Abstract Reasoning Test Tips for Nigerian Graduates (With Examples)
Looking for practical abstract reasoning test tips for Nigerian graduates? Start by learning how to describe what changes in a diagram. Instead of staring at the whole picture and hoping the answer becomes obvious, separate its features: number, direction, position, shading and shape.
An abstract reasoning question asks you to infer a rule from visual information and apply it to a missing figure or a new arrangement. You may encounter this format during a graduate recruitment assessment, but the invitation determines the actual question style and conditions.
This guide provides a repeatable solving method, six original worked examples and a seven-day practice plan. The questions are teaching exercises created for Recruitment Desk, not official employer questions or leaked assessment material.
Abstract Reasoning Test Overview
| Topic | What to remember |
|---|---|
| Main task | Infer and apply a visual rule |
| Useful features to inspect | Count, direction, position, shading, size and shape |
| Possible formats | Sequences, missing cells, classifications or interactive tasks |
| Timing and navigation | Check the assessment instructions |
| Preparation approach | Build accuracy, explain errors, then practise pacing |
| Examples below | Original simplified practice questions with explanations |
What Does Abstract Reasoning Test?
The central task is recognising relationships rather than recalling facts from a university course. You might need to notice that a shape moves, an arrow turns or two cells combine to produce a third.
Related assessments may be labelled inductive or diagrammatic reasoning, although providers can use those terms for different formats. Read the invitation rather than assuming every test with a familiar label works identically.
You do not need advanced mathematics for the examples in this guide. You do need careful counting and attention to how a rule behaves across several frames. A pattern that explains only the final pair is not yet a convincing solution.
A Five-Step Method for Solving Questions
- Identify the task. Are you completing a sequence, filling a matrix or finding an exception?
- List the features. Count the objects and note their position, orientation and shading.
- Test one change. Try a simple explanation before adding another rule.
- Check every frame. Reject an explanation that fails an earlier transition.
- Compare the options. Eliminate choices that contradict the complete rule.
For a matrix, inspect both rows and columns where appropriate. For a sequence, consider whether alternate positions form separate patterns. Keep your explanation short: “one extra dot, same shape” is easier to test than a complicated story.
Use the answer options to narrow possibilities, but avoid choosing a favourite and inventing a rule around it.
Example 1: A Counting Sequence
Question: Three frames contain two, four and six identical outlined squares. Which number of squares should the next frame contain?
Options: A: four; B: six; C: eight; D: ten.
Answer: C — eight squares.
The count increases by two at each transition: two to four, then four to six. Applying the same change gives eight. The shape and shading remain fixed, so they do not need a separate explanation.
Lesson: Count individual objects before looking for a difficult transformation. Also check what stays constant. In a more detailed diagram, decorative lines can distract you from a straightforward numerical change.
Example 2: Counterclockwise Rotation
Question: An arrow points right, then up, then left. What comes next?
→ ↑ ← ?
Options: A: right; B: down; C: up; D: left.
Answer: B — down.
Each arrow turns 90 degrees counterclockwise. Turning left by another 90 degrees produces a downward-pointing arrow. The next turn after that would return it to the right.
Lesson: State both the angle and direction. “It rotates” is incomplete. Check that your chosen direction explains every transition, and distinguish a rotation from a reflection across a line.
Example 3: Two Interleaved Sequences
Question: Read these frames in order: one circle, six squares, two circles, five squares, three circles, question mark. What fills the final frame?
Options: A: four squares; B: four circles; C: six squares; D: three squares.
Answer: A — four squares.
The odd-numbered frames contain one, two and three circles. The even-numbered frames contain six, five and then four squares. Each track has its own consistent change.
Lesson: If adjacent frames appear unrelated, compare positions one, three and five, then positions two, four and six. This is especially useful when two shapes alternate. Still verify both tracks before committing to an answer.
Example 4: Count and Shading Together
Question: Frame one contains one filled triangle. Frame two contains two outlined triangles. Frame three contains three filled triangles. Choose the next frame.
Options: A: four filled triangles; B: three outlined triangles; C: four outlined triangles; D: two filled triangles.
Answer: C — four outlined triangles.
There are two simultaneous changes: the count increases by one and the shading alternates between filled and outlined. Option A matches the count but fails the shading rule. Option B matches the next shading but fails the count.
Lesson: A partly correct answer is still incorrect. Once a rule narrows your choices, inspect another feature rather than stopping too early.
Example 5: Combining Shapes in a Matrix
Question: In each row, the third cell combines the shapes from the first two cells without removing or duplicating them. Complete the final cell.
| First cell | Second cell | Third cell |
|---|---|---|
| Circle | Triangle | Circle and triangle |
| Square | Star | Square and star |
| Diamond | Plus sign | ? |
Options: A: diamond only; B: plus sign only; C: circle and plus sign; D: diamond and plus sign.
Answer: D — diamond and plus sign.
The first two completed rows show the combination rule. Applying it to the final row retains both input shapes.
Lesson: Matrix questions can involve relationships within a row rather than a sequence running through every cell. This example states the rule explicitly for teaching; in an assessment you may need to infer it from the completed rows.
Example 6: Finding a Positional Exception
Question: Three options share the same positional repetition rule. Which option is the exception?
- A: circle, circle, triangle.
- B: square, square, circle.
- C: triangle, triangle, square.
- D: circle, triangle, circle.
Answer: D.
In A, B and C, positions one and two contain the same shape, while position three differs. In D, positions one and three match instead. The exception concerns placement, not which particular shape appears.
Lesson: In classification questions, compare relationships within each option. Counting the number of different shapes alone would not distinguish these four choices.
Manage Time Using Your Actual Instructions
For a fixed-length practice set, divide total time by the number of questions to estimate an average pace. For example, 12 questions in 18 minutes gives 90 seconds per question. This is a practice calculation, not a claimed standard for Nigerian recruitment tests.
Use the average as a guide rather than a rigid allowance. Easier questions may take less time and leave room for harder ones. Some assessments are adaptive or restrict navigation, so their pacing may work differently.
Only skip and return if the interface allows it. Follow the stated scoring rules when deciding how to handle an uncertain answer. Do not assume a penalty or invent one when the instructions say otherwise.
A Seven-Day Practice Plan
| Day | Suggested focus |
|---|---|
| 1 | Solve a small untimed set and identify your main difficulties. |
| 2 | Practise counting and shading changes. |
| 3 | Work on rotation, reflection and movement. |
| 4 | Try alternating sequences and combined rules. |
| 5 | Practise matrices and classification questions. |
| 6 | Complete a timed set under permitted test conditions. |
| 7 | Review errors and prepare your device and test space. |
Keep an error log containing the rule you missed, why your answer failed and what you will check next time. Separate reasoning errors from accidental clicks or time pressure. Repeating the same questions from memory gives less useful feedback than explaining your mistakes and trying new ones.
Prepare for Power, Data and Device Requirements
For an online assessment in Nigeria, plan for practical interruptions. Charge the required device, arrange a suitable backup power option where possible and check your connection before the appointment.
Use the supported browser and device specified by the provider. A test that works on a laptop may not support a phone. Check camera, identification and room requirements if the session is supervised.
Read whether rough paper, calculators or other aids are allowed. If you need an accessibility adjustment, contact the recruiter or provider before the test. Report technical failures through the stated support route and keep any case reference.
Where to Find Suitable Practice
Begin with the assessment provider named in your invitation. SHL’s candidate support information confirms that it offers some free practice tests to help candidates become familiar with assessment formats.
Use its candidate practice guidance to locate the appropriate resources. Practice difficulty and format may differ from your actual assessment. Original exercises such as those above build familiarity; they do not guarantee a score or selection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there one abstract reasoning test for all Nigerian graduates?
No single format is established here. Use the invitation for your employer’s assessment rather than assuming a national timetable or common pass mark.
Should I memorise the answers?
Focus on explaining the rule and testing it. Remembering an answer to a familiar question does not show that you can solve a new one.
Does a high score guarantee a job?
A test is one possible recruitment stage. The employer determines how results and other application information affect progression.
Start With Accuracy, Then Build Pace
Work through the six examples without looking at their answers, explain each rule and record any mistake. Then practise unfamiliar questions with the conditions in your invitation in mind. A consistent checking method gives your preparation a clearer direction than repeatedly guessing at whole diagrams.