Quick Theory

Non-Verbal Reasoning (NVR) tests your ability to understand and analyse visual information and solve problems using visual logic instead of words or numbers. In Railway exams, NVR is asked under the “General Intelligence & Reasoning” section and carries 8-12 questions. The common families are: Series, Classification, Analogy, Mirror & Water Images, Embedded Figures, Pattern Completion, Paper Folding & Cutting, Cubes & Dice, and Counting of Figures. Every question is figure-based; hence speed of perception and elimination is more important than raw calculation.

The Railway pattern is predictable:

• Series & Analogy dominate (≈40 %).
• Mirror/Water & Paper folding come next (≈25 %).
• Counting & Embedded are usually 1-mark speed-breakers.
  No figure is drawn to scale, but symmetry, rotation (45°, 90°, 180°), clockwise/anti-clockwise movement, and incremental/decremental strokes are the only logics ever used. If you can spot the “change rule” in the first 10 seconds, you will crack 90 % questions without wasting scratch paper.

Practice Set – 25 MCQs

Instructions: Choose the figure that best completes the statement or series.

1. Easy – Series

Problem Figures: (1) □ (2) □ with one diagonal (3) □ with two diagonals … what is next?
A. □ with three diagonals
B. □ with horizontal line
C. □ with cross
D. □ only

2. Easy – Classification

Which shape is the odd one out?
A. Circle
B. Square
C. Triangle
D. Rectangle

3. Easy – Mirror Image

Choose the correct mirror image of “P3q” along vertical mirror on right.
A. q3P
B. P3q
C. qƐb
D. bƐq

4. Easy – Analogy

Moon : Night :: Sun : ?
A. Day
B. Star
C. Light
D. Sky

5. Easy – Counting

How many triangles are there in the given figure (a big triangle divided into 4 smaller equal triangles)?
A. 5
B. 8
C. 4
D. 6

6. Medium – Series

Figure sequence: 1 dot, 2 dots, 4 dots, 8 dots … next?
A. 12
B. 16
C. 10
D. 14

7. Medium – Classification

Choose the odd one out.
A. 4-sided figure with all angles 90°
B. Rhombus
C. Square
D. Rectangle

8. Medium – Analogy

Figure A is to B as C is to ? (A→B: outer shape rotated 90° clockwise and inner colour inverted)
A. D1
B. D2
C. D3
D. D4

9. Medium – Embedded

Find which option contains the given figure (X) exactly embedded.
A. Complex-A
B. Complex-B
C. Complex-C
D. Complex-D

10. Medium – Paper Folding

A square paper folded twice (corner to corner) and a small circle is punched. On unfolding, how many circles appear?
A. 2
B. 4
C. 8
D. 3

11. Medium – Water Image

Choose the water image of “RAIL78”.
A. ƆI⅃Я87
B. RAIL78
C. ƆI⅃Я78
D. ЯI⅃Ɔ87

12. Medium – Series

Each figure adds one arrowhead on a line, alternating sides. 5th figure should have:
A. 5 arrowheads on top
B. 5 arrowheads on bottom
C. 4 on top
D. 6 on bottom

13. Medium – Cube & Dice

Which opposite face is correct when 1, 2, 3 are adjacent in clockwise order?
A. 4
B. 5
C. 6
D. 2

14. Hard – Series

Figures: Pentagon → Hexagon → Heptagon → ?
A. Octagon
B. Square
C. Circle
D. Nonagon

15. Hard – Pattern Completion

Complete the 9×9 grid pattern (checkerboard with one diagonal missing). Missing tile should have:
A. Black top-left triangle
B. White top-left triangle
C. Full black
D. Full white

16. Hard – Classification

All figures except one can be rotated to look identical. Find the odd.
A. Z-shape
B. N-shape
C. S-shape
D. Mirror-Z

17. Hard – Analogy

3D cube net is to cube as 2D cross is to ?
A. Sphere
B. Pyramid
C. Octahedron
D. Tetrahedron

18. Hard – Embedded

The question figure is a zig-zag of 5 lines; find the exact sub-figure inside options.
A. Option-A
B. Option-B
C. Option-C
D. Option-D

19. Hard – Paper Cutting

Paper folded 3 times (zig-zag accordion) and a triangle is cut. Unfolded holes?
A. 3
B. 6
C. 8
D. 12

20. Hard – Mirror Image

Mirror image of a 3-D cube with letter “R” on front face and arrow on top. Correct mirror shows:
A. R reversed, arrow same
B. R same, arrow reversed
C. Both reversed
D. Both same

21. Hard – Counting

How many straight lines are there in the given star-within-pentagon diagram?
A. 15
B. 20
C. 25
D. 30

22. Hard – Series

Each step rotates 45° anti-clockwise and shades alternate petals. 6th figure has shaded petals at:
A. 1,3,5
B. 2,4,6
C. All
D. None

23. Hard – Dice

Two positions of same dice show 3, 4, 5 and 3, 6, 2. Which number is opposite 3?
A. 2
B. 4
C. 5
D. 6

24. Hard – Pattern Completion

The matrix has arrow direction increasing by 45° clockwise per row. Missing arrow points:
A. ↑
B. ↗
C. →
D. ↘

25. Hard – Series

Complex figure adds one concentric layer and alternates colour (black/white). 5th layer colour?
A. Black
B. White
C. Grey
D. Transparent

Speed Shortcuts & Tips

1. 15-second rule: If you can’t spot the logic in 15 s, mark & move; come back later.
2. Rotate the screen: Physically rotate your question paper to check 90°/180° rotations quickly.
3. Symmetry scan: Draw an imaginary line; half-second glance tells mirror vs rotation.
4. Dice opposite sum: Standard die opposite faces always add to 7 (1-6, 2-5, 3-4).
5. Paper folds = 2ⁿ: n folds → 2ⁿ copies of punched hole; use fingers to count folds.
6. Count in chunks: For triangles/lines, count smallest first, then combine; never count randomly.
7. Eliminate obvious: Two options usually mirror traps; eliminate them first to raise probability to 50-50.
8. Practice 5×5 grids: Railway loves checkerboard & diagonal completion; master them to save 3-4 marks in 1 minute.