Diagrammatic Reasoning Tests

Diagrammatic reasoning tests have been designed to test your logical thinking. The test normally contains questions and multiple-choice answers. You’ll be asked to work out how a series of shapes or patterns are connected; using logic to do so. You’ll then have to select the answer that follows the pattern you’ve identified.

As with all tests, you’ll be asked to complete the questions under timed conditions, which means you need to act fast.

Unlike verbal or numerical reasoning tests, you may not have encountered questions like this before - so we always recommend practising as many test papers as you can.

Whichever public sector job you have your heart set on, it’s highly likely you’ll be asked to complete an aptitude test of some kind to prove you have the relevant skills needed for the role.

If you’re asked to take a diagrammatic reasoning test, it normally means the job you’re applying for requires a lot of logical thinking.

As well as logic, your ability to work well under pressure is also being examined.

Whether you’ve come up against a test like this before or not, practising diagrammatic reasoning tests will help you get better and faster.

Each question will present you with a sequence or pattern. Your job is to work out what it is that connects each one. Once you’ve done that, you’ll be able to select the correct answer from the possible answers given.

The time pressure in a diagrammatic reasoning test is normally fairly high and you’ll be expected to answer each question in about a minute - although this can vary from test to test.

The main skill the test is examining is your ability to think logically, and to do it quickly! Rational thinking and efficiency are skills that are highly valued in most organisations, but particularly in the public sector - where challenges requiring skills of this nature are common.