The Math Meridian
Free practice · Canada · Grades 1–7

Free CCAT practice for Canadian gifted testing

Get ready for the Canadian Cognitive Abilities Test (CCAT) with 12,000+ original practice questions in all nine question types: timed practice papers, instant feedback and simple explanations. Free, with no sign-up.

Choose your child's grade Try a sample question

What is the CCAT?

The CCAT is the Canadian edition of the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT). Many Canadian school boards use it to help identify students for gifted programs, often around Grade 3 or 4. Timing and rules differ between boards, so check with your child's school.

The test doesn't check what your child has learned in class. It measures how they reason: with words, with numbers and with shapes. Our practice uses the same three sections and nine question types, written with Canadian spelling and metric units.

Section 1

Verbal Battery

Reasoning with words and ideas

  • Verbal Classification
  • Verbal Analogies
  • Sentence Completion
Section 2

Quantitative Battery

Reasoning with numbers and patterns

  • Number Series
  • Number Analogies
  • Number Puzzles
Section 3

Non-Verbal Battery

Reasoning with shapes and pictures

  • Figure Classification
  • Figure Analogies
  • Paper Folding

How CCAT screening usually works in Ontario

Every board runs it a little differently, so always check the details and dates with your child's school. In many Ontario boards it looks like this:

  1. Nomination

    Usually from Grade 3. A parent or teacher nominates the child, often through the school's special education resource teacher (SERT), during a short nomination window. Some boards screen every Grade 3 student instead.

  2. The CCAT screening

    The test is written at school in a small group, supervised by a resource teacher. It covers Verbal, Quantitative and Non-Verbal reasoning.

  3. Results

    Families receive a short written report a few weeks later. Some boards limit how many times a child can write the screening.

  4. Next steps

    The CCAT is a screening step, not the final decision. Students who score highly may be referred for a fuller assessment, and the board's Identification, Placement and Review Committee (IPRC) decides on gifted identification.

Tip: ask your school's SERT when nominations open this year. That's usually the first deadline families miss.

Choose your child's grade

Pick the grade your child is in now. Each grade has Verbal, Quantitative and Non-Verbal practice papers.

Grade 1Picture questions with read-aloud Grade 2Picture questions with read-aloud Grade 3Verbal · Quantitative · Non-Verbal Grade 4Verbal · Quantitative · Non-Verbal Grade 5Verbal · Quantitative · Non-Verbal Grade 6Verbal · Quantitative · Non-Verbal Grade 7Verbal · Quantitative · Non-Verbal

A simple 6-week plan

  1. Weeks 1–2: get familiar

    One short paper a day from each section, in turn. Go through the explanations together, especially for figure and paper-folding questions.

  2. Weeks 3–4: find the gaps

    Use My progress to see the weakest section and give it two papers a day.

  3. Weeks 5–6: practise timing

    Do full papers with the timer showing. Aim for steady, careful work rather than rushing.

  4. Test week: stay calm

    Light practice only, a good night's sleep, and a reminder that it's fine not to finish every question.

Frequently asked questions

What is the CCAT?

The Canadian Cognitive Abilities Test (CCAT) is the Canadian edition of the CogAT. It measures reasoning with words, numbers and shapes, rather than what a child has memorized in class.

Who takes the CCAT?

Many Canadian school boards use the CCAT to help identify students for gifted programs. In many boards students are screened around Grade 3 or 4, but timing and rules differ from board to board, so ask your child's school how it works where you live.

Is the CCAT the same as the CogAT?

It has the same three sections (Verbal, Quantitative and Non-Verbal) and the same nine kinds of questions. That is why the same practice papers prepare your child for both.

What happens after the CCAT?

In Ontario the CCAT is usually a screening step. Families receive a short report, and students with high results may be referred for a fuller assessment. The board's Identification, Placement and Review Committee (IPRC) makes the final decision about gifted identification and placement.

How do I get my child screened?

Ask your child's school, usually the special education resource teacher (SERT), when the nomination window opens. In many boards parents or teachers can nominate a child from Grade 3, and some boards screen every Grade 3 student.

Can my child prepare for the CCAT?

The CCAT measures reasoning, which grows with practice. The biggest benefit of practice is familiarity: a child who has seen figure analogies, number series and paper folding before is calmer and uses the time well on test day. A little practice often (10 minutes a day) works better than cramming.

Is the practice really free?

Yes. Every question, paper and explanation is free, with no sign-up needed. A free parent account lets you save progress across devices and get a weekly email.

Can you help my child prepare one-on-one?

Yes. Our educators teach live online across Canada. Book a free 30-minute assessment and we'll show you where your child should start.

These are original practice materials written by The Math Meridian. The CCAT (Canadian Cognitive Abilities Test) is published by Nelson Education Ltd. CogAT® is a registered trademark of Riverside Assessments, LLC. Neither company is affiliated with or endorses this site.

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