Both the Naglieri General Ability Tests (NGAT) and Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) measure reasoning. The useful comparison starts with your child’s grade and test level, not just the test name. In Grade 2, both use pictures extensively. It would be misleading to describe CogAT Level 8 as a page of word analogies that the child must read.
A Grade 2 comparison
| Detail | NGAT Grade 2 | CogAT Level 8, commonly Grade 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Publisher | Multi-Health Systems (MHS) | Riverside Insights |
| Structure | Three separate tests: Verbal, Nonverbal, Quantitative | Three batteries containing nine subtests |
| Verbal tasks | Six-picture concept classification: find the exception | Picture Analogies, Sentence Completion, Picture Classification |
| Nonverbal tasks | Relationships and patterns in figures | Figure Matrices, Paper Folding, Figure Classification |
| Quantitative tasks | Quantitative relationships, using five choices | Number Analogies, Number Puzzles, Number Series |
| Reading demand | Picture-based tasks with animated directions | Primary-level tasks use pictures; an adult reads Sentence Completion prompts |
| Published length | 40 scored questions per test; 30 minutes per test in K–2 | Level 8: 156 items across nine subtests; primary levels are untimed |
| Standard score | Mean 100, standard deviation 15 | Standard Age Score: mean 100, standard deviation 16 |
The NGAT timing changes to 35 minutes per test in Grades 3–9. CogAT’s verbal formats also change at higher levels. Always check the actual administration named by the school; not every student receives every available battery or test.
The same word can describe a different task
Verbal reasoning is the clearest example. An original NGAT-inspired activity might show five things you wear and a chair: the child chooses the chair and identifies the shared concept. An original CogAT Picture Analogy might show a hat paired with a head and ask what a shoe pairs with. A Sentence Completion task adds an adult’s spoken sentence and picture choices.
These examples make the distinction concrete without reproducing protected test items. Explore the NGAT picture set and the CogAT picture set to see the differences visually.
Similar numbers do not make equivalent results
Both standard-score scales center on 100, but their standard deviations differ. A standard score of 130 is therefore not the same standardized distance from the mean on the two scales. Nor should a parent calculate an “equivalent” score and use it as a placement prediction.
Percentile ranks are often easier to explain, but compare them only with their context: age or grade norms, national or local group, assessment date, battery or composite, and any confidence interval. The tests sample different tasks and use different norming data. The NGAT score guide and CogAT score guide explain each report on its own terms.
If the school has switched tests
Ask three questions before replacing a book or planning practice:
1. Which test and level will my child receive now? A former district policy or an older sibling’s experience may be out of date. 2. Which components and accommodations apply? Online versus paper delivery and an approved alternative can change what the child encounters. 3. How will the results be used? A screening invitation, referral pathway and final eligibility decision are different steps.
Fairfax County adopted NGAT in fall 2025. Its 2026–27 NGAT guide covers current Grade 2 and selected Grades 3–7 testing. That local change is not a national rule.
Practice is a choice, not a prerequisite
The NGAT authors say studying is unnecessary and discourage drilling prepared test content. Our original practice is optional reasoning activity. It does not establish that a child is ready, predict a percentile or guarantee placement.
If a workbook would suit your child, match the test, grade and visible task style. Inspect the NGAT Grade 2 pages or CogAT Grade 2 pages, including their explanations, before buying. Choose a short session because it fits the child, not because an online score claims more practice is required.
Primary sources checked September 5, 2026. Reasonwell is an independent publisher, not affiliated with MHS or Riverside Insights. Test names belong to their respective owners.