CAT4 Level G (Year 11+) Practice Test 2026: Free PDF, Sample Questions & Tips
Clear guide for Year 11+ families with a free CAT4 Level G practice PDF, sample questions, and simple preparation tips.
- Free CAT4 Level G practice PDF with sample questions and clear guidance
- Understand the Level G format, timing, and all four CAT4 batteries
- Learn how to prepare more calmly for one of the most demanding CAT4 levels
- No sign-up needed to access the free guide and downloadable PDF
What is the CAT4 Level G Assessment?
CAT4 Level G Test is also called the Year 11+ Test.
GL Assessments provide the assessment.
It is a cognitive test with 4 categories.
It also acts as a school admission test.
Level G is for students in Year 11 and above between the ages of 14-17.
The assessment takes 72 minutes to complete.
It is the most advanced CAT4 Level.
The good news is you can practice and get better at the test.
What to Expect in the CAT4 Level G Test
CAT4 Level G Test Structure and Timing
- Part 120 min
- Part 226 min
- Part 326 min
Part 1
Non-Verbal battery
- 10:00
Figure Classification
- 10:00
Figure Matrices
Part 2
Verbal + Quantitative
- 8:00
Verbal Classification
- 8:00
Verbal Analogies
- 10:00
Number Analogies
Part 3
Quantitative + Spatial
- 8:00
Number Series
- 9:00
Figure Analysis
- 9:00
Figure Recognition
Pick the Best Prep for CAT4 Level G
Editor's Success Tips
1.Make a Simple Study Plan
- ✔Set aside time for each subject.
- ✔Focus on the hardest topics first.
- ✔Take short breaks to stay fresh.
2.Use the "Study & Rest" Method
- ✔Study for 25-30 minutes → Take a 5-minute break.
- ✔Repeat 4 times, then take a 15-minute break.
- ✔This keeps your brain sharp and prevents burnout.
Practice, Practice, Practice!
1.Take Full Practice Tests
- ✔Pretend it's the real test—use a timer and sit in a quiet space.
- ✔Go over your mistakes and learn from them.
2.Focus on Your Weak Areas
- ✔Spend extra time on topics you find hard.
- ✔Use practice questions to test yourself.
3.Review What You Learn Often
- ✔Don't cram—spread out your study sessions.
- ✔Use flashcards or quick notes to help remember key points.
Why It Works: The more you practice, the more confident you'll feel.
Test Day Tip: Try a mock test with a timer before the real exam. This will help you get comfortable with the time limits!
The Best CAT4 Level G Practice Tests
- Get a full online preparation course.
- Use our Free CAT4 Level G Practice Test PDF.
- You can also use our free CAT4 Practice test.
- Another option is our Free CAT4 Sample Test.
- Use a dedicated Video Course.
CAT4 Level G Free Practice Test
Quantitative Reasoning Sample Question
Verbal Reasoning Sample Question
These questions show us three words that are connected. Your mission is to find the word from the answer
choices that share the same connection.
guilt, shame, contrition
A. regret
B. remorse
C. anxiety
D. humility
E. embarrassment
Verbal Classification
The best way to solve this one is to look for the most precise shared meaning, not just a generally negative feeling.
What to notice first
The three stem words are not just unpleasant emotions. Guilt, shame, and contrition are all connected to moral self-reproach. They describe feeling bad about yourself because of wrongdoing, or because you believe you have done something wrong. So the correct answer must belong to that same emotional family, not merely to sadness, worry, awkwardness, or modesty.
Check 1
Name the common category
All three stem words point to moral self-condemnation or deep self-reproach.
Check 2
Be precise, not broad
A word may feel close in tone, but it is not enough for it to be generally negative. It must match the moral meaning.
Check 3
Test each option against the category
Ask: does this word show moral regret or self-reproach, or is it describing a different kind of feeling?
Core rule
Choose the word that matches the exact shared idea of moral self-reproach emotions.
Model the pattern
Step 1
Read the three stem words together and look for a narrow shared meaning. Here, guilt, shame, and contrition all involve feeling morally at fault.
Step 2
Turn that shared meaning into a simple label. A strong label here is moral self-reproach emotions.
Step 3
Now test the options one by one. The correct answer must fit that same moral-emotional category as closely as the three stem words do.
Option check
Eliminate
Regret is close, but it is broader. You can regret a mistake, a missed chance, or an outcome without any moral self-condemnation.
Correct
Remorse fits best because it means deep moral regret or self-reproach. It belongs naturally with guilt, shame, and contrition.
Eliminate
Anxiety means worry or apprehension about what may happen. It is not specifically about wrongdoing or moral blame.
Eliminate
Humility means modesty or a lack of arrogance. It is a character quality, not an emotion of guilt or self-reproach.
Eliminate
Embarrassment is social discomfort or awkwardness. It can happen without any moral fault, so it is not the best match.
Use this quick checklist next time
- Group the three stem words into one precise shared category.
- Reject options that are only generally similar or emotionally close.
- Choose the word that matches the exact meaning, not just the general mood.
Reflection
This question tests precision. Several options feel somewhat negative, but only one matches the moral meaning at the centre of all three stem words.
Bridge forward
In other verbal-classification questions, try to name the exact shared idea first. That usually makes the wrong answers fall away much faster.
Conclusion
Option B, remorse, is correct because it matches the shared idea of guilt, shame, and contrition: a deep feeling of moral self-reproach.
Level G Figure Matrices
- Figure Matrices questions show a 2×2 or 3×3 grid of shapes.
- In each row and column, the figures change according to the same pattern or rule.
- To find the missing box, look for how the shapes change across the matrix and choose the answer that completes the pattern correctly.
Figure Matrices · Level G
The key idea is to work across each row: the first two boxes are rotated 90° clockwise and then layered together in the third box.
What to notice first
Do not search for a random missing pattern. This matrix follows a row rule. In each row, the figure in the first box and the figure in the second box are each rotated 90° clockwise, and those rotated results are then placed together in the third box. That means the missing box in the middle row must be built from the second-row left box and the second-row middle box using exactly the same rotation-and-layer rule.
Check 1
Use the row rule
Row 1 shows the method clearly, and Row 3 confirms it. So Row 2 must work in the same way.
Check 2
Rotate both boxes 90° clockwise
The three vertical lines in the first box become three horizontal lines. The two horizontal lines in the second box become two vertical lines.
Check 3
Layer them in one box
The final answer must keep the correct line styles and the correct positions after rotation, not just the right number of lines.
Core rule
Across each row, Box 1 and Box 2 are rotated 90° clockwise and then combined to make Box 3.
Model the pattern
Step 1
Look at the second row. The first box has three vertical lines: a broken line on the left, a bold line in the middle, and a thin solid line on the right.
Step 2
Rotate that first box 90° clockwise. Those three vertical lines become three horizontal lines: the broken line moves to the top, the bold line stays in the middle, and the thin solid line moves to the bottom.
Step 3
Now rotate the second-row middle box 90° clockwise. Its two horizontal lines become two vertical lines: the broken line becomes the left vertical line and the thin solid line becomes the right vertical line. When these are layered with the three horizontal lines, only one option matches the full result exactly.
Option check
Eliminate
The two vertical lines are placed correctly, but the three horizontal lines are in the wrong order. The broken line should be at the top, not at the bottom.
Eliminate
The three horizontal lines are arranged correctly, but the vertical lines are reversed. After rotation, the broken vertical line should be on the left and the thin solid vertical line should be on the right.
Eliminate
The vertical lines fit the rule, but the two solid horizontal lines are swapped. The bold line should be in the middle, with the thin solid line at the bottom.
Eliminate
This option keeps the vertical lines in the right places, but the horizontal pattern is wrong. The bold line has moved to the top instead of staying in the middle.
Correct
This is the only option that shows all five lines in the correct rotated positions: a broken top horizontal, a bold middle horizontal, a thin bottom horizontal, a broken left vertical, and a thin solid right vertical.
Use this quick checklist next time
- First decide whether the matrix rule works across rows or down columns.
- Rotate each source box carefully before you compare options.
- Check line style and position together, because both must stay correct after rotation.
Reflection
This question becomes much easier when you stop guessing and rebuild the missing box step by step. The exact order of the lines matters just as much as the rotation itself.
Bridge forward
In other figure matrices questions, the same habit helps: identify the direction of the rule, apply the transformation carefully, and then test the final layout against every option.
Conclusion
Option E is correct because the missing box is made by rotating the first two boxes in the second row 90° clockwise and layering them together in the right order.
Figure Classification Sample Question
The Figure Classification questions show three pictures that share a connection or a characteristic.
Choose the answer that shares the same connection/characteristic from the answer choices.
Figure Classification · Level G
This is a relationship question, not a shape-naming question. The outer shape changes, but the shading logic stays the same.
What to notice first
In the three given figures, the large symmetrical shape is divided into four equal portions. Two neighbouring portions are shaded: one grey and one black. The inner circle then confirms the rule.
Check 1
Outer shape
It must be split into four equal parts.
Check 2
Outer shading
The black and grey portions must be next to each other.
Check 3
Inner circle
The shaded inner quarter must match the opposite outer portion.
Core rule
The outer figure sets the colour pattern. The inner circle confirms it. The key test is the opposite colour match.
Model the pattern
Find the constant feature
The outer shape changes, but each figure keeps the same four-part structure.
Track the coloured pair
The grey and black outer portions are always neighbouring sections.
Use the inner circle as confirmation
The shaded quarter inside the circle must match the colour of the opposite outer portion.
Option check
Correct
Option A keeps the full rule. The outer shape remains divided into four equal portions, the grey and black sections are adjacent, and the inner shaded quarter matches the opposite outer portion.
Eliminate
It looks close, but the inner-circle colour relationship is not preserved correctly.
Eliminate
The structure is divided, but the shading logic does not match the pattern from the examples.
Eliminate
This distractor is visually similar, but the opposite match rule fails.
Eliminate
It changes the structure too far and no longer behaves like the given figures.
Use this quick checklist next time
- Is the outer shape divided into four equal portions?
- Are the grey and black outer portions neighbours?
- Does the inner shaded quarter match the opposite outer portion?
Reflection
Strong students ignore surface shape changes and focus on the hidden relationship.
Bridge forward
In similar questions, do not ask which one looks the same. Ask which one keeps the same rule.
Conclusion
Option A is correct. The same four-part outer structure, adjacent grey/black shading, and opposite inner-circle match are preserved only in A.
Figure Analysis Sasmple Question
- Figure Analysis questions show a shape that is folded in stages.
- Students must track each fold carefully, use the symbols shown on the final visible section, and work out how the full figure would look when unfolded.
- The correct answer is the option that matches the exact position, direction, and symmetry of all symbols in the completed shape.
Figure Analysis · Paper Folding
The safest way to solve this question is to follow the folds step by step and rebuild the pattern by reflection.
What to notice first
Do not judge the answer by the overall look of the final square. Start with the narrow strip on the right and imagine the paper opening one fold at a time. Each time the paper unfolds, the symbols are reflected across the fold line. Circles stay the same because they are symmetrical. Triangles also stay the same because they are vertically symmetrical. The curved shapes are not symmetrical, so their direction flips each time the paper opens out. That means the finished square must show steady rows of circles and triangles, but alternating directions in the curved rows.
Check 1
Read the final strip
The narrow strip on the right shows the rows that must appear in the full square: circle, triangle, curved shape, curved shape, circle.
Check 2
Unfold by reflection
Each unfolding creates a mirror copy across the vertical fold line, so the pattern spreads across the square step by step.
Check 3
Watch which shapes flip
Symmetrical shapes stay unchanged, but the curved shapes reverse direction when reflected, so those rows must alternate correctly.
Core rule
When the paper unfolds, symmetrical shapes keep the same appearance, while non-symmetrical shapes appear as mirror-image flips across each fold.
Model the pattern
Step 1
Begin with the final folded strip, because that is the only part shown after all the folds. It tells you which symbol rows must exist in the full answer.
Step 2
Open the paper one fold at a time. Each new part is a reflected copy of what was already visible, so the same rows repeat across the square.
Step 3
Check how each row behaves. Circles and triangles should stay consistent, but the curved rows must switch direction as the mirror reflections repeat.
Option check
Eliminate
The circles and triangles repeat, but the curved symbols do not flip in the correct reflection pattern across the square.
Eliminate
This option breaks the reflected row structure. Some symbols are placed in ways that do not match a clean unfold from the final strip.
Eliminate
The curved symbols mostly keep the same direction, but they should alternate as mirror copies appear during unfolding.
Correct
This is the only option that keeps matching rows of circles and triangles while also showing the curved symbols flipping direction correctly as the reflections repeat.
Eliminate
This option comes close, but the curved rows do not follow the exact mirror-flip sequence created by the unfolding steps.
Use this quick checklist next time
- Start from the final folded strip, not from the full answer choices.
- Unfold one fold at a time and treat each new part as a mirror copy.
- Separate symmetrical shapes from non-symmetrical shapes and track which ones flip.
Reflection
This question looks busy at first, but the real task is just careful reflection tracking. Once you know which shapes stay the same and which shapes flip, the pattern becomes much clearer.
Bridge forward
The same method works in other paper-folding questions: follow the fold line, rebuild the pattern by reflection, and watch for shapes that reverse direction.
Conclusion
Option D is correct because it rebuilds the folded strip accurately across the square: the circles and triangles stay stable, while the curved symbols alternate direction exactly as mirror reflections should.
Get full access to 1,000+ CAT4 Level G practice questions with advanced explanations, mock tests, and higher-level strategies.
Get Full PracticeWhat Do CAT4 Level G Scores Mean for Year 11 and Above?
CAT4 Level G results are reported using three standardised score types, developed by GL Assessment to measure reasoning ability consistently across the national cohort. Each one gives schools and students a different angle on how a Year 11 or older student's cognitive abilities compare with pupils of the same age nationally. CAT4 Level G is the most advanced level of the Cognitive Abilities Test — used at the stage when GCSE outcomes are being finalised, sixth form applications are active, and A-level pathway decisions carry long-term academic consequences.
Standard Age Score (SAS)
The main score used to measure a student's performance against other students of exactly the same age. SAS scores run from 60 to 140, with 100 set as the national average. A score above 100 means the student performed better than the typical student of that age; below 100 means below average. On CAT4 Level G, the SAS is age-standardised for Year 11 and above, providing schools and sixth forms with a robust cognitive baseline at the most consequential transition point in secondary education.
National Percentile Rank (NPR)
Expresses a student's result as a position within the national population. An NPR of 75, for example, means the student scored higher than 75 out of every 100 same-age pupils nationally. NPR values range from 1 to 99. For CAT4 Level G results, the NPR gives students and parents a nationally benchmarked view of reasoning ability at the stage when sixth form admissions tutors and A-level subject teachers are making decisions about entry and predicted grades.
Stanine
A nine-point performance band that maps directly from the NPR. Stanines run from 1 (Very Low) to 9 (Very High) and group pupils into broad, easy-to-read bands. They help parents and teachers get a clear at-a-glance picture of where a student sits without needing to interpret a precise number. In CAT4 Level G reports, stanines provide sixth form leaders and university preparation programme coordinators with a consistent, comparable measure of reasoning potential that sits independently of GCSE grades.
Learn more about CAT4 scores and what they mean for Year 11 and above →
What is a Good CAT4 Score at Level G?
All CAT4 scores are centred on a national average of 100, standardised by GL Assessment across the full cohort. Knowing which band a CAT4 Level G score falls into helps students and parents understand their reasoning profile clearly and in context. On CAT4 Level G, most Year 11 and above students score between 85 and 115. At this stage, scores carry particular significance — a strong CAT4 Level G result is one of the most credible indicators of A-level readiness and longer-term academic potential available to schools and sixth forms.
Average (90–110)
Scores within this range are considered typical for a student's age. A score of exactly 100 is the national average; scores between 90 and 110 indicate reasoning ability that is broadly in line with same-age peers. For CAT4 Level G, this band reflects the majority of the national cohort and represents a solid reasoning foundation for mainstream A-level and vocational qualification pathways.
Above Average (111–119)
Scores in this range indicate reasoning ability above the national average for the student's age. Students scoring here are performing meaningfully better than most same-age peers, though not yet in the high-ability band. On CAT4 Level G, an above-average score supports entry to competitive sixth form programmes and indicates strong potential across demanding A-level subjects.
High Ability (120–129)
Scores in the 120–129 range point to strong reasoning skills and are often seen in students who engage quickly with complex concepts and demonstrate sustained academic confidence. On the CAT4 Level G assessment, a score in this band places a student in the top 10% nationally — a level associated with the highest A-level grade predictions and a competitive profile for university admissions.
Gifted and Talented (130+)
A score of 130 or above is typically classified as Gifted and Talented , reflecting exceptional reasoning ability compared with students of the same age across the country. On CAT4 Level G, a score of 130 or above places a student in the top 2% nationally — the level at which highly selective sixth forms, Oxbridge preparation programmes and competitive university courses become credible academic targets.
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Preparation Strategies
- ✔Learn the type of questions of the test.
- ✔Use CAT4 Test study guides and CAT4 practice tests.
- ✔Get more CAT4 practice test pdf.
- ✔Benefit from a Premium Preparation Course.
- ✔Use online resources and tutorials.
- ✔Take mock tests to simulate the test environment.
Conclusion
Preparation and knowing what to expect on test day are critical/crucial for successThis guide gives you the details and tactics you need to succeed.
We learned that free PDFs and study guides can help pupils understand the test structure.
You can also use a dedicated prep course.
This assessment helps schools understand students’ learning potential and academic strengths, so take a deep breath and take it easy.
Get full access to 1,000+ CAT4 Level G practice questions with advanced explanations, mock tests, and higher-level strategies.
Get Full PracticeFrequently Asked Questions
What is CAT4 Level G?
CAT4 Level G is the Cognitive Abilities Test typically used in Years 11–12 (around ages 14–17+) to profile reasoning at upper secondary.
Who takes this level and when?
Most schools use it with whole Year 11 or Year 12 cohorts. Dates are set by the school, but cohorts are usually tested in the same term for fair comparison.
What does this level assess?
Four areas of reasoning: verbal, non-verbal, quantitative, and spatial, giving a balanced view of learning potential alongside exam results.
How is the test structured?
There are four short, timed tests delivered in two parts, with fixed timings appropriate for upper secondary pupils.
Is it paper or online?
Schools may run it on paper or digitally; your school will confirm the format and instructions in advance.
How are scores reported?
Results are shown as Standard Age Scores (mean 100), percentiles, and stanines (1–9), comparing performance with same-age peers.
What is a good score at this level?
Around 100 SAS is average for age. Higher SAS and stanines indicate stronger reasoning, but schools consider the full profile, not a single number.
How do schools use the results?
Teachers use the profile to tailor support and stretch, inform subject guidance, set targets, and plan interventions alongside GCSE/IGCSE data.
How can my child prepare?
Familiarity helps: review sample item types, keep practice short and positive, and ensure good rest and a calm routine on test day.