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Sample California GATE Practice Questions
Wondering what kinds of questions your child will be asked on the California Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)? Here are six sample California GATE practice questions.
IMPORTANT: While the California GATE sample questions shown on this page are representative of what your child will be seeing, they aren’t taken directly from the actual test being administered this year.
Different Tests Administered for the California GATE Test
CogAT Test
Unlike academic tests that measure what a student has already learned, the CogAT aims to gauge the student’s potential to succeed in school-related tasks by measuring a broad range of cognitive skills.
The CogAT is divided into three primary battery sections, each of which tests a different area of cognitive function:
- Verbal Battery: This section evaluates verbal reasoning and language skills. Tasks may involve vocabulary, analogy solving, and sentence completion.
- Quantitative Battery: This part assesses quantitative reasoning skills, including number series, equation building, and quantitative relations.
- Nonverbal Battery: This section measures reasoning skills that do not require verbal or quantitative skills. It typically involves pattern recognition, figure analysis, and matrix reasoning.
OLSAT Test
The Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT) is a test commonly used to assess students’ verbal and nonverbal reasoning abilities. Like the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT), the OLSAT is often used in identifying students for gifted and talented programs, as well as for placement into advanced or specialized educational services. The test aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of a student’s cognitive abilities, rather than what they have learned in school.
The OLSAT is organized into two primary sections:
- Verbal Section: This includes verbal comprehension and verbal reasoning questions. Types of questions may include analogies, classifications, and logical reasoning tasks that involve verbal skills.
- Nonverbal Section: This portion includes questions that measure nonverbal reasoning abilities, including pattern recognition, series completions, and logic games that involve shapes and symbols rather than words.
Each section is further broken down into various subtests designed to measure different aspects of verbal or nonverbal reasoning.
NNAT Test
The Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT) is an exam designed to assess the nonverbal reasoning abilities of children. Unlike other tests like the CogAT or OLSAT, which have verbal and quantitative components, the NNAT focuses exclusively on nonverbal skills. The test aims to measure cognitive ability in a way that is less reliant on language skills and formal schooling, making it more suitable for a diverse range of students, including those who are English Language Learners (ELL) or have limited verbal skills.
The NNAT is composed of various types of nonverbal reasoning questions, which usually involve pattern completion, analogies, serial reasoning and spatial visualization. The questions often feature shapes, symbols, or patterns,and the student is required to identify relationships, complete sequences, or find missing elements among these visual elements.
California GATE Test Sample Question #1 – CogAT
Look at the abacus below. The beads form a pattern. The beads for the 6th rod are missing. Choose the rod that goes in the 6th place to complete the pattern.
California GATE Test Sample Question #2 – CogAT
Choose the box that has the shapes that include neither a circle nor a square.
California GATE Test Sample Question #3 – OLSAT
Choose the picture that shows this: Cindy dived off the board, but has not yet hit the water.
California GATE Test Sample Question #4 – OLSAT
Look at the shapes in the boxes on top. Do you see how they are related to each other? Can you find the answer that goes in the empty box, so the shapes in the bottom row will relate to each other in the same way as the shapes in the top row?
California GATE Test Sample Question #5 – NNAT
Look at the shapes in the boxes on top. Do you see how they are related to each other? Can you find the answer that goes in the empty box, so the shapes in the bottom row will relate to each other in the same way as the shapes in the top row?
California GATE Test Sample Question #6 – NNAT
Look at this puzzle. There is a piece missing. Touch the answer that shows the piece that completes the puzzle.
(Answers: 3rd from left, 3rd from left, 4th from left, 4th from left, B, A)
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Tell us about your experiences
51 Responses
Thomas Fenholt
The word “dived” from the GATE practice questions of the girl diving, is never or seldom used in American English like that which raises the question if this is a British based english test? If the modern accepted way of expressing the past tense of dive is most often “dove” and not “dived” since the 1800’s according to Merriam Webster’s “words at play”, why is this test using this past tense “dived” which kids are unfamiliar with unless they visit merry old England? Or is this just a trick to see if the kids will put two and two together? But it would seem weird to use impropriety to test a child as gifted. Perhaps one of the greatest gifts the school system could give us parents is common (straightforward) sense in education. Next olympics, I will pay closer attention during the diving competition and I bet they will say she “dove” excellently but also maybe “no one ever dived like that.”
ady062007@gmail.com
This will really help me for tommorow! :}
ady062007@gmail.com
Thank you for showing me this website. I shall be taking this test tomorrow. This is so helpful!!!!!!!!!!!!
ady062007@gmail.com
I have a question does it get even harder? If it does thank you cause I wan to challenge myself.
Hugovrg@hotmail.com
Tomorrow will be my GATE test and I hope this questions will help me for my GATE test 🙂
The questions on this test are easy, it’s just that I have a question ; do the questions improve?
katiehikt@gmail.com
Taking this test soon and i’m really nervous cause it determines pretty much my next few years. I really appreciate the work that is put out there! Hopefully I can find harder questions on this website.
Govener
I love this I’m in 2nd grader and I got 5/6 on my first try. I hope it helps me tomorrow!
Anoushka
This was so helpful for me because i have a GATE exam and i hope i will secsed in the GATE exam i know i will because of this THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!
mlukmani@gmail.com
This is really helpful
darmiknambiar1@gmail.com
Why am i seeing only 6 sample questions, i thought i can get access to 1000s of questions, can some one point the tests link for me
TestingMom.com
Hi Darmik,
You can log in to the TestingMom.com members portal by clicking log in in the upper right of the website. From there, you can set up your own program to see practice questions specific to the test your child will take. You can also live chat, email, or call us for additional help!
ling chen
this is really helpful!
shirley yang
I’m a third grader and these are too easy. Do you have things that are third grader cause tomorrow in Millard and Mrs. Harrison said I need a good sleep, good dinner, and good breakfast tomorrow!
A.
I am a U.S./California native, educated in the ’60s and ’70s.
I’m very happy that the correct past tense of the word “to dive” was used.
I cringe when I hear Americans ubiquitously say “dove” (long “o”).
alleungyy@yahoo.com
Don’t trick people saying they can get 100 practice questions free by providing an email. This is really bad business practice because there is actual no questions being sent to the email as stated. .
TestingMom.com
Hi Alleungyy,
You can view the 100 free practice question here: . You must be signed in to your TestingMom account (email) to view them.
Angela D
Im taking the test next tuesday and is the gifted test fun?
28mnguyen14@ggusd.net
I think this is a great practice for a test
Pallavi
Helpful in initial practice.
Dione
I just had my 8 year old 3rd grader complete the 5 sample questions and he got them all right. What does that mean?
Ricky Lee
Are the GATE tests the same for every grade level? I’m taking the GATE test in eighth grade, so I’m a little fearful that they may make my test harder.
Trinh
Thank you so much. These are very helpful
khadijataremu4@gmail.com
it really helped my kid because it is going to be on the test but thxs for having here in the gate testing she is smart kind and brave and she really wanted to be in it so i told the school and she got in i am so happy that she is in and brave i really hope she did good and passed she says it is easy but when she dose it again it will get harder so help her and this is really helpful thank you california gate practice
Leslie
Nice
tkimtran19@gmail.com
How can I try the sample practice gate test?
TestingMom.com
Our 100 Free Questions are a great sampling from many of the tests we support. Here are step-by-step instructions on how to access the 100 Free Practice Questions (No purchase necessary):
1.) Go to www.testingmom.com and log in using your email address and password.
2.) Once you are logged in, click the “100 FREE QUESTIONS” button on the left-hand side of the page Or, you can follow this link: 100 Free Questions.
3.) Once redirected, you will see a large, blue box that reads “FREE QUESTIONS.” Click the orange button that reads “UNLOCK NOW.”
All the best!
Marcus
Joe
I got a gate program and my teacher recommended it for me, should i do it?
TestingMom.com
We feel that is important to always try your best, so we would recommend you try it!
All the best,
Ryan
Jennifer
I want to receive your 100 free practice questions.
What “password” are you asking for? Or is this a new password I am going to make up.
This is very confusing.
Please explain.
Thank you!
Jennifer
TestingMom.com
Hi Jennifer,
You will need to login under your free subscriber account to access the free questions. The login information is your email address as your username and the password you created. Once you are logged in you can select “free questions” from the left hand side toolbar. I have also sent you an email with the links.
Best,
MAyra
frances
i hope these are going to be on the test for me tomorrow because i got all of these right this will be a big help ^.^ ;-; 🙂
pclara74@gmail.com
Good
Carmen Bazurto
This really helps! Thank you !
Eva B.
I am taking the test next month.Could you put more questions?
TestingMom.com
Our 100 Free Questions are a great sampling from many of the tests we support. Here are step-by-step instructions on how to access the 100 Free Practice Questions (No purchase necessary):
1.) Go to www.testingmom.com and log in using your email address and password.
2.) Once you are logged in, click the “100 FREE QUESTIONS” button on the left-hand side of the page Or, you can follow this link: 100 Free Questions.
3.) Once redirected, you will see a large, blue box that reads “FREE QUESTIONS.” Click the orange button that reads “UNLOCK NOW.”
All the best,
Marcus
cevy07@gmail.com
I am in third grade and this is really helpful for my gate test on January or February. So thanks a lot!
Michael
Amazing
Zhihao
I am taking the test after winter break! My teacher told me it was harder but this is helpful already
Nived
It was the best test prep I have ever taken!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
vy9438@pleasantonusd.net
What? I was said I would be getting “100 free questions” it’s a rip off too, the questions are sooo easy
TestingMom.com
Thank you for reaching out to us.
Our 100 Free Questions are a great sampling from many of the tests we support. Here are step-by-step instructions on how to access the 100 Free Practice Questions (No purchase necessary):
1.) Go to www.testingmom.com and log in using your email address and password.
2.) Once you are logged in, click the “100 FREE QUESTIONS” button on the left-hand side of the page.
3.) Once redirected, you will see a large, blue box that reads “FREE QUESTIONS.” Click the orange button that reads “UNLOCK NOW.”
All the best,
Marcus
richasanjeev@gmail.com
When is gate test scheduled?
Jeff
My Granddaughter age 6 answered all questions correct. How do we find a school in Tulare county for her.
Mr. LaMoureaux
f.parveen1@lodiusd.org
Hi
qenebet@gmail.com
Hi
fuqin.zhai@gmail.com
It’s fun!
rayyan.gagan@gmail.com
Where are my free 100 questions
TestingMom.com
Thank you for reaching out to us!
Our 100 Free Questions are a great sampling from many of the tests we support. Here are step-by-step instructions on how to access the 100 Free Practice Questions (No purchase necessary):
Go to https://www.testingmom.com and log in using your email address and password. Once you are logged in,you can follow this link: 100 Free Questions.
Once redirected, you will see a large, blue box that reads “FREE QUESTIONS.” Click the orange button that reads “UNLOCK NOW.”
All the best,
Marcus
2130015344@ruesd.net
I’m confused on the diving board one. It says she dived, while she hasn’t even gotten on?
myemailcool123@gmail.com
This was very easy & I really needed this help for My GATE test. I will take it in November, and I am sure testingmom.com will help me pass. It is tense and so far, it is helping a lot.
NN
Hello I’m a 2’nd Grader and I’m REALLY interested in this I can’t WAIT!
Sincerely Ethan
It’s a me a MARIO!!!!