Figure classification is the biggest non-verbal topic in recent ASO papers: 2025 had five "group the nine figures into three classes" questions, and 2015 and 2012 had three to four each.
Grouping nine figures into three classes
- Look at what changes between the figures: the outer shape, the number of sides, the mark inside, shading, open or closed, lines crossing or not.
- Find the feature that splits the nine figures exactly 3–3–3.
- Check the options: take one group from an option and test it. One wrong group rules out the whole option.
Features ASO has used: number of sides (triangles, quadrilaterals, pentagons), straight vs curved lines, the figure divided into two or more parts, a symbol inside vs outside, and how many lines cross.
Odd one out (figures)
Three figures share one feature and the fourth breaks it. Compare one feature at a time.
Figure analogy
Write down exactly what changes from figure 1 to figure 2 (it rotates, gets shaded, gains a side, changes its inner mark), then do the same change to figure 3.