EPSO practice / Abstract reasoning

EPSO abstract reasoning practice

Find the rule in a series of figures and choose the one that comes next. The AD5 test has 10 questions in 10 minutes.

Updated

Take the timed testStart with a drill
  1. 1Figure 1. black square at top left.
  2. 2Figure 2. black square at top left; black square at top center.
  3. 3Figure 3. black square at top left; black square at top center; black square at top right.
  4. 4Figure 4. black square at top left; black square at top center; black square at top right; black square at middle left.
  5. 5Figure 5. black square at top left; black square at top center; black square at top right; black square at middle left; black square at center.
  6. 6

Which figure comes next in the series?

Choose an answer
Select A–E, then check your answer.

The format

EPSO’s sample abstract question shows five figures in a row and asks which diagram comes next, with five options, A to E. The AD5 abstract test has 10 questions in 10 minutes, about 1 minute per question. Its score is added to your numerical reasoning score, and together they need at least 10 out of 20.

Sources: notice of competition EPSO/AD/427/26 and EPSO’s sample mock test.

How to approach each question

Track one feature at a time

Follow one shape through all five figures before looking at the next. Note position, direction, number, shape and shading separately.

Describe the step between figures

Put the change into words: “moves two places clockwise”, “turns 90° counterclockwise”, “one more dot each time”.

Predict before looking at the options

Decide what the sixth figure must contain, then eliminate every option that breaks any part of your prediction.

Keep moving

With one minute per question, do not spend long on any one series. In our timed practice you can flag a question and return to it before the clock runs out.

Common traps in wrong answers

  • An option that gets the position right but the shading or direction wrong.
  • An option that simply repeats the fifth figure.
  • Two shapes moving in opposite directions: an option that moves both the same way.
  • A cycle that repeats: the answer can match an earlier figure.

Practice abstract reasoning

Abstract reasoning test

10 original questions on EPSO’s 10-minute clock, with a full review at the end.

10 questions · 10 minutesAssessment pass
View test

Abstract reasoning drill

Six untimed questions with a worked explanation after each answer.

6 questions · UntimedSign in to check access
View drill

Ready for all three tests together? Take full Part 1 practice. Read the EPSO study guide for pacing and strategy.

Common questions

How many questions are in the EPSO abstract reasoning test?

For the AD5 2026 competition, 10 questions in 10 minutes, scored 0 to 10. Numerical and abstract reasoning together need at least 10 out of 20.

Does abstract reasoning depend on language?

The figures do not use words. EPSO sets all three reasoning tests in your language 1, and EU Careers publishes its abstract reasoning samples in English.

How can I get faster at abstract reasoning?

Learn the common rule types: movement, rotation, counting, alternating shading and combinations. Then practice under a one-minute-per-question clock and review the rule for every miss.

Original independent preparation. Not affiliated with or endorsed by EPSO or any EU institution.