What does a child have to do to compose two visual transformations in the 11+?

Apply two stated rotations or reflections in order. It is one of 22 named non-verbal reasoning skills in the 11+, in the transform strand, and this page carries 1 interactive exercise that practises it.

What is the trap in an 11+ compose two visual transformations question?

Doing the two steps the other way round gives a different figure - the order in the sentence is the order to work in. The wrong answers on this skill are built out of that, not out of random numbers, so it is worth naming out loud before your child meets it under time pressure.

What is not part of compose two visual transformations in the 11+?

The skill map draws the line here: Exactly two transformations; order matters. A question past that line is testing a different named non-verbal reasoning skill, which is worth knowing before you spend a week practising the wrong one.

Which other 11+ skills should we practise alongside compose two visual transformations?

The skill map connects it to reflect a visual figure and rotate a visual figure. A two-step transformation may include a reflection component. A two-step transformation may include a rotation component. Each of those has its own page here.

How can my child practise compose two visual transformations for free?

Use Pattern Builder, embedded on this page. It is the exercise the skill map attaches to compose two visual transformations, it runs in the browser with no account to make, these exercises are not scored and do not save learner records. The separate quiz sends answers for marking and shows a score, without saving an assessment record. It also has its own link, so you can send it to a child without sending them anywhere else first.

Non-verbal Reasoning · Transform

Compose two visual transformations

Apply two stated rotations or reflections in order.

Watch the worked example

Two Moves, One Finish

This video shows how to apply two rotations or reflections in order and track the result. Watch an 11+ non-verbal reasoning question solved step by step.

Open video page and transcript

Keep practising with Smart Cub Learning. Find topics to practise next

Quick quiz: Compose two visual transformations

10 questions, with feedback after each one. No sign-up needed.

Read the questions in this quiz

Question 1
Which option shows the figure after you reflect in the horizontal mirror line, then rotate 90 degrees clockwise?
TransformReflect in the horizontal mirror line, then rotate 90 degrees clockwise
- A.Option A
- B.Option B
- C.Option C
- D.Option D
Question 2
Which option shows the figure after you rotate 90 degrees clockwise, then reflect in the horizontal mirror line?
TransformRotate 90 degrees clockwise, then reflect in the horizontal mirror line
- A.Option A
- B.Option B
- C.Option C
- D.Option D
Question 3
Which option shows the figure after you reflect in the horizontal mirror line, then rotate 90 degrees clockwise?
TransformReflect in the horizontal mirror line, then rotate 90 degrees clockwise
- A.Option A
- B.Option B
- C.Option C
- D.Option D
Question 4
Which option shows the figure after you reflect in the vertical mirror line, then rotate 270 degrees clockwise?
TransformReflect in the vertical mirror line, then rotate 270 degrees clockwise
- A.Option A
- B.Option B
- C.Option C
- D.Option D
Question 5
Which option shows the figure after you rotate 90 degrees clockwise, then reflect in the horizontal mirror line?
TransformRotate 90 degrees clockwise, then reflect in the horizontal mirror line
- A.Option A
- B.Option B
- C.Option C
- D.Option D
Question 6
Which option shows the figure after you reflect in the vertical mirror line, then reflect in the horizontal mirror line?
TransformReflect in the vertical mirror line, then reflect in the horizontal mirror line
- A.Option A
- B.Option B
- C.Option C
- D.Option D
Question 7
Which option shows the figure after you reflect in the vertical mirror line, then rotate 270 degrees clockwise?
TransformReflect in the vertical mirror line, then rotate 270 degrees clockwise
- A.Option A
- B.Option B
- C.Option C
- D.Option D
Question 8
Which option shows the figure after you reflect in the horizontal mirror line, then rotate 270 degrees clockwise?
TransformReflect in the horizontal mirror line, then rotate 270 degrees clockwise
- A.Option A
- B.Option B
- C.Option C
- D.Option D
Question 9
Which option shows the figure after you reflect in the vertical mirror line, then rotate 270 degrees clockwise?
TransformReflect in the vertical mirror line, then rotate 270 degrees clockwise
- A.Option A
- B.Option B
- C.Option C
- D.Option D
Question 10
Which option shows the figure after you rotate 90 degrees clockwise, then reflect in the horizontal mirror line?
TransformRotate 90 degrees clockwise, then reflect in the horizontal mirror line
- A.Option A
- B.Option B
- C.Option C
- D.Option D

Practise it now

Place the layers on top of each other. Paint every square covered by either layer.

This exercise practises compose two visual transformations alongside its own main skill, Overlays & ordered transformations.

It covers most of this skill rather than all of it.

Loading the interactive exercise. Nothing you do here is saved or scored.

A worked example

One question of the kind this skill is tested with, worked all the way through: the reasoning, and what the wrong answers are there to catch.

Two transformations, one after the other

Follow the figure through both steps in turn: rotate 270 degrees clockwise, then reflect in the horizontal mirror line.

The second step acts on the figure the first step already produced, so swapping the order of a turn and a flip gives a different picture.

TransformRotate 270 degrees clockwise, then reflect in the horizontal mirror line

Option Aturned 270° clockwise
Option Bflipped along the diagonal from bottom left to top right
Option Cflipped along the diagonal from top left to bottom right
Option Dflipped top to bottom

Answer: flipped along the diagonal from top left to bottom right

How you get there

After step 1, rotate 270 degrees clockwise, the figure is turned 270 degrees clockwise. After step 2, reflect in the horizontal mirror line, the figure is flipped, then turned 270 degrees clockwise. So the final figure is flipped, then turned 270 degrees clockwise. The second step acts on the first result, which is why reversing the order lands on a different option.

Why the other answers tempt

Doing the two steps the other way round gives a different figure - the order in the sentence is the order to work in.

If they are stuck, say this

Do the first step in your head and hold that picture, then apply the second step to it; one option is what you get if you carry out rotate 270 degrees clockwise, then reflect in the horizontal mirror line in the wrong order.

Now do it live in Pattern Builder

Kitchen-table script for parents

Try this together

A friendly mini script for the breakfast table, school run or a quiet two minutes. Read it aloud as written, or make it your own.

Ready? Let's try Compose two visual transformations together. Take a look at the picture. Here is what matters: Shape picture with transform Rotate 270 degrees clockwise, then reflect in the horizontal mirror line made from 0 parts. Here comes the question: Follow the figure through both steps in turn: rotate 270 degrees clockwise, then reflect in the horizontal mirror line. A handy clue is: Do the first step in your head and hold that picture, then apply the second step to it; one option is what you get if you carry out rotate 270 degrees clockwise, then reflect in the horizontal mirror line in the wrong order. Nice work. Here is the thinking: After step 2, reflect in the horizontal mirror line, the figure is flipped, then turned 270 degrees clockwise. So our answer is: flipped along the diagonal from top left to bottom right. One sneaky trap is: Doing the two steps the other way round gives a different figure - the order in the sentence is the order to work in. Can you show me the first move in your own words? No rush; one calm step is enough.

What this exercise is doing

Pattern Builder

Place the layers on top of each other. Paint every square covered by either layer.

This engine’s own main skill is Overlays & ordered transformations. It practises compose two visual transformations alongside it, and covers most of it rather than all.

An overlay combines the covered squares from every layer. Shared squares stay covered once.

What to say if they get stuck

Compare the same square in both layers.
Paint it if either layer covers it. A shared square is painted once.

Open Pattern Builder on its own page to share it

Where compose two visual transformations sits in the 11+

The 11+ does not test these skills in isolation, and practising one in the wrong order wastes the practice. These are the skills the curriculum map connects this one to.

This is built out of: Reflect a visual figure
A two-step transformation may include a reflection component.
Rotate a visual figure
A two-step transformation may include a rotation component.

How compose two visual transformations differs from the skills beside it

The same exercise practises several skills, and telling them apart is often the difficulty rather than the exercise itself. On this page the skill is: apply two stated rotations or reflections in order, and it stops where exactly two transformations; order matters.

Combine visual layers
Predict the visible result of superimposing two simple layers. Occlusion rule must be inferable or stated.
Compose a visual transformation sequence
Apply three stated rotations or reflections in order. Exactly three transformations are composed. One-step and two-step transformations have separate skills.

Questions parents ask about compose two visual transformations

What this skill involves, common mistakes and ways to practise it at home.

: Apply two stated rotations or reflections in order. It is one of 22 named non-verbal reasoning skills in the 11+, in the transform strand, and this page carries 1 interactive exercise that practises it.
: Doing the two steps the other way round gives a different figure - the order in the sentence is the order to work in. The wrong answers on this skill are built out of that, not out of random numbers, so it is worth naming out loud before your child meets it under time pressure.
: Point at the next move rather than explaining the whole rule. Do the first step in your head and hold that picture, then apply the second step to it; one option is what you get if you carry out rotate 270 degrees clockwise, then reflect in the horizontal mirror line in the wrong order.
: The skill map draws the line here: Exactly two transformations; order matters. A question past that line is testing a different named non-verbal reasoning skill, which is worth knowing before you spend a week practising the wrong one.
: The skill map connects it to reflect a visual figure and rotate a visual figure. A two-step transformation may include a reflection component. A two-step transformation may include a rotation component. Each of those has its own page here.
: Use Pattern Builder, embedded on this page. It is the exercise the skill map attaches to compose two visual transformations, it runs in the browser with no account to make, these exercises are not scored and do not save learner records. The separate quiz sends answers for marking and shows a score, without saving an assessment record. It also has its own link, so you can send it to a child without sending them anywhere else first.

Non-verbal reasoning is the paper families most often leave until last

A free diagnostic covers matrices, series, odd one out, rotation, reflection and the 3D questions, and shows where the time is worth spending.