Pattern Completion
Pattern Completion is a non-verbal reasoning topic of the ADRE 3.0 Grade IV paper in which a design, a picture or a geometric figure is shown with a part of it cut away or left blank, and the candidate must choose from the options the piece that will complete the pattern without disturbing its design. The topic tests the eye for continuity, symmetry and repetition, because the missing piece must carry forward the same lines, the same shading and the same spacing as the rest of the figure. It is a very visual question and needs no calculation, but it demands close attention to the corners and the edges where the missing piece joins the main figure. A candidate who checks the joints carefully will almost always find the correct option quickly.
Meaning of a Pattern Completion Question
In a pattern completion question a large figure is supplied with a small portion removed, and four or five pieces are offered as options. Exactly one of these pieces fits into the gap so that the design continues smoothly. The piece must match the figure in three ways: the lines must join without a break or a bend, the shading must continue in the same direction, and the spacing of the design must remain the same. The wrong options are made to look correct but they break the design at one or more places along the boundary of the missing part.
What to Check in a Pattern Completion Question
- The lines of the design must continue in the same direction across the joint.
- The thickness of the lines must be the same as in the rest of the figure.
- The shading must continue with the same tone and the same pattern.
- The spacing between repeated elements must remain the same.
- The corners of the piece must fit the corners of the gap exactly.
- A curved line must join another curved line smoothly, without a kink.
- Symmetrical designs need a piece that keeps the symmetry unbroken.
- Repeated motifs must be completed with the same motif at the same angle.
- The piece must not introduce a line or a shade that does not exist elsewhere.
- The edges of the piece must meet the edges of the gap without overlap or gap.
Types of Questions
Some questions use a geometric design such as a grid, a chequered pattern or a set of triangles, and the missing part is a square or a rectangle. Some use a picture such as a flower, an animal or a flag, and the missing part contains a piece of the picture. Some use a repeating border or a wallpaper pattern in which one tile is missing. A few questions use a symmetrical figure with one half removed and ask for the missing half, which is a special case of pattern completion closely related to mirror images.
How to Solve a Pattern Completion Question
- Study the lines and the shading that run into the gap.
- Note the direction and the spacing of the pattern at the edge of the gap.
- Check each option at the boundary, line by line.
- Reject options that break a line, a curve or a shade.
- Confirm the answer by imagining the piece placed in the gap.
Worked Examples
If a grid of squares has one square missing and the options are single squares, the correct square is the one whose lines and shading line up with the surrounding grid. If a chequered pattern has a dark square at the top-left of the gap and a light square at the top-right, the correct piece must have a dark square at its top-left and a light square at its top-right to keep the checkerboard unbroken. If a design has diagonal lines running from the top-left to the bottom-right, the missing piece must carry the same diagonal lines at the same angle. If a curved design is broken at the gap, the correct piece must continue the curve smoothly.
How This Topic Appears in the Examination
Pattern completion is usually asked as a small group of objective questions carrying one mark each. The figures are simple but the options are drawn very carefully to look alike, so the candidate must compare the edges rather than the whole piece. The question can be solved in a few seconds by an experienced candidate who checks the joints first, while a candidate who looks only at the overall appearance may be deceived. Regular practice builds the habit of examining the boundary of the gap, which is the surest way to the answer.
Memory Tips
Always begin with the boundary of the missing part, because the answer is decided there. Follow every line that touches the gap and see whether the option continues it without a break. Check the shading direction, since a piece with the correct lines but the wrong shading is a common trap. For symmetrical designs, use the other half of the figure as a mirror to predict the missing half. If two options look equally good, compare the corners, because the intended answer fits perfectly at every corner of the gap.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Choosing a piece by its overall look without checking the boundary.
- Ignoring the direction of the shading.
- Accepting a piece whose lines join with a slight bend or break.
- Forgetting the spacing of repeated motifs.
- Mistaking a mirror-image piece for the correct one in a symmetrical design.
How to Prepare This Topic
- Practise completing grids, chequered patterns and borders on paper.
- Solve at least fifteen pattern completion questions every day.
- Redraw the figure and the chosen piece to check the joint.
- Study symmetrical designs and their mirror halves.
- Time yourself so that each question takes less than a minute.
Additional Solved Examples
If a wall pattern of bricks has a missing brick, the correct brick must have the same row offset as the bricks above and below, so that the joints stagger correctly. If a triangular design has a missing triangle and the surrounding triangles all point upwards, the missing triangle must also point upwards. If a dotted pattern has a missing portion and the dots are evenly spaced, the correct piece must carry dots at the same spacing and in the same alignment. If a figure is symmetrical about a vertical line and the left half is missing, the correct piece is the mirror image of the right half.
Advanced Tips
When the design is complex, first mark the points where lines meet the boundary of the gap, because the correct piece must have lines meeting the boundary at exactly those points. For a repeating design, count the number of repetitions across the whole figure and see how many the missing piece should contain. In shaded designs, note whether the tone changes gradually or in steps, and match the piece accordingly. If the figure is symmetrical, test the candidate piece by folding the figure mentally along the line of symmetry. Finally, do not be tempted by a piece that looks attractive but disturbs the rhythm of the design, because a pattern must repeat evenly throughout.
Related Non-Verbal Topics
Pattern Completion is closely related to Mirror Image and Water Image, Paper Folding and Cutting and Figure Series. Mirror images appear directly in symmetrical designs where one half completes the other. Paper folding and cutting uses the same idea of a missing part, because the unfolded holes are the missing pieces of the folded sheet. Figure series uses repetition and regular change, which is also the basis of a continuous pattern. Practising these topics together makes the eye sensitive to continuity, symmetry and repetition, which is exactly what pattern completion demands.
Quick Revision Checklist
- Start with the boundary of the gap.
- Every line must continue without a break or a bend.
- Shading must continue in the same tone and direction.
- Spacing of repeated motifs must stay the same.
- In symmetrical figures, use the other half as a mirror.
- Compare all corners of the piece with the gap before answering.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a pattern completion question?
It shows a design with a part missing and asks you to choose the piece that completes the design without breaking its lines, shading or spacing.
What should I check first in a pattern completion question?
Check the boundary of the gap first, because the correct piece must join the surrounding lines, curves and shading exactly at that boundary.
Why are the wrong options so similar?
The wrong options usually have the right overall shape but break the design at one line, one corner or one shade, so the boundary must be checked carefully.
How does symmetry help in these questions?
In a symmetrical design the missing half is simply the mirror image of the visible half, so you can predict the correct piece from the other side of the figure.
How much time should each question take?
A pattern completion question should take only a few seconds to about a minute once you are used to checking the boundary of the gap.