as quantitative reasoning skills. The number series and analogies sections will both include 16 questions, and the number puzzles subsection will only have 12 questions in total.
- Number Series: An image representation of an abacus toy will be presented to the children. Each rod on the abacus toy will have several beads on it. However, the last abacus rod will be absent. The children will be instructed to identify the relationship between the original bead rods, and then choose the answer that includes the missing rod of beads.
- Number Analogies: A matrix with dimensions of 2×2 will be presented to the students. The top matrix row will have two shapes that have been connected mathematically. The second row will only have one shape that is missing its partner. The students will be told to identify the missing shape from the answers that would mathematically match the third image.
- Number Puzzles: Pictures and images will be used to replace traditional numbered math problems. Then, the students will be instructed to solve the picture problem and choose a reasonable answer that would solve the picture equation.
How to Read CogAT 1st Grade’s Score Report
Children that are 7 years of age will be competing for a spot in their school’s gifted and talented program. One of the main deciding factors of their eligibility is the CogAT 1st Grade’s score report. Their final score will be broken down into several sections.
- Raw Score: This is the initial score that shows how many questions were answered correctly compared to the total number of questions. For 1st graders, this could look like 100/136, if 100 of the 136 questions were answered correctly.
- Universal Scale Score (USS): Next, the raw score becomes the USS through a normalization process. First, the individual CogAT battery sections will receive their own USS score. Afterwards, the examiners will average out the three scores and turn them into a Composite USS.
- Standard Age Score (SAS): This score is a comparison of your child’s results with those of same-age children nationwide. The average 7-year-old will score a 100, with the highest score being 160.
- Percentile Rank (PR): The SAS is once again compared with other children’s SAS, and then converted into their percentile rank. This is a percentage that shows how well your child did in comparison with other children in their age group. For instance, a child that receives a 70% did the same as or better than 70% of other children.
- Stanine (S): A stanine score is a number that shows a child’s capability level. Children can receive a number from 1 to 9, with 9 being the best result.
CogAT 1st Grade Tips
- Do not rely on sample questions alone, you also need explanations. Sample questions are obviously a useful tool for your preparation process. But more importantly, the sample questions need to include explanations. It will not benefit your child to answer a question incorrectly if they are not provided with a reason regarding why the answer is wrong. Explanations serve as a guide for where you went wrong, and how you should direct your line of thinking.
- Practice time constraints. Each battery will include a time limit, which means your child will need to be able to answer each question correctly in a timely manner. The first time your child takes a practice exam, you should track how long it takes them to complete it. The next time they take the exam, try to have them complete it slightly faster.
How to Prepare for the CogAT 1st Grade Test
An aptitude test such as the CogAT 1st Grade Test requires patience and practice. If you believe your child deserves to obtain placement into a gifted and talented program, then you need to do everything in your power to assist them. The first step is to help them prepare. With 9 different subsections, there is a lot of material that needs to be covered in a short amount of time. Make sure your child begins preparing with practice exams and explanations. These study guides will help foster problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Preparation is vital for any child that wishes to be placed into a competitive program, especially a gifted and talented program. Even if your student receives a high percentile rank, it does not mean they are guaranteed admittance into the program. Your child needs to stand out from other students, and the easiest way to do that is to use practice exams that will prepare them to take the CogAT 1st Grade Test.
CogAT 1st Grade Test Sample Questions
Pattern Completion Example 1:
Look at the pattern in the orange triangle. A piece of it has been removed. To complete the pattern, choose the piece below the pattern that goes where the question mark is. Which of the following answer options completes the design?
Explanation: The triangle is monotone orange, therefore the part which has been removed must be the same color as the triangle. The only answer choice that conforms to these requirements is answer choice D. It is helpful to use colors to see that they stay consistent throughout the entire picture and missing section. You can also use process of elimination to remove answer choices that are incorrect.
Pattern Completion Example 2:
Examine the pattern in the huge rectangle while keeping an eye out for the missing square. Which of the following answer options completes the design?
Explanation: Imagine continuing the line across the red-yellow-red pattern, where the missing part would have yellow on top and red on the bottom. The only answer choice that conforms to these requirements is answer choice C. You might also utilize the elimination of response choices. Try to use color or distinguishing lines as markers and ensure that such markers stay consistent throughout the picture and the missing section. Straight lines will serve as markers in this question, and we expect the colors and lines of the design to line up with the correct response choice. In that manner, we can remove the response options that are not appropriate. You should always pay attention to the direction of the pattern. If all the stripes in the picture move horizontally, then you should pick an option that does not differ in direction, nor color sequence.
Pattern Completion Example 3:
Find the missing piece that completes the larger design.
Explanation: The inner box needs be completed so we know there should be a small box in the upper left-hand side of the answer choice. This removes choices B and C. The lines of the inner box go diagonally from the upper left to the lower right. This removes choice D. The lines of the outer box go diagonally from the upper right to the lower left. This still leaves us with choices A and E. Looking at the remaining choices A and E, you can notice that the difference between them is the spacing between the lines in the outer box. In the main picture the spacing between the lines of the outer box is larger than the spacing of the lines in the inner box, not smaller. This leaves us with answer choice E as the correct answer.
Reasoning by Analogy Example:
Look at the six boxes and try to find a link between the geometric figures pictured within the boxes. Which of the following answer options can fill the empty box?
Explanation: Look at the top row. There are pink, green and purple triangles placed in the middle of separate blue squares. Now, look at the bottom row. There are two triangles; one black and one clear, and the third square is missing a triangle. Since all the triangles are facing the same way but none of the colors repeat, you need to look for an answer choice that is pictured in the same way as the other 5 triangles and yet differs in color. You can try to use the elimination method to spot the right answer. We can see that in option A the triangle is colored pink and there is also a pink triangle on the top row, therefore option A is eliminated. Similarly, option D is a clear triangle, so it too does not fit. The triangle under option C is both green and upside down, therefore not suited. Lastly, you can note that the only option that has a triangle with a different color is choice B, and it is standing upright like all the other triangles.
Serial Reasoning Example Question 1:
Examine how the series of forms shift over the rows and columns of the matrix to find the picture that completes the pattern.
Explanation: The matrix is composed of three types of figures: square, circle, and triangle. Across the columns, all the figures pictured in the first column are colored red, in the second column the figures are yellow and finally, all the figures in the third column are pink. Now, looking at the first column, we can see a red square on the top, a red triangle in the middle, and a figure missing. The missing figure must complete the square-circle-triangle pattern. We can eliminate answer choice A as it contains a red square, which we already have on the matrix. We can eliminate answer choices B, E, and C, as they do not contain red figures. Hence, the right answer is D, a red circle.
Serial Reasoning Example Question 2:
Which answer choice completes the series?
Explanation: Looking at the top and middle rows, you can see that the shapes are staying the same, but the colors are always being flipped in the 2nd column. Therefore, the missing box should have a purple square with a circle that is half blue on top and half green on the bottom. This can be found in answer choice E.