Thinking Skills is 25% of the Selective test, and it checks how your child reasons, not what they have learnt. These 8 worked questions show the kinds of question it asks, before the test on 13–14 May 2027.
It tests critical thinking and problem solving, with no previous knowledge needed. In practice that means two kinds of question: judging whether an argument holds up, and working through puzzles with numbers, patterns and shapes. Children in Year 5 now sit it in Year 6.
The clock is the hard part. At about a minute a question, one puzzle that runs long costs marks elsewhere. There are no marks lost for incorrect answers, so a guess always beats a blank.
Each question shows the answer and the working. Read them with your child and talk through why the right option is right.
We wrote these for this page, to the Department's format. They are not from any real test, and none appears in our Practice tests.
Critical thinking
These four ask whether a conclusion follows, or what would make an argument stronger or weaker. Read every word: one "some" or "only" often decides the answer.
Worked explanation 1
Coach Ferreira says: "At the start of this season, our club bought lighter basketballs for the under-11 team. Since then, our players have scored with far more of their shots in games than they did last season. The lighter balls must be the reason."
Which one of these statements, if true, most weakens Coach Ferreira's argument?
AA.
At the start of this season, the league also lowered the hoops for all under-11 games.
BB.
Several other clubs have also bought lighter balls for their younger players.
CC.
A few of the players say they still prefer the feel of the old balls.
DD.
The lighter balls cost more than the balls the club used last season.
Answer: A
Answer: A (the hoops were lowered at the same time)
The coach's evidence is that the team scores with more of its shots this season. Her conclusion is that the lighter balls caused this.
That only works if nothing else changed that could make shots easier to score.
If the hoops were lowered at the same time, shots would be easier to score even with the old balls. This gives another explanation for the improvement, so it weakens her argument the most.
Why the other options are wrong
B: What other clubs buy says nothing about why this team is scoring more.
C: Preferring the old balls is about how they feel, not about how many shots go in.
D: The price of the balls does not change how well players shoot with them.
Worked explanation 2
The Kestrel Bay Youth Orchestra has just been named the best youth orchestra in the state. Dimitri plays the trumpet in this orchestra.
Priya says: "So Dimitri must be one of the best young trumpet players in the state."
Which one of these sentences shows the mistake Priya has made?
AA.
She assumes that Dimitri will still be in the orchestra next year.
BB.
She assumes that what is true of the orchestra as a whole must also be true of each player in it.
CC.
She assumes that the trumpet is the most important instrument in an orchestra.
DD.
She assumes that Dimitri has been in the orchestra longer than any other player.
Answer: B
Answer: B (she treats a prize for the whole group as a prize for each player)
The award is about the whole orchestra: all the players performing together.
A group can be the best even if some of its players are not among the best on their own. For example, other sections might be outstanding, or the players might work together very well.
Priya jumps from "the orchestra is the best" to "this one player is one of the best". That jump is the mistake B describes.
Why the other options are wrong
A: Next year is not part of her argument.
C: She says nothing about the trumpet being the most important instrument, and her reasoning would be just as faulty for any instrument.
D: She does not mention how long Dimitri has played, and her argument does not rely on it.
Worked explanation 3
At a sailing club, these three facts are true:
Every boat in the Gull class has a white sail.
No boat with a white sail has an engine.
Some boats with an engine are painted blue.
Jarrah says: "A boat with an engine cannot be in the Gull class."
Leila says: "Some of the blue boats do not have a white sail."
If the three facts are true, whose reasoning is correct?
AA.
Only Jarrah
BB.
Only Leila
CC.
Both Jarrah and Leila
DD.
Neither Jarrah nor Leila
Answer: C
Answer: C (both conclusions must be true)
Jarrah: every Gull boat has a white sail, and no boat with a white sail has an engine. So no Gull boat has an engine, which means a boat with an engine cannot be a Gull boat. Jarrah is correct.
Leila: some boats with an engine are blue. No boat with an engine can have a white sail (fact 2). So those blue boats with engines do not have a white sail. Leila is correct.
Both conclusions follow from the facts.
Why the other options are wrong
A: Leila's "some" conclusion is safe: the facts say some engine boats are blue, and none of them can have a white sail.
B: Jarrah's conclusion follows by joining the first two facts.
D: Each conclusion can be proved from the facts, so neither child is wrong.
Worked explanation 4
In Olive's family, everyone takes turns to cook dinner. The family has one rule:
If it is Olive's turn to cook, the family eats pasta.
Tonight the family is eating rice, and there is no pasta.
Which one of these statements must be true?
AA.
Olive's dad is cooking tonight.
BB.
The family will eat pasta tomorrow night.
CC.
Whenever the family eats pasta, it is Olive's turn to cook.
DD.
It is not Olive's turn to cook tonight.
Answer: D
Answer: D (it is not Olive's turn tonight)
The rule says that whenever it is Olive's turn, the family eats pasta.
Tonight there is no pasta.
If it were Olive's turn, there would be pasta. There isn't, so it cannot be Olive's turn.
Why the other options are wrong
A: We know Olive is not cooking, but the rule does not say who is. It could be anyone else in the family.
B: The rule says nothing about tomorrow night.
C: This turns the rule around. The rule does not stop other family members from cooking pasta too.
Problem solving
A logic puzzle, a number question, a pattern and a shape. Keep paper handy: a quick table or sketch is usually faster than holding everything in your head.
Worked explanation 5
Farah, Gus, Isla, Kofi and Mateus each live on a different floor of the same five-floor apartment building. Floor 1 is the lowest floor and floor 5 is the highest.
Gus lives on the floor directly above Farah.
Isla lives on the floor directly above Kofi.
Kofi lives on a higher floor than Mateus.
Farah and Mateus do not live on floors next to each other.
Kofi does not live on floor 2.
Who lives on floor 3?
AA.
Gus
BB.
Isla
CC.
Kofi
DD.
Mateus
Answer: D
Answer: D (Mateus)
Farah and Gus fill two floors next to each other, and so do Kofi and Isla. Mateus is on his own.
Two pairs fit only if Mateus is on floor 1, 3 or 5. Not 5, because Kofi is higher.
If Mateus is on floor 1, Kofi cannot be on 2, so Kofi and Isla take 4 and 5. Farah is then on 2, next to Mateus: not allowed.
So Mateus is on floor 3: Farah 1, Gus 2, Kofi 4, Isla 5. Every clue checks.
Why the other options are wrong
A: Gus on floor 3 puts Farah on floor 2 and Mateus on floor 1, next to each other.
B: Isla on floor 3 puts Kofi on floor 2, which the last clue rules out.
C: Kofi on floor 3 puts Isla on 4 and Farah and Gus on 1 and 2, leaving Mateus on 5, above Kofi.
Worked explanation 6
Tane saws a long wooden plank into 3 pieces. It takes him 6 minutes altogether, and every cut takes the same amount of time.
Working at the same speed, how long will it take Tane to saw an identical plank into 6 pieces?
AA.
10 minutes
BB.
12 minutes
CC.
15 minutes
DD.
18 minutes
Answer: C
Answer: C (15 minutes)
To make 3 pieces, Tane needs only 2 cuts. (Count the gaps between the pieces, not the pieces.)
2 cuts take 6 minutes, so each cut takes 3 minutes.
To make 6 pieces, he needs 5 cuts.
5 cuts × 3 minutes = 15 minutes.
Why the other options are wrong
A: 10 minutes comes from thinking 3 pieces need 3 cuts (2 minutes each), then using 5 cuts.
B: 12 minutes comes from simply doubling. Twice as many pieces does not mean twice as many cuts.
D: 18 minutes comes from thinking 6 pieces need 6 cuts.
Worked explanation 7
What is the next number in this pattern?
3, 4, 7, 11, 18, 29, ?
AA.
40
BB.
47
CC.
58
DD.
76
Answer: B
Answer: B (47)
Look at how each number is made: 3 + 4 = 7, 4 + 7 = 11, 7 + 11 = 18, 11 + 18 = 29.
Each number is the sum of the two numbers just before it.
So the next number is 18 + 29 = 47.
Why the other options are wrong
A: 40 adds 11 again, copying the last jump instead of finding the rule.
C: 58 doubles 29, which does not match any earlier step.
D: 76 is 29 + 47, the number after the one asked for. It skips a step.
Worked explanation 8
A square sheet of paper is marked into a 4 × 4 grid. The columns are labelled A to D from left to right, and the rows are numbered 1 to 4 from top to bottom.
A
B
C
D
1
A1
B1
C1
D1
2
A2
B2
C2
D2
3
A3
B3
C3
D3
4
A4
B4
C4
D4
Fold 1: The left half (columns A and B) is folded over so that it lies exactly on top of the right half (columns C and D).
Fold 2: The bottom half is then folded up so that it lies exactly on top of the top half.
The folded paper now covers only the places where squares C1, D1, C2 and D2 were. One hole is punched through all the layers at the place where square D2 was.
The paper is unfolded. Which squares have a hole in them?
AA.
A2 and D2 only
BB.
A2, D2, A3 and D3
CC.
D2 and D3 only
DD.
B2, C2, B3 and C3
Answer: B
Answer: B (A2, D2, A3 and D3)
Work out which squares are stacked at the punch place, one fold at a time. Each fold line acts like a mirror.
Fold 1 lays column A on column D (and B on C). So A2 lies on top of D2.
Fold 2 lays row 4 on row 1 and row 3 on row 2. So D3, with A3 lying on it, lands on top of D2.
Four layers are stacked at D2: D2, A2, D3 and A3. The punch goes through all four, so each has a hole.
Why the other options are wrong
A: This forgets Fold 2, so it misses the two layers from row 3.
C: This forgets Fold 1, so it misses the two layers from column A.
D: This puts the holes beside the fold lines instead of reflecting D2 the full distance across each fold.
How should my child use these questions?
How you go through the answers matters most. Eight questions talked through slowly teach more than a whole page rushed.
Read each question together
Read it aloud and ask your child what it's asking and which facts matter. That's the habit the real test rewards.
Talk through the working
Read the steps, then ask your child to explain the right answer back to you.
Name the mistake
Each explanation says why the other options are wrong. Ask your child which one looked right at first: that's the habit to watch.
Then learn that skill
Each question links to its skill page, with a method and three more worked questions.
What mistakes do children make most?
Watch for these three habits as you go through the answers. Each is easy to spot once you can name it, and each has a simple check.
×
Reading a rule backwards: A rule that runs one way is used the other way. Check which part you were told.
×
Choosing a true but irrelevant option: In strengthen and weaken questions, the right option changes how strong the reason is, not just the topic.
×
Stopping at the first answer that fits: In puzzles, test every clue against your answer before moving on.
Which skills do these questions cover?
Each question belongs to one skill. If a question puzzled your child, start with that skill's page: it has a method and three more worked questions.
Eight questions show the types. A full section shows whether your child can keep the pace for 40 minutes, which is a different skill.
The Department's own Selective practice tests are free: online in the current format, and older PDF papers. Every official paper is listed with its answers.
Practice test 1 has Thinking Skills at its real length and time, with every answer explained. Afterwards you'll see results by skill, so you know which kinds of question cost the most marks. It's one full practice test with results, with a free account.
Questions parents ask about Selective Thinking Skills sample questions
Are these real Selective test questions?
No. Real papers from the computer-based test aren't public: whether the Department will release them is not published. We wrote these to the published format.
How hard are they compared with the real test?
They range from easy to hard for a strong Year 6 child. The real test's difficulty isn't published, so treat them as examples, not a measure.
How much Thinking Skills practice is enough?
Probably less than you think. The Department says a small amount of preparation is enough: there's no new or special knowledge needed. A few questions a week, reviewed properly, is a sensible rhythm.
