In a code question, each letter position controls one feature of the shape. Work out what the first letters do, then what the second letters do, and the code gives itself up.
Non-verbal and spatial reasoning together carry 25% of the marks, according to the partnership entrance test page, and it is the section nothing in primary school prepares a child for.
What the question gives you
Several shapes, each labelled with a two-letter code, then a new shape with no code, and five options.
The codes are not arbitrary. Typically the first letter describes one property, such as the shape's outline, and the second letter describes another, such as its shading. Some questions use three letters and three properties.
Children often try to read the code as a whole. Splitting it by position is the entire method.
One position at a time
- Write out the first letters only, next to their shapes.
- Find what the shapes sharing a first letter have in common. That is what position one means.
- Repeat for the second letters, ignoring the first entirely.
- Read the new shape's features and assemble its code.
- Find that code among the options.
Treating one position at a time turns a confusing question into two easy ones, which is the same move that works on a series with two things changing.
| Position | Usually encodes | Work it out by |
|---|---|---|
| First letter | The outline or shape | Grouping shapes that share a first letter |
| Second letter | The shading or fill | Grouping shapes that share a second letter |
| Third, if present | Number of elements, or line style | The same way again, in isolation |
Working one through
Suppose the examples are a striped triangle coded AP, a striped square coded BP, and a black triangle coded AQ.
- First letters: both triangles are A, the square is B. So position one is the shape.
- Second letters: both striped shapes are P, the black one is Q. So position two is the shading.
- A black square would therefore be BQ.
Notice that neither conclusion needed the other. That independence is what makes the method reliable.
Where it goes wrong
- Reading the code as a single thing. Split it by position.
- Assuming the same letter means the same thing in both positions. An A in position one and an A in position two are unrelated.
- Not checking every example. A rule that fits two shapes and fails on the third is wrong.
- Giving up when a feature is not obvious. If shape and shading do not explain it, try number of sides, number of elements, or line style.
the partnership's familiarisation guide demonstrates only two non-verbal types, Figures alike and Hidden shapes, and says plainly that the real test contains types it does not show. So treat any list of question types, including this one, as the best available picture rather than a syllabus.
See our guide to letter and number codes, which is the verbal cousin of this question type.
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Two easy questions, not one hard one
Codes look intimidating because a child sees a jumble of letters next to a jumble of shapes and tries to make sense of all of it at once.
Split it. Cover the second letters and look only at the first. What do the shapes sharing a letter have in common? Then cover the first letters and do the same for the second. You have turned one confusing question into two straightforward ones.
That is the same move that works on a series where two things are changing, and on a matrix. Across the whole non-verbal section, the children who do well are the ones who stop trying to see the answer and start working through a list.
Mushtaque Ahmed, Founder of GrammarPath and Bright Mentors
Frequently asked questions
How do you solve non-verbal code questions?
Split the code by position. Write out the first letters only and find what the shapes sharing a first letter have in common, then do the same for the second letters, ignoring the first entirely. Each position controls one feature.
What do the letters in a non-verbal code mean?
Each position describes one property of the shape, commonly the outline for the first letter and the shading for the second. Some questions use three letters for three properties, such as shape, shading and the number of elements.
Does the same letter mean the same thing in both positions?
No, and assuming it does is a common error. An A in the first position and an A in the second are unrelated, because each position has its own independent meaning.
What if shape and shading do not explain the code?
Try other features: the number of sides, the number of elements inside the shape, or the line style such as solid against dashed. The principle is unchanged, only the property being encoded is different.
How do you check a code rule is right?
Test it against every example given, not just the two you worked it out from. A rule that fits two shapes and fails on a third is the wrong rule, and finding that out early saves the question.