Free Online CogAT Grade 2 Test Preparation: Practice CogAT Level 8 Sample Questions & Tips – 2025

What Is the CogAT 2nd Grade Test?

If you have a 2nd grader attempting to join a gifted and talented program, they may have to take the Cognitive Abilities Test for 2nd graders, or the CogAT 2nd Grade Test. This test will include a composition of shapes and figures that are used to assess each child’s mental aptitude. The CogAT 2nd Grade Test is also known as CogAT Level 8, as it is designed for children that are 8 years old. The instructions and questions for the 2nd Grade Test will be read aloud by a test proctor, meaning the students will be responsible for listening very carefully in order to answer the questions correctly. The test will have three different sections, also known as batteries. Specifically, the CogAT 2nd Grade Test will contain a verbal battery, nonverbal battery, and a quantitative battery.

What Are the CogAT 2nd Grade Test Sections?

Each of the three batteries will be further divided into three subsections. Every subsection will ask questions that are related to that specific battery, and a total of 154 questions will be asked. Some of the subsections will seem similar to each other, especially when most of the questions will revolve around shapes and/or figures. The questions will be formulated in an age-appropriate manner.

Verbal Battery

Verbal battery questions will test your child’s memory, their ability to determine relationships, and their aptitude for formulating ideas. This will be the last year that students will be taking lower-level subsections for the verbal battery. When the students enter 3rd grade, they will be asked harder verbal battery questions. Currently, 2nd graders will be responsible for answering questions in the sentence completion, picture classification, and picture analogy sections. All three subsections will include 18 questions each.

• Sentence Completion: The students will listen to a teacher while they read a sentence to them. The students will need to select an answer that includes a word that fits into the sentence. This section does not have a completion requirement. Students will have the option to answer the sentence completion piece, as 2nd graders do not have a reading prerequisite. If they choose not to complete the section, it will not count against them.
• Picture Classification: There will be three pictures linked together in a row that are somehow related to one another. The 2nd graders will need to choose a picture from the images that would also match with the original three pictures.
• Picture Analogies: There will be a matrix filled with three pictures. Two of the pictures will be spread across the first row, and the last picture will be filled in on the bottom row. In the fourth matrix square, there will not be a picture. The first row of pictures will somehow go together. The 2nd graders will need to recognize the connection between the first row and apply it to the second row. One of the answers will include a picture that connects with the third picture.

Nonverbal Battery

CogAT’s Nonverbal battery questions will test your child’s reasoning abilities through the use of geometric figures. Nonverbal tests are unique compared to traditional school tests owing to the absence of written or spoken words. 2nd graders will need to answer questions from the figure matrices, paper folding, and figure classification sections. The figure classification as well as the figure matrices sections will each include 16 questions; the paper folding portion will simply have 12.

• Figure Classification: Figure classification includes a presentation of three shapes that follow a set pattern. One of the potential answers will include a correct answer with a shape that matches the original pattern.
• Paper Folding: Paper folding questions will require some imagination. The first image will be of a whole piece of paper. Then, the paper will go through several folding transformations. At the end, it will likely have several holes removed from the paper. Each student will need to visualize what the paper would look like if it were to be unfolded, and then pick a piece of paper from the answers that matches their vision.
• Figure Matrices: Figure matrices questions each include a 2×2 table with four individual cells. Out of the four cells, three of them will be filled with shapes that include a relationship, but the relationship may not be obvious at first glass. The students need to study the cells, identify the relationship, and then choose one of the answers that completes the matrix pattern.

Quantitative Battery

CogAT Quantitative battery questions will simply test each student’s quantitative reasoning aptitude. The subtests for this battery include a number series section, a number puzzles section, and a number analogies section. Both the number series portion and number analogies portion will have 18 questions, and only 14 questions will be asked in the number puzzles portion.

• Number Series: A picture of an abacus toy will be displayed on the test and shown to the 2nd graders. Throughout the abacus toy, there will be several rods of beads that follow a pre-determined pattern. The final rod in the abacus toy will have beads that are missing, and the missing beads will be located in the answer column. The 2nd graders will need to understand the abacus bead pattern, and then choose an answer that contains matching beads.
• Number Analogies: Number analogy questions will include a 2×2 matrix with four individual cells. Similar to the other sections, three out of the four cells will have a shape, and the fourth cell will have nothing in it. The students will determine the top row’s mathematical relationship, and will apply that relationship to the bottom row. Once that has been completed, they will choose one answer that completes the equation.
• Number Puzzles: Several images will appear on the testing sheet that indicate a math problem. The picture equations will first need to be solved, and then the students will choose the answer for the picture equation from the answer options.

How to Read CogAT 2nd Grade’s Score Report

The CogAT 2nd Grade Test is scored by comparing each child’s results with same-age students located nationwide. There is not a standard score that will guarantee admittance into special programs like a gifted and talented program. In order to learn about minimum score requirements necessary for gaining admittance into special programs, reach out to your local school and ask about their specific requirements.

• Raw Score: This will be the original score located on the 2nd grader’s score report. Because the CogAT 2nd Grade Test is comprised of 154 questions, the raw score will be a number of questions correctly answered over 154.
• Universal Scale Score (USS): When the raw score is determined, converted, and normalized, it becomes the USS. The verbal, nonverbal, and quantitative reasoning batteries will each receive a USS. A Composite USS is determined by averaging together the scores from the three batteries.
• Standard Age Score (SAS): The USS is then compared with other same-age children’s USS. This comparison is shown as the SAS. The SAS has a highest potential score of 160, but a score of 100 is the score that the average child will receive.
• Percentile Rank (PR): This score will be shown as a percentage and will represent how your child faired against other children nationwide. The percentage they receive will indicate that they scored better than or equal to that percentage of children countrywide.
• Stanine (S): Stanine is a simplified score that ranges from 1 through 9, with 1 being the lowest score possible.

CogAT 2nd Grade Tips

1. Rather than leaving answer choices blank, your child should guess. There is no penalty for answering questions wrong. Therefore, if your child has tried figuring out the answer, but are unable to, they should always guess. Children should try to narrow down the options to one or two possibilities before guessing, that way they have the highest chance of answering the question correctly.
2. Come up with a plan, and stick to it. Rather than just blindly studying whenever your child feels like it, come up with a set plan for studying. Some parents have found it useful to first have their child take a practice exam without consulting a study guide. Then, they will focus on improving a single section every day.
3. Have your child explain their thought process. If your 2nd grader is repeatedly answering the same questions wrong, have them write down or explain to you their thought process. They may not understand the question, or they may be struggling with recognizing a matrix pattern. Some children will not ask for help, making it the parent’s responsibility to figure out where their child is going wrong, and help them get back on track.

How to Prepare for the CogAT 2nd Grade Test

The questions and information provided on the CogAT 2nd Grade Test will not be similar to the information that is taught to your children at school. Some students may find themselves feeling apprehensive about the layout of the exam, especially if they did not prepare for the test. Preparation is imperative in order to score well on this aptitude test. One of the easiest ways to prepare is by going online and reviewing sample questions through practice exams. Preparation resources will almost always include detailed explanations that will guide your child through the questions and the answers. Additionally, you should ensure that your child has enough time to study and learn all the material. Some questions may sound easy, when in reality they can be tricky or have answers that look similar to each other. Gradual preparation and studying will help children feel confident about taking the CogAT 2nd Grade Test and achieve the highest scores that are possible for them. Learn more about the CogAT test.