Free Practice Questions for Grade 5 Scholarship Examination

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Key Facts: Grade 5 Scholarship Examination Exam

200 Marks

Total Examination Marks across Paper I and Paper II

Department of Examinations, Sri Lanka

105 Items

Total Official Questions (45 in Paper I, 60 in Paper II)

Department of Examinations, Sri Lanka

Free

Examination Registration Fee for School Candidates

Ministry of Education, Sri Lanka

2 Mediums

Official Test Languages (Sinhala and Tamil)

Department of Examinations, Sri Lanka

145–165

Typical Annual District Cut-Off Range (out of 200)

Department of Examinations Statistical Reports

Grade 5

Target Primary Academic Grade Level (Ages 10–11)

Ministry of Education, Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka's Grade 5 Scholarship Exam evaluates reasoning, arithmetic, language logic, and environmental studies across two papers totaling 200 marks. Admission to premier national schools and bursary awards are based on district-specific cutoff scores. This 100-question resource offers an English-language MCQ study adaptation covering the exam's four fundamental learning domains.

Sample Grade 5 Scholarship Examination Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the Grade 5 Scholarship Examination exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Which of the following capital English letters has both a horizontal line of symmetry and a vertical line of symmetry?

A.H

B.A

C.C

D.P

Explanation: The letter 'H' can be folded along a vertical line down its center and along a horizontal line across its middle bar, with both halves matching perfectly. Letters like 'A' only have vertical symmetry, while 'C' only has horizontal symmetry. Therefore, 'H' possesses both vertical and horizontal symmetry.

2Look at the four 2D geometric shapes: Equilateral triangle, Square, Regular pentagon, Rectangle. Which shape is the odd one out based on whether all its sides must be equal?

A.Equilateral triangle

B.Rectangle

C.Square

D.Regular pentagon

Explanation: An equilateral triangle, a square, and a regular pentagon are all regular polygons where every side has the exact same length. A standard rectangle has opposite sides equal, but adjacent sides do not have to be equal. Thus, the rectangle is the odd one out.

3In a visual sequence, a pointer inside a circle points to 12 o'clock (North), then 3 o'clock (East), then 6 o'clock (South). Where will the pointer point in the next step?

A.12 o'clock (North)

B.4 o'clock (Southeast)

C.9 o'clock (West)

D.1 o'clock (Northeast)

Explanation: The pointer rotates clockwise by a quarter turn (90 degrees) at each step: from 12 o'clock to 3 o'clock (+90°), and then to 6 o'clock (+90°). Continuing this quarter-turn clockwise rotation points it to 9 o'clock (West). This demonstrates basic angular rotation in non-verbal reasoning.

4A 2x2 grid of shapes has a Black Circle in the top-left, a White Circle in the top-right, and a Black Square in the bottom-left. What shape correctly completes the pattern in the bottom-right corner?

A.Black Triangle

B.White Circle

C.Black Square

D.White Square

Explanation: Across the top row, the circle changes from black to white. In the bottom row, the square must follow the same shading rule and change from black to white. Therefore, the missing shape is a White Square.

5A large square is divided into 4 equal smaller square quadrants by a vertical line and a horizontal line crossing at the center. How many total squares are in the entire figure?

A.4

B.5

C.6

D.8

Explanation: There are 4 small quadrant squares inside the figure, plus 1 large overall square containing them all. Adding these together gives 4 + 1 = 5 squares in total. Counting problems require checking both individual components and composite shapes.

6When a capital letter 'L' is reflected across a vertical mirror placed to its right, what does the resulting mirror image look like?

A.A backwards 'L' with the vertical line on the right and the horizontal bar pointing left

B.An upside-down 'L' with the horizontal bar at the top pointing right

C.An unchanged letter 'L'

D.A horizontal letter 'T'

Explanation: A vertical reflection reverses left and right while keeping top and bottom the same. In the letter 'L', the vertical stem remains vertical, but the bottom foot that originally pointed to the right now points to the left. Thus, it appears as a backwards 'L'.

7In a 3x3 pattern matrix, Row 1 has 1 dot, 2 dots, 3 dots. Row 2 has 2 dots, 3 dots, 4 dots. Row 3 has 3 dots, 4 dots, and a question mark. How many dots replace the question mark?

A.4

B.5

C.6

D.7

Explanation: Across each row from left to right, the number of dots increases by 1 (+1). In Row 3, the sequence begins with 3 dots, followed by 4 dots, so the next cell must have 4 + 1 = 5 dots. Looking down columns also confirms this: 1, 2, 3; 2, 3, 4; 3, 4, 5.

8A square sheet of paper is folded in half once from left to right. A single round hole is punched through the center of the folded paper. When the paper is unfolded completely, how many holes appear, and where are they located?

A.1 hole in the exact center

B.2 holes horizontally side by side

C.4 holes in each of the four corners

D.2 holes vertically stacked

Explanation: Folding the square once from left to right creates two paper layers along a vertical fold line. Punching a hole through the folded sheet pierces both layers. When unfolded, the two holes appear side by side horizontally across the vertical fold line.

9A standard cube net consists of 6 connected square faces. If two opposite faces of a die always sum to 7, which face must be opposite to the face with 2 dots when folded into a cube?

A.Face with 3 dots

B.Face with 4 dots

C.Face with 5 dots

D.Face with 6 dots

Explanation: In standard dice, the sum of pips on any two opposing faces is always 7. To find the opposite face for 2 dots, subtract 2 from 7: 7 - 2 = 5. Therefore, the face opposite 2 must have 5 dots.

10In a sequence of shapes, Shape 1 is a Triangle (3 sides), Shape 2 is a Square (4 sides), and Shape 3 is a Pentagon (5 sides). What is Shape 4, and how many lines of symmetry does it have if it is regular?

A.Heptagon with 7 lines of symmetry

B.Octagon with 8 lines of symmetry

C.Hexagon with 6 lines of symmetry

D.Hexagon with 3 lines of symmetry

Explanation: The number of sides increases by 1 in each step (3, 4, 5, so the next is 6 sides, which is a hexagon). A regular polygon with n sides always has exactly n lines of symmetry. Therefore, a regular hexagon has 6 lines of symmetry.

About the Grade 5 Scholarship Examination Exam

The Grade 5 Scholarship Examination (පහ ශිෂ්යත්ව විභාගය / 5 ஆம் ஆண்டு புலமைப்பரிசில் பரீட்சை) is a highly competitive national examination conducted annually by the Department of Examinations in Sri Lanka. It serves to identify high-achieving primary students for placement into prestigious national secondary schools and awards monthly educational bursaries to deserving students from lower-income backgrounds. The official exam is administered in Sinhala and Tamil. This 100-question practice bank is an English-language MCQ study adaptation designed to build core competencies in abstract reasoning, numerical problem-solving, verbal logic, and environmental science.

Exam sponsor: Department of Examinations, Sri Lanka (doenets.lk). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

The official national examination consists of Paper I (45 questions assessing non-verbal intelligence, pattern recognition, and general reasoning in 1 hour) and Paper II (60 items testing language skills, mathematics, and environmental studies in 1 hour 15 minutes). The practice set provided here is an English-language 100-question MCQ study adaptation formatted for comprehensive self-paced preparation.

Time Limit

Paper I: 1 hour; Paper II: 1 hour 15 minutes (Total 2 hours 15 minutes)

Passing Score

District cut-off mark out of 200 (2025: 127-140 in the Sinhala medium and up to 134 in the Tamil medium, varying by district)

Exam / Certification Fees

Free for all eligible primary school candidates

Exam sponsor website

Reported exam pass rate: Competitive. Approximately 10% of candidates qualify for premier national school admission or financial bursaries based on district quotas. Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Official sources

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

20%

Visual and Abstract Reasoning

Pattern completion, spatial transformation, matrix logic, odd-one-out identification, rotational symmetry, and non-verbal series sequences.

25%

Numerical Reasoning and Arithmetic

Mental math operations, number patterns, word problems covering time, distance, Sri Lankan rupee (LKR) transactions, mass, capacity, simple fractions, and basic geometric shapes.

25%

Verbal Reasoning and Language Logic

Analogies, word associations, antonyms and synonyms, deductive riddles, cause-and-effect analysis, sentence sequencing, and logical statement verification.

30%

Environmental Studies and General Knowledge

Living and non-living things, flora and fauna of Sri Lanka, water cycle, weather phenomena, human body systems and personal health, conservation of natural habitats, road safety rules, and Sri Lankan civic and cultural heritage.

Preparing for the Grade 5 Scholarship Examination Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: District cut-off mark out of 200 (2025: 127-140 in the Sinhala medium and up to 134 in the Tamil medium, varying by district)
Assessment: The official national examination consists of Paper I (45 questions assessing non-verbal intelligence, pattern recognition, and general reasoning in 1 hour) and Paper II (60 items testing language skills, mathematics, and environmental studies in 1 hour 15 minutes). The practice set provided here is an English-language 100-question MCQ study adaptation formatted for comprehensive self-paced preparation.
Time limit: Paper I: 1 hour; Paper II: 1 hour 15 minutes (Total 2 hours 15 minutes)
Exam / certification fees: Free for all eligible primary school candidates Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

Work through all 100 available questions
Review every answer and explanation
Track weak areas and revisit them
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

Grade 5 Scholarship Examination: Suggested Study Strategy

1Practice non-verbal reasoning problems daily to improve speed in recognizing shape rotations, symmetry lines, and matrix changes without getting stuck.

2Master mental calculation techniques for addition, subtraction, and multi-step word problems involving Sri Lankan Rupees (Rs.), liters, grams, and hours.

3Read environmental studies topics systematically, focusing on indigenous Sri Lankan fauna, national symbols, plant adaptations, and simple water cycle steps.

4Solve verbal logic questions by writing down clues and eliminating impossible options methodically rather than guessing on complex riddles.

5Simulate timed test conditions using 45-to-60 minute blocks to build the speed and sustained attention needed for examination day.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the primary purpose of the Grade 5 Scholarship Examination in Sri Lanka?

The examination serves two major purposes: first, to admit high-performing primary students to popular national schools (popularly termed 'national schools admission'); second, to provide monthly government financial assistance (bursaries) to gifted students from families below a specified annual income threshold.

How is the examination structured and scored?

The examination comprises two papers: Paper I has 45 multiple-choice questions focusing on non-verbal intelligence, pattern recognition, and abstract reasoning (1 hour). Paper II has 60 items covering language comprehension, mathematics, and environmental studies (1 hour 15 minutes). Both papers together yield a total composite score out of 200 marks.

In what languages is the official examination conducted?

The official examination is conducted exclusively in Sinhala and Tamil, reflecting the two official national media of primary instruction in Sri Lanka. The practice questions in this repository represent an English-language MCQ study adaptation developed to practice core logical, mathematical, and environmental reasoning skills.

How are cut-off marks determined each year?

District cut-off marks are calculated and published by the Department of Examinations following standard statistical normalization. Cut-offs vary by district and language medium to ensure equitable educational opportunities across urban, rural, and disadvantaged administrative districts.

Is participation in the Grade 5 Scholarship Examination mandatory?

No, sitting the examination is completely optional. While many students participate to seek admission to premier schools, pupils who choose not to sit or do not meet cut-offs continue their regular secondary education in their respective zone or neighborhood schools.

How does this practice bank adapt the official examination format?

While official papers are presented in Sinhala and Tamil with a mixture of MCQs and short-answer prompts, this practice set is structured as 100 multiple-choice questions in English. It preserves the exact conceptual difficulty, reasoning principles, arithmetic operations, and Sri Lankan environmental contexts evaluated in the national exam.