OLSAT (Otis-Lennon) practice test: free OLSAT-style questions

The Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT 8) looks at verbal, nonverbal and quantitative reasoning. Its youngest levels have one feature that surprises parents: in kindergarten to 2nd grade the examiner reads each question aloud only once. A child who drifts for a moment can miss a whole question, so careful listening is as important as reasoning. This guide explains the test and how to practice.

Which districts use the OLSAT

The OLSAT is less common than the CogAT in the district plans we have researched. Los Angeles Unified uses the OLSAT-8 in 2nd grade for one GATE category; Los Alamitos, CA screens all 3rd graders with it; Jefferson Elementary (Tracy), CA offers it in grades 2–8; and Mooresville, NC uses it for referred students. Some districts, such as Durham, NC, accept an OLSAT score among other ability tests.

What the OLSAT looks like

According to the publisher's overview, the OLSAT 8 measures verbal, nonverbal and quantitative ability from kindergarten to 12th grade, with one form and seven levels. It is untimed with a 75-minute maximum, and comes on paper and, for Levels D to G, online. The publisher's sample questions for the youngest levels, printed in New York City's 2020 gifted and talented guide, show the examiner reading each question aloud once and four answer pictures in each row.

Prep publishers usually pair the levels with grades like this: A for kindergarten, B for 1st grade, C for 2nd grade, D for 3rd grade and E for 4th–5th grade.

Kindergarten to 2nd grade (Levels A–C)

• Verbal comprehension. Following directions read aloud, such as finding the shape right below a heart, or the letter inside both circles.
• Verbal reasoning. A short description or number story is read aloud, and your child picks the picture that fits it or shows how many.
• Pictorial reasoning. Picture analogies, the picture that doesn't belong, and picture patterns.
• Figural reasoning. Shape analogies, shape patterns, the shape that doesn't belong and pattern grids.

3rd to 5th grade (Levels D–E)

From Level D your child reads. Prep publishers list opposites, sentences with a missing word, scrambled sentences, word analogies, the word that doesn't belong, short word problems, and from Level E inference questions. Quantitative reasoning is added: number series, number pairs that follow a rule and number grids. Figural reasoning continues with shape analogies, patterns and grids.

Our OLSAT page shows examples of each type.

How to practice

Listening (K–2). Play "do what I say" with directions in two steps: "Touch the square that has a circle inside it." Say each direction once only, just as on the test. Ask your child to wait until you finish before pointing.

Number stories (K–2). Tell tiny stories at dinner: "Sam had two apples and ate one. How many are left?" Your child answers by pointing or holding up fingers.

Patterns and analogies (all grades). Say the change out loud: "it gets bigger", "it turns", "one more each time". Check the answer works across the row and down the column.

Reading and words (3rd grade up). Talk about word meanings, opposites and why two words go together. Daily reading builds the vocabulary these questions use.

A simple plan. Ten to fifteen minutes a day for four to six weeks. Weeks 1–2: meet each type together. Weeks 3–4: mixed short sets. Last weeks: work alone, then review misses.

Free OLSAT-style practice

• The free sample quiz has OLSAT-style questions to try right away.
• Our puzzle activities build listening and pattern skills at home.
• A free readiness check shows which question types are new or harder for your child. It is a practice estimate, not an OLSAT score.

When the results come home, read OLSAT scores explained.

GiftedCub practice is designed to help children feel familiar and comfortable with question formats. It is not the actual test, and no practice service can guarantee a score or placement.

CogAT® is a registered trademark of Riverside Assessments, LLC. NNAT® is a trademark of Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliates. OLSAT® is a registered trademark and Naglieri General Ability Tests™ a trademark of Multi-Health Systems Inc. (MHS). These owners are not affiliated with and do not endorse GiftedCub. Test names are used only to describe the formats our original practice material is designed to resemble.