NNAT Pattern Completion Test Preparation and Tips – 2025

What Is the NNAT Pattern Completion Test?

The NNAT Pattern Completion test is one section of the entire NNAT (Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test) exam. This type of exam is administered to children who are in kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade to measure their problem-solving abilities. If the children score high enough, they may be admitted into their school’s gifted and talented program. As the children grow older, the NNAT tests continue to become harder.

What Are the NNAT Pattern Completion Test Sections?

The pattern completion section will only focus on your child being able to complete a shape that includes a missing portion. Depending on the grade level, the type of question that your child will be asked could be relatively simple. For instance, they may see a solid-colored box that includes a missing a chunk. Then, they will notice several answer options that include boxes of different colors, one of which will be the same color as the solid-colored box. However, if your child is in a higher grade level, the question may not be as simple. Instead, they may be presented with a box that includes a shape with multiple patterns and colors, while also including a missing chunk. Several answer boxes will be displayed that include random patterns and colors; your child should choose the pattern that completes the shape.

How to Read NNAT Pattern Completion Test Section Score Report

The pattern completion section will be one of several sections that determine the NNAT score report. When you receive your child’s score report, it will include three separate scoring sections.

• Raw Score: The first score you will notice is the raw score, or how many questions include answers that were correct out of the total number of questions. For example, a 35/48 score would be equivalent to your child answering 35 out of the 48 questions that were asked.
• Naglieri Ability Index (NAI): The next score will be the NAI score. This is simply a normalization of the child’s raw score. Your child could receive a score between 0 and 160, but the average child will receive a score of 100. Please note that the scores will be normalized, so most students will achieve a score of 85 to 116.
• Percentile Rank: The percentile rank is the number that determines your child’s entry into a school’s gifted and talented program. Every student who is born within a 3-month age range will have their scores compared, and then will be assigned a ranking based on their performance. For example, children that receive a 75% percentile rank scored just as well, if not better than 75% of other children nationwide.

NNAT Pattern Completion Tips

1. Create a study plan and work with your child. The easiest way to prepare for the pattern completion part of the exam is via online practice exams. However, this does not mean you should find the practice exam and leave your children to study unattended. Some of the questions may be confusing or difficult. You will need to sit down with them and go over the questions along with their included explanations in order to ensure that the child completely understands the pattern completion section.
2. Learn about anchors. Anchors are the tiny, distinctive details that make a pattern distinguishable. Have your child look to the corner of the shape and identify any specific colors or designs, or have them point to an area that has a unique line setup; these are anchors. The anchors will help your child recognize a pattern and match it with the answer options. Just make sure to also compare the pattern designs with the line measurements.
3. Teach your child to pay attention to the little details. As the questions progress, the patterns will become more complex and the answers will start to look similar to each other. Teach your child that they need to pay close attention to the pattern and the spacing. For example, if there is a box that has two horizontal lines with a missing section, there may be two answer options that include two horizontal lines. Make sure that you pay attention to the spacing between the two lines, otherwise you run the risk of accidentally choosing the wrong answer.

How to Prepare for the NNAT Pattern Completion Test

Whether or not this is your child’s first time taking the NNAT pattern completion test, it is always a good idea to study. The questions will not be the same and will likely become increasingly difficult. Some people assume that because this test is nonverbal, meaning their language skills will not be tested, that the test will be easier. This is not the case at all. If you find and use practice exams found online, you will quickly see the large variety of questions that your child will be asked.

Practice exams are the ultimate way to prepare for nonverbal tests. They will help your child become familiar with the material and learn their strongest areas. In order for your child to do well on this test and achieve a high score, they need to be prepared. Don’t wait until a few days before the test to start preparing. Practice with sample questions and detailed answers weeks before the actual test, you never know how much time your child may actually need.