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100+ Free CogAT Grades 9-12 Practice Questions

Pass your Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) Levels 15-17/18 — Grades 9-12 exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

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Paper Folding (text-described): A square is folded in half top-to-bottom, then folded in half again left-to-right (four layers). One hole is punched through all layers. How many holes appear when unfolded?

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Key Facts: CogAT Grades 9-12 Exam

3 batteries

Verbal, Quantitative, Nonverbal on CogAT

Riverside Insights

9 subtests

Three subtests per battery on CogAT Form 7/8

Riverside Insights

Levels 15-17/18

CogAT levels covering grades 9 through 12

Riverside Insights

English words

Verbal battery uses words at Levels 9 and up

Riverside Insights

Verbal subtests

Analogies, classification, sentence completion

Riverside Insights

Quantitative subtests

Number series, number puzzles, number analogies

Riverside Insights

Nonverbal subtests

Figure matrices, paper folding, figure classification

Riverside Insights

No reading

Nonverbal battery requires no reading on CogAT

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No universal pass/fail

Schools use local norms and cut scores

Riverside Insights

Grades 9-12 CogAT readiness should cover verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal reasoning with original, grade-appropriate practice items aligned to public CogAT subtest descriptions for Levels 15-17/18.

Sample CogAT Grades 9-12 Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your CogAT Grades 9-12 exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Verbal Analogies: ephemeral is to permanent as transient is to ____.
A.fleeting
B.enduring
C.brief
D.temporary
Explanation: The first pair are antonyms: ephemeral (short-lived) is the opposite of permanent. The relationship is opposition, so transient (passing quickly) must pair with its opposite, enduring (lasting). Verbal analogies require identifying the relationship in the stem pair, not a synonym.
2Number Series: 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, ____. What number comes next?
A.72
B.96
C.60
D.144
Explanation: Each term is double the previous term (a geometric sequence with ratio 2): 3 to 6, 6 to 12, 12 to 24, 24 to 48. So the next term is 48 multiplied by 2, which equals 96. Recognizing multiplicative versus additive patterns is key.
3Number Puzzles: Both sides of the equation must be equal. ? + 7 = 4 x 5. What value replaces the question mark?
A.13
B.20
C.11
D.27
Explanation: Number puzzles require making both sides balance. The right side is 4 times 5, which equals 20. So ? + 7 must equal 20, meaning ? equals 20 minus 7, which is 13. Always evaluate the fully known side first.
4Figure Matrices (text-described): In the top row, a small white square transforms into a large white square. In the bottom row, a small black triangle should transform into ____.
A.a large black triangle
B.a small black triangle
C.a large white triangle
D.a large black square
Explanation: Figure matrices follow the analogy A is to B as C is to ?. The top-row rule is 'becomes larger' while shape and color stay the same. Applying the same rule to the small black triangle yields a large black triangle. Only the size changes.
5Sentence Completion: Choose the word that best completes the sentence. 'Despite the witness's confident tone, her account was riddled with ____, making the jury question its accuracy.'
A.consistencies
B.discrepancies
C.affirmations
D.certainties
Explanation: The clue 'making the jury question its accuracy' signals contradictions within the account. Discrepancies means inconsistencies or contradictions, which would undermine accuracy. Sentence completion rewards using context clues to infer meaning.
6Verbal Classification: The words 'igneous', 'sedimentary', and 'metamorphic' are alike. Which word belongs with this group?
A.granite
B.rock
C.limestone
D.category
Explanation: Igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic are the three types of rock, but the task is to find another member of the same category implied. Each names a rock classification; granite is an igneous rock and a specific rock type that fits as a related geological term. The closest categorical match among choices is granite, a named rock.
7Number Analogies (text-described): Top set [2 -> 8]; second set [3 -> 12]; third set [5 -> ?]. What number completes the third set?
A.15
B.20
C.25
D.10
Explanation: Number analogies require identifying a single rule that maps the first number to the second. Here 2 maps to 8 and 3 maps to 12, both by multiplying by 4. Applying x4 to 5 gives 20. The constant ratio is the relationship.
8Paper Folding (text-described): A square sheet is folded once in half left-over-right, then a single hole is punched through both layers near the center. When unfolded, how many holes appear?
A.1
B.2
C.3
D.4
Explanation: Folding once creates two layers, so a single punch passes through both, producing two holes when unfolded. The holes are mirror images across the fold line. Counting layers pierced equals the number of holes.
9Verbal Analogies: meticulous is to careless as gregarious is to ____.
A.sociable
B.reclusive
C.friendly
D.talkative
Explanation: The stem pair are antonyms: meticulous (extremely careful) opposes careless. Gregarious means sociable and outgoing, so its antonym is reclusive (withdrawn, solitary). Match the opposition relationship rather than picking a synonym.
10Number Series: 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, ____. What number comes next?
A.30
B.36
C.35
D.49
Explanation: These are perfect squares: 1=1squared, 4=2squared, 9=3squared, 16=4squared, 25=5squared. The next term is 6 squared, which equals 36. Recognizing square-number patterns is a common CogAT quantitative skill.

About the CogAT Grades 9-12 Exam

CogAT Grades 9-12 practice focuses on high-school-level reasoning with abstract word relationships, multi-step number patterns, equation balancing, and complex spatial transformations. At Levels 15-17/18 the verbal battery uses English words, the quantitative battery emphasizes sequences and missing-value reasoning, and the nonverbal battery is reading-free. Schools use CogAT with other evidence for instructional planning or gifted/talented identification.

Assessment

Grades 9-12 CogAT administrations use the verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal reasoning batteries at Levels 15, 16, and 17/18. The verbal battery covers verbal analogies, verbal classification, and sentence completion; the quantitative battery covers number series, number puzzles, and number analogies; the nonverbal battery covers figure matrices, paper folding, and figure classification. Exact level, item count, and timing depend on local administration.

Time Limit

Varies by level, battery, and administration plan

Passing Score

No universal pass/fail score; schools use local norms, cut scores, and multiple measures

Exam Fee

School-administered; access and cost vary by school, district, or testing provider (Riverside Insights; administered by schools, districts, and approved testing providers)

CogAT Grades 9-12 Exam Content Outline

One of three batteries

Verbal Reasoning

Verbal analogies, verbal classification, and sentence completion using advanced vocabulary, context clues, and precise word-relationship rules.

One of three batteries

Quantitative Reasoning

Number series, number puzzles, and number analogies involving sequences, squares, cubes, reciprocals, recurrences, and equation balancing.

One of three batteries

Nonverbal Reasoning

Figure matrices, paper folding, and figure classification involving rotation, symmetry, shading, and spatial transformations described in text.

How to Pass the CogAT Grades 9-12 Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: No universal pass/fail score; schools use local norms, cut scores, and multiple measures
  • Assessment: Grades 9-12 CogAT administrations use the verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal reasoning batteries at Levels 15, 16, and 17/18. The verbal battery covers verbal analogies, verbal classification, and sentence completion; the quantitative battery covers number series, number puzzles, and number analogies; the nonverbal battery covers figure matrices, paper folding, and figure classification. Exact level, item count, and timing depend on local administration.
  • Time limit: Varies by level, battery, and administration plan
  • Exam fee: School-administered; access and cost vary by school, district, or testing provider

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

CogAT Grades 9-12 Study Tips from Top Performers

1State the rule or relationship in words before checking the answer choices.
2For number series, test addition, multiplication, squares, alternating rules, and recurrences like double-plus-one.
3For verbal analogies, identify whether the pair is antonym, degree, function, or part-whole before matching.
4For sentence completion, use contrast words like 'although' and 'far from' to invert the intended meaning.
5For nonverbal items, track shape, count, shading, rotation, symmetry, and position changes one at a time.
6For number puzzles, simplify the fully known side of the equation first, then isolate the unknown.

Frequently Asked Questions

What levels of CogAT are used in grades 9-12?

Grades 9-12 use CogAT Levels 15, 16, and 17/18. Level 15 generally corresponds to grade 9, Level 16 to grade 10, and Level 17/18 spans grades 11 and 12, though local administration determines the exact level assigned.

What is on CogAT for grades 9-12?

The high-school CogAT has three batteries. Verbal covers verbal analogies, verbal classification, and sentence completion; quantitative covers number series, number puzzles, and number analogies; nonverbal covers figure matrices, paper folding, and figure classification.

Is the CogAT verbal battery word-based at these levels?

Yes. At Levels 9 and up, including the high-school Levels 15-17/18, the verbal battery uses English words rather than pictures, so vocabulary and word-relationship reasoning matter.

Is grades 9-12 CogAT an achievement test?

No. CogAT measures developed reasoning abilities rather than mastery of a specific curriculum, though strong reasoning often correlates with academic performance.

Is there a passing score for CogAT in high school?

No. CogAT has no universal pass/fail score. Schools interpret results using local norms, cut scores, and multiple measures, often for gifted/talented identification or placement.

Are these official CogAT grades 9-12 questions?

No. These are original practice questions aligned to public CogAT battery descriptions for Levels 15-17/18. They are designed for grade-appropriate reasoning practice, not reproduced test items.