Free Online CogAT Grade 5 Test Preparation: Practice CogAT Level 11 Sample Questions & Tips – 2025

What Is the CogAT 5th Grade Test?

If you are preparing your child to take the CogAT 5th Grade Test, you are likely hoping to enter your child into a school’s gifted and talented program. Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) are administered to children based on their age. For example, the CogAT 5th Grade Test is also called CogAT Level 11, because the children will be 11 years old. Unlike lower-level versions of this aptitude test, there will be less emphasis on pictures and figures, and more emphasis on words. However, the test will still include a nonverbal battery.

What Are the CogAT 5th Grade Test Sections?

The CogAT 5th Grade Test is similar to the 4th grade test in the sense that they both ask 176 different questions. This test will still include verbal, nonverbal, and quantitative batteries. Moreover, all three batteries will further include three diverse subsections.

Verbal Battery

5th graders will be asked to apply logic to three different subsections of the CogAT verbal battery. More emphasis will be placed on this battery compared to versions provided to younger children. Sentence completion and verbal classification subsections will each consist of 20 individual questions. The verbal analogy subsection will consist of 24 individual questions.

• Verbal Analogy: Three keywords will be written in a sentence. Two of the keywords will connect in some way, and the third keyword will connect with one of the answers. Then, the 5th graders will pick the connecting word out of the answers. Sentence Completion: The 5th graders will read a sentence that includes a line where a word has been removed. In order to complete the sentence, the 5th graders will pick the correct word that would fit into the sentence from their answer choices.
• Verbal Classification: Three simple words that are similar in definition or comparison will be written on the exam. Out of the several options that are shown, only one word will match the first three words, and that is the answer your child will have to choose.

Nonverbal Battery

5th graders will be asked to assess figural content that does not include written words. For students who have not yet mastered the English language, this will be their opportunity to shine. 22 questions will be asked during the figure classification and figure matrices sections. Only 16 questions will be asked during the paper folding section.

• Figure Classification: Several figures will be placed in a row and then separated by a vertical line. The figures on the left side of the line will have a pattern between them, while the figures to the right of the line will not. The 5th graders will pick a figure located to the right of the line that has a matching pattern to the figures left of the line.
• Paper Folding: The 5th graders will watch as an image of a square paper is folded and punched with a hole puncher. Then, they will look through several answers and decide which piece of paper would match the original paper image if it were unfolded.
• Figure Matrices: A matrix filled with four boxes is presented to the students. The first row will contain two figures that follow a pattern that is not immediately obvious. The second row will contain only one figure that shares a pattern with one of the answers. Then, the 5th graders will study the table and find the solution that completes the table.

Quantitative Battery

5th graders will need to use their problem-solving skills to solve complex quantitative battery questions. This section will mostly consist of numbers and several pictures. 18 questions will be asked during the number analogy and number series sections. Only 16 questions will be asked during the number puzzles section.

• Number Puzzles: The 5th graders will be required to solve a math equation that has a number replaced by a symbol or question mark. The equations themselves will be fairly simple, made more difficult by the missing number. However, one of the answers will include a number that would solve the math problem.
• Number Series: Various numbers will be written together with a space in between them. Each of the numbers follow a specific rule. Only one of the several answers will include a number that matches the initial rule. The 5th graders will pick the correct number that follows the number rule.
• Number Analogies: The only subsection for this battery that contains pictures is the number analogy section. Two pictures in a row will follow a mathematical connection. The bottom row contains one picture that is analogous with one of the pictures in the answer row.

How to Read CogAT 5th Grade’s Score Report

All 5th graders will have their scores compared with other 5th grade children that are within a few months of age. Every child’s scores will go through numerous steps before a final score is calculated.

• Raw Score: A number will be placed over a score of 176. This is your 5th graders number of correct answers over the highest possible score.
• Universal Scale Score (USS): Each battery receives their own USS. The individual battery scores are averaged together to then create the Composite USS.
• Standard Age Score (SAS): Scores of every 5th grader are compared to determine a SAS result. 5th graders can score up to 160 points, but on average a 5th grader will score 100 points.
• Percentile Rank (PR): The overall performance of your 5th grader will determine their percentile ranking. For example, a child who scores a 90% percentile rank actually outscored or scored the same as 90% of 5th graders nationwide.
• Stanine (S): Each 5th grader will be assigned a number between 1 through 9, with 9 being the highest score. The number will represent each 5th grader’s level of ability.

CogAT 5th Grade Tips

1. Teach your child to read the test instructions very carefully. The easiest way to make a mistake on these types of tests is by rushing through the questions and their instructions. Remind your child that they should carefully read over the instructions and make sure they completely understand the task before they start answering questions. If they don’t, they may miss an important instruction that could prevent them from scoring well on the exam.
2. Make sure your child can justify their responses. In order to verify that your child is not taking lucky guesses while studying, randomly ask them to justify their response. This will force them to think deeply about why they chose that answer, and why they believe the other answers are wrong.

How to Prepare for the CogAT 5th Grade Test

As the students grow older, the ability tests will become harder. Studying methods will need to change in order to match the increasing difficulty of the tests. The CogAT 5th Grade Test is no exception. As more emphasis is placed on verbal abilities, students will need to continuously practice and strengthen these skills. In order to do this, children should be using practice exams daily to hone their learning skills and raise their chances of scoring well on this exam. Example questions with explanations and descriptions are imperative for teaching your child the right way to study. Gifted and talented programs are coveted and competitive, meaning your child will need to be the best of the best if they expect to enroll into a specialized program. Practicing online exams and studying with study guides is undoubtedly the best way to prepare for the CogAT 5th Grade Test.