Free Online NNAT 3rd to 4th Test Preparation: Practice NNAT Level D Sample Questions & Tips – 2025
Do you have a 3rd or 4th grader who is preparing to take the NNAT 3rd to 4th Grade Test in order to gain entry into their school’s gifted and talented program? If this is the case, you are likely helping them during their preparation journey. In order to do successfully prepare them, read this article to inform yourself about the NNAT 3rd to 4th Grade Test as well as the best preparation instructions.
What Is the NNAT 3rd to 4th Grade Test?
NNAT is an abbreviation for the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test. This type of assessment is used to assess the ability of 3rd and 4th graders to solve problems and create solutions. This test is the first step for your child being granted entry into a program for the gifted and talented. The NNAT 3rd to 4th Grade Test may also be written as NNAT Level D. It is important to note that this test differentiates itself from other tests, in the sense that it is nonverbal. Therefore, the language capabilities of your child will not be assessed. For this reason, some individuals find this type of test difficult to prepare for.
What Is the NNAT 3rd to 4th Grade Test Sections?
Although the types of questions that will be asked on the NNAT 3rd to 4th Grade Test may seem similar to lower-level NNAT tests, there is still a clear difference. Before, students were only required to take a NNAT test for their grade level, whereas now two grade levels are being asked to take the same test. However, the 3rd and 4th graders will still be tested on the same following sections:
Pattern Completion
The students will be shown a picture of a shape that has a piece removed. They will then be presented with choices that include several possible missing pieces. The students will need to scan through the answers and select the answer that would fit into the missing piece of the shape. Learn more about the pattern completion section.
Reasoning By Analogy
The 3rd and 4th graders will see a grouping of several box figures that connect in some way, with the final box being empty. The students will be tasked with identifying the connection between the boxes and picking the answer that would match the connection. Learn more about the reasoning by anology test section.
Serial Reasoning
Here the students will notice a set up shapes that are scattered across rows and columns. The individual shapes will have a pattern that is relative to the other shapes. However, there will be one box that remains empty. Your child will have to be able notice how the figures are related to each other and then choose the answer that would complete the pattern.
Spatial Visualization
This portion of the assessment will include a puzzle of several boxes situated along columns and rows. Each box will include a figure or shape that follow a pattern, but one box will not have anything in it. The student will be tasked with recognizing the pattern between the filled boxes, followed by choosing the best answer that includes a pattern that could fit in the empty box and complete the puzzle.
How to Read NNAT 3rd to 4th Grade’s Score Reports?
No matter if you have a student in the 3rd or 4th grade, they will both be taking the same exam. However, this does not necessarily mean they will be counted the same way. Students will only be compared against other students that were born together within 3 months. This means that young 3rd graders will not be competing with older 4th graders. When you receive your results in the mail two months later, you will notice these three scores:
- Raw Score: A student’s raw score is just the exact number of questions that they answered properly out of the total score. Moreover, if the student scored a 45/48, they essentially answered 45 out of 48 questions accurately.
- Naglieri Ability Index (NAI): The raw score is then normalized and calculated into the NAI score. On average, a student will score a 100, but it is possible to score as high as 160. However, because the score has been normalized, 68% of 3rd and 4th graders will only receive a final score amongst 84 to 116%.
- Percentile Rank: This number is the final number you will see on the score report. The percentile rank, also known as PR, is a comparison between your child’s scores and scores of children within the same age range. For example, if your 3rd or 4th grader received a percentile rank of 50%, their test results were the same, if not greater than 50% of other same-age students nationwide.
NNAT 3rd to 4th Grade Test Tips
- Use test prep materials and review the results. Not only should you be using study material such as practice exams, but you should also make sure you continuously go over the explanations from your practice test results. The types of questions on the NNAT exams can be tricky for even adults; answers aren’t always as obvious as they seem. Explanations will outline what the test question expectations are and how to answer questions right the first time.
- If you feel unsure of the answer, you should guess. Your score will only reflect the answers you got correct. You will not be punished or docked points for choosing the wrong answers. Younger students, specifically 3rd graders, will be expected to answer questions that are also at a 4th grade level. The test makers expect these students to try their best to answer every question, even if they aren’t 100% sure of the answer.
- Repetition is key. In order for your student to walk into school on test day and feel confident, they need to also feel prepared. Taking a practice exam once is not enough. Instead, learn your child’s areas of weakness and repeatedly review those areas. Come test day, they will have a leg up on other students because they will have already mastered the questions and their answers.
How to Prepare For the NNAT 3rd to 4th Grade Test
Your child may feel anxious or apprehensive about taking the NNAT 3rd to 4th Grade Test. This is especially true for young 3rd graders who may feel they are not as smart or capable as 4th graders. You can help your child by seeking out reliable study materials that include practice exams. Repeatedly practicing sample questions that include answers will undoubtedly boost your child’s test taking abilities and ensure they score the most points possible. You should make sure that you sit with your child while they take the practice exams. It is vital that you are beside them in case they have any questions or don’t understand what they are being asked to do. By practicing with them, your student will have the best chances of acing the NNAT 3rd to 4th Grade Test.
NNAT 3rd to 4th Grade Test Sample Questions
Pattern Completion Example Question:
Which of the following answer options completes the design?
Explanation: Examine the pattern in the square while keeping an eye out for the missing box. Imagine continuing all the corners and lines of each shape. The only answer choice that conforms to these requirements is answer choice C. It is helpful to use distinguishing lines to see that they stay consistent throughout the entire picture and missing section. We will focus on the straight lines in this question. You can also use the process of elimination to remove answer choices that are incorrect. We anticipate that the way they line up in response choices will be comparable to how they line up in the design. In that manner, we can remove the response options that are not appropriate.
Analogy Example Question:
The empty box must be related to the other in the same way the top two boxes are related. Which of the following answer options can fill the empty box?
Explanation: Look at the top row. In the box, there is a green triangle on top of a pink circle. In the box next to it, there is a green circle on top of a pink triangle. Comparing the two boxes we see that the colors stay, while the figures are reversed. You should pick a box from the A, B, C or D options that will continue the analogy. Keeping the colors the same we know that purple should be on top and orange on the bottom. The figures need to switch meaning there should be a rectangle on top and “u” shape on the bottom. The only answer choice that conforms to these requirements is answer choice D.
Spatial Visualization Example Question:
Which of the following answer options completes the design of the bottom row?
Explanation: Look at the top row and see how the shapes change from the left frame to the right frame. In the right frame, the shapes from the outside flip into the frame (as if they were attached to the side and were closed like the flaps of a box). In the bottom row, they should do the same. Therefore, the missing frame should contain all the shapes in the left square but simply be turned inside. The only answer choice that conforms to these requirements is answer choice D.
Serial Reasoning Sample Question:
Correct Answer: B