A modern IQ test samples six cognitive domains: pattern recognition, numerical reasoning, logical reasoning, verbal reasoning, spatial reasoning, and working memory. The format is the same across domains — a stem, six options, one correct answer — but the underlying skills differ. Below is one worked sample per domain, each with the answer and a short explanation. None of these specific items appear in the real test; they're here to show you the format and difficulty.
Once you've worked through them, you can take the full 41-question IQ test (instant result, no signup) or try a single-domain mini-test if you want a quick read on one ability.
What number completes the sequence?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: D — 32.
Each term doubles: 2 × 2 = 4, 4 × 2 = 8, 8 × 2 = 16, 16 × 2 = 32. This is a geometric sequence with ratio 2. The classic distractor here is 64 (F), which would be correct if you continued two steps further; reading the question as "the next term" rules it out.
Pattern recognition items test detection of multiplicative, additive, or compound rules in symbolic sequences. They correlate strongly with general intelligence (g). Try 10 pattern questions →
What number completes the sequence?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: C — 38.
The differences between consecutive terms are 3, 5, 7, 9 — consecutive odd numbers. The next difference is 11, so 27 + 11 = 38. Equivalently, the nth term equals n² + 2: 1+2, 4+2, 9+2, 16+2, 25+2, 36+2 = 38.
Numerical reasoning items test detection of compound and recursive numeric rules. Two-step sequences (where the differences follow a rule) are a reliable difficulty bump. Try 10 numerical questions →
Given the premises below, which conclusion must be true?
1. All chemists are scientists.
2. Some scientists work in laboratories.
Show answer & explanation
Answer: D — Some scientists are chemists.
From premise 1, every chemist is also a scientist, so chemists form a subset of scientists. That guarantees at least some scientists are chemists (assuming chemists exist).
The trap is A and B — they sound right but require an extra premise. We know some scientists work in laboratories, but we don't know which scientists. None of those laboratory-working scientists may be chemists. So neither A nor B follows.
Logical reasoning items test deductive inference: distinguishing what follows necessarily from what merely sounds plausible. The most common error is overgeneralisation from "some" premises. Try 10 logical reasoning questions →
Complete the analogy:
Show answer & explanation
Answer: C — Grapes.
The relationship is place : the items it stores or produces in their primary form. A library holds books, not pages or readers; a vineyard produces grapes, not the wine made from them later. Wine (A) is the trap — tempting because it's strongly associated with vineyards, but it parallels a wine cellar, not the vineyard itself.
Verbal analogies are easier when you can articulate the relationship between the first pair as a sentence: "A library is the place where books are kept." Apply the same template to the second pair.
Verbal reasoning items test vocabulary depth, analogical mapping, and semantic precision. Functional analogies (where the relationship is abstract) are a reliable difficulty step up from simple synonym/antonym pairs. Try 10 verbal questions →
A square piece of paper is folded in half top-to-bottom, then in half left-to-right. A single hole is punched through all layers near the centre of the folded square. When the paper is fully unfolded, how many holes are in it?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: D — 4.
Each fold doubles the number of layers. One fold → 2 layers. Two folds → 4 layers. A single punch passes through all 4 layers, leaving 4 holes when unfolded. The holes appear in a 2×2 arrangement, mirrored across both fold lines.
The intuition shortcut: the number of holes equals 2n where n is the number of folds, as long as no fold lies on the punch site itself.
Spatial reasoning items test mental manipulation of 2D and 3D shapes — folding, rotating, mirroring. They predict STEM achievement uniquely, even after controlling for math scores. Try 10 spatial questions →
Imagine the digits below were flashed for three seconds, then disappeared. Recall them in reverse order:
Show answer & explanation
Answer: B — 5 · 9 · 2 · 7 · 4.
Read the original sequence (4, 7, 2, 9, 5) backwards: 5 first, then 9, then 2, then 7, then 4. The other options each transpose at least one adjacent pair — a common error when the digits are mentally held but not stably ordered.
In the real working-memory test, the sequence disappears before the options appear, so you can't visually compare. The trick is to chunk the digits into pairs while they're visible (4-7, 2-9, 5) and rehearse them sub-vocally.
Working memory items test how much information you can hold in mind and manipulate. Reversed digit span is the canonical task — storage plus reordering — and correlates with fluid intelligence at around r = 0.7. Try 10 working memory questions →
Ready for the real thing?
The full IQ test is 41 calibrated questions across all six domains, scored on the standard IQ scale (mean 100, SD 15). Includes a five-domain breakdown, cognitive archetype, and a personalized PDF certificate.
Take the full IQ testHow to use these samples
- Read each item once before revealing the answer. If you can't decide within 60–90 seconds, that's useful information about which domain is your strength and which is your relative weakness.
- Don't memorise the items. Heavy practice on a small set of questions inflates scores by training the test rather than the underlying ability. The samples are illustrative; the real test has a separate item bank.
- Use the explanations. The reasoning behind the correct answer matters more than the answer itself. If you missed an item, knowing why calibrates how to read similar items in the full test.
- Pick your weakest-feeling domain and try the matching mini. Each domain has a free 10-question mini-test that gives a fuller read than a single sample can.
Frequently asked questions
What does an IQ test sample question look like?
A typical IQ test question presents a stem (the puzzle or prompt), a small set of multiple-choice options, and exactly one correct answer. Items are organised by cognitive domain — pattern recognition, numerical reasoning, logical reasoning, verbal reasoning, spatial reasoning, and working memory — and difficulty rises across the test.
Are these the same questions as the real test?
No. The samples on this page are illustrative — they show the format and difficulty of each domain so you know what to expect. The full assessment uses a separate, calibrated item bank with 41 questions across all six domains.
How many sample questions should I do before the real test?
One worked example per domain is enough to learn the format. Heavy practice on the same item types inflates scores by training pattern recognition on the test itself rather than measuring underlying ability — practice effects are well-documented and are why most clinical batteries restrict re-testing.
Are these sample questions free?
Yes. All sample questions, the six domain mini-tests, and the full 41-question assessment are free with no signup required.
Try a single-domain mini next
- Pattern recognition mini-test — 10 questions.
- Numerical reasoning mini-test — 10 questions.
- Logical reasoning mini-test — 10 questions.
- Verbal reasoning mini-test — 10 questions.
- Spatial reasoning mini-test — 10 questions.
- Working memory mini-test — 10 questions.