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Welcome to your first Non-Verbal Reasoning lesson! In Odd One Out questions, you are given a set of five shapes (or pictures) and you must find the one that does not belong with the others. The four shapes that belong together all share something in common — your job is to spot the rule that connects them and find the shape that breaks it.
This is one of the most common question types in the GL 11+ exam, so mastering it will give you a real head start.
Imagine you have five shapes in a row:
Shape A: A large black circle
Shape B: A large black square
Shape C: A large black triangle
Shape D: A small white circle
Shape E: A large black pentagon
Four of these shapes share something in common. Can you spot the odd one out?
Answer: Shape D is the odd one out. Shapes A, B, C, and E are all large and black. Shape D is small and white — it breaks both rules.
When you see an Odd One Out question, you need to check each shape for different properties. Here are the main properties to look for:
| Property | Examples |
|---|---|
| Straight sides | Squares, triangles, rectangles, pentagons |
| Curved sides | Circles, ovals, semicircles |
| Number of sides | 3 sides, 4 sides, 5 sides, 6 sides |
Ask yourself: "Are most of the shapes the same type? Does one have a different number of sides?"
Shapes can be large, medium, or small. If four shapes are the same size and one is different, that could be your answer.
| Fill type | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| Black / solid | Completely filled in |
| White / empty | Just an outline, nothing inside |
| Striped | Lines running across the shape |
| Dotted | Small dots filling the shape |
| Grey | A lighter shade of fill |
A shape might be rotated (turned) compared to the others. For example, four arrows might point up and one might point down.
| Line style | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| Solid line | A continuous line ——— |
| Dashed line | A broken line - - - - |
| Thick line | A wider, bolder line |
| Thin line | A narrow, fine line |
Sometimes each option contains more than one shape. Four options might have two shapes inside them, while one option has three.
If each option has a small shape inside a larger shape, check whether the small shape is in the same position (top, bottom, centre, left, right) in each one.
Shape A: A white triangle with a black dot in the centre
Shape B: A white square with a black dot in the centre
Shape C: A white pentagon with a black dot in the centre
Shape D: A white hexagon with a black dot at the top
Shape E: A white circle with a black dot in the centre
Step 1: Look at the outer shapes — triangle, square, pentagon, hexagon, circle. They are all different, so shape type is probably not the rule.
Step 2: Look at the fill — all outer shapes are white. No difference there.
Step 3: Look at what is inside — all have a black dot. Same so far.
Step 4: Look at the position of the dot — A, B, C, and E all have the dot in the centre. Shape D has the dot at the top.
Answer: Shape D is the odd one out because the dot is not in the centre.
Shape A: A large black right-angled triangle
Shape B: A large black equilateral triangle
Shape C: A large black isosceles triangle
Shape D: A large black square
Shape E: A large black scalene triangle
Step 1: Look at the shape type — A, B, C, and E are all triangles (3 sides). Shape D is a square (4 sides).
Answer: Shape D is the odd one out because it has 4 sides while all the others have 3 sides.
Shape A: A circle divided into 2 equal halves, left half black
Shape B: A square divided into 2 equal halves, left half black
Shape C: A triangle divided into 2 equal halves, left half black
Shape D: A pentagon divided into 2 equal halves, right half black
Shape E: A hexagon divided into 2 equal halves, left half black
Step 1: All shapes are different types — circle, square, triangle, pentagon, hexagon. That is fine.
Step 2: All are divided into 2 halves — same so far.
Step 3: Check which half is black. In A, B, C, and E, the left half is black. In D, the right half is black.
Answer: Shape D is the odd one out because it has the right half shaded instead of the left.
Top Tip: The tricky Odd One Out questions often test small details like position, orientation, or shading direction — not just the obvious things like shape type.
Obvious but wrong: Sometimes one shape looks very different (e.g., it is a different colour) but it still follows the main rule. Do not pick the most "different-looking" shape — pick the one that breaks the rule.
Multiple properties: The rule might combine two properties. For example, "all shapes are large AND have stripes" — the odd one out might be large but without stripes.
Counting: Count sides, dots, lines, or sections carefully. A pentagon (5 sides) and a hexagon (6 sides) can look very similar if you rush.
Use this checklist every time you tackle an Odd One Out question:
When you practise Odd One Out at home:
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Property | A feature of a shape, such as its size, colour, or sides |
| Rule | The common feature shared by four of the five shapes |
| Odd one out | The shape that does not follow the rule |
| Orientation | The direction a shape is pointing or facing |
| Shading | How a shape is filled in (solid, empty, striped, etc.) |
Odd One Out questions test your ability to spot patterns and rules. Always check multiple properties — shape type, size, shading, line style, orientation, internal elements, and position. The answer is the shape that breaks the rule the other four follow. Work systematically, and you will get faster with practice!