Example 1 · level 1 — a gentle start
Which picture has the shape above hidden inside it?
Answer: — Trace the shape's outline with your finger. It must be the same size and the same shape — only turned.
11+ hidden shapes questions
Hidden shapes is pure pattern-spotting — no reading, no arithmetic. Here is what the figures are doing, the order to check things in, and five worked examples with the reasoning written out, easiest first.
Non-verbal reasoning · examined by GL and CEM · 5 worked examples
What your child needs to know
- You are given a small shape. It is hiding inside one of the pictures.
- It is the SAME size — it may be turned round, but it is never bigger or smaller.
Where marks get lost: Trace its outline with your finger over each picture. Extra lines do not hide it.
Worked examples
Every question below is generated by the same engine your child practises on, and every answer is derived by our checker rather than written by hand — which is why we can put them on a public page at all.
Example 2 · level 2 — typical of early practice
Which picture has the shape above hidden inside it?
Answer: — Trace the shape's outline with your finger. It must be the same size and the same shape — only turned.
Example 3 · level 3 — standard paper difficulty
Which picture has the shape above hidden inside it?
Answer: — Trace the shape's outline with your finger. It must be the same size and the same shape — only turned.
Example 4 · level 4 — a harder paper
Which picture has the shape above hidden inside it?
Answer: — Trace the shape's outline with your finger. It must be the same size and the same shape — only turned.
Example 5 · level 5 — the level that separates candidates
Which picture has the shape above hidden inside it?
Answer: — Trace the shape's outline with your finger. It must be the same size and the same shape — only turned.
How to practise this at home
- Non-verbal reasoning improves fastest with a fixed checking order — count, then look at shading, then rotation, then position.
- Encourage your child to say the rule out loud before choosing. A rule they can state is a rule they can apply to the options.
- Do not rush to timed papers. Accuracy on the rule comes first; the speed follows it, never the other way round.
Practise hidden shapes with a tutor that explains
One4Learning serves questions at your child’s level, marks them instantly and — when one goes wrong — teaches the step they missed rather than showing the answer. Start with ten free questions, no account needed.
Take the free 10-question diagnostic →