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Non-Verbal Reasoning · Guide 5 of 8

Rotation and reflection

A rotation turns a shape; a reflection flips it like a mirror. They can look alike, so learn a sure way to tell them apart.

  • Ages 9 to 11
  • 11+ Non-Verbal Reasoning
  • Worked examples

What is it?

A rotation turns a shape around its centre, like the hands of a clock. A quarter turn is 90°, a half turn is 180° and a three-quarter turn is 270°. The shape is never flipped over.

A reflection is what you'd see in a mirror. The shape is flipped over a mirror line, so left becomes right (or top becomes bottom).

11+ questions ask you to turn a shape, reflect it, or spot which option is a reflection rather than a rotation.

Which picture shows the flag turned a quarter turn clockwise?

Start
A
B
C

How to spot it

  • The words 'rotate', 'turn', 'clockwise', 'anticlockwise' or 'quarter turn' mean rotation.
  • The words 'reflect', 'mirror' or a dashed mirror line mean reflection.
  • 'Which shape is the odd one out?' with lots of turned shapes is often secretly a reflection question.

Step-by-step method

  1. Step 1: Pick one feature that's easy to follow: the tip of a flag, an arrowhead, a dot or a short line.
  2. Step 2: For a rotation: imagine turning the paper the right amount and the right way. Follow your feature around.
  3. Step 3: For a reflection: everything stays the same distance from the mirror line, but on the other side.
  4. Step 4: To tell them apart: if you can turn the start shape to match the option, it's a rotation. If you'd have to flip the paper over, it's a reflection.
  5. Step 5: Check two features, not one: the flag and the pole must both end up in the right place.

Worked examples

Example 1: a quarter turn clockwise

Question: Which picture shows the flag turned a quarter turn clockwise? (above)
  1. Step 1: Follow the top of the pole. Turning clockwise, the top moves round to the right.
  2. Step 2: So the pole ends up lying flat, with the flag hanging down from its right-hand end.
  3. Step 3: B is a mirror image (the flag points left). C has turned anticlockwise (the flag sticks up from the left-hand end).

Answer: A

Example 2: a mirror line

Question: Reflect the flag in a vertical mirror line.
Start
Reflection
  1. Step 1: With an upright mirror line, left and right swap but top and bottom stay the same.
  2. Step 2: The pole stays upright, and the flag now points to the left.

Answer: The flag points left, with the pole still upright

Example 3: rotation or reflection?

Question: Which picture is a reflection of the F, not a rotation?
Start
A
B
C
  1. Step 1: Turn the F in your head. A half turn gives A (upside down, arms pointing left). A quarter turn gives C.
  2. Step 2: No amount of turning gives B: its arms point left while it's still the right way up. You'd have to flip it.

Answer: B

Common traps

  • Mixing up clockwise and anticlockwise

    Clockwise goes top → right → bottom → left, the same way as a clock's hands.

  • Thinking a half turn is a reflection

    A half turn (180°) turns a shape upside down and left to right at the same time. A mirror only swaps one way.

  • Shapes that look the same

    A circle or square looks the same after many turns. Follow the small detail (a dot, a line), not the outline.

Top tips

  • Hold your pencil on the page to show the feature you're following, then turn it.
  • Letters such as F, R, L and P are great for practising: try drawing them turned and mirrored.

Practice questions

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4 practice questions on this topic, from easy to 11+ level. Reading the guide is free for everyone; practice is for members, and signing up is free.

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