The Academic Selective Entrance Test (ASET) is the entry test for WA's Gifted and Talented (GATE) programs, including Perth Modern School. Year 6 students sit it for Year 7 entry. For 2028 entry, the test is on Saturday 6 March 2027.
| Test | Time | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 35 min | 35, multiple choice |
| Communicating Ideas in Writing | 25 min | 1 response |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 35 min | 35, multiple choice |
| Abstract Reasoning | 20 min | 35, multiple choice |
Every multiple-choice question has four options (A to D), and wrong answers lose nothing, so your child should answer every question.
Below are 12 original sample questions and a writing prompt, with answers at the end. These are our own practice questions. The WA Department of Education provides one free official practice ASET, which your child should sit first. See our ASET practice tests and past papers guide.
Reading comprehension
Read the letter, then answer questions 1 to 4.
To the Editor,
The council's plan to replace the old swimming pool with a car park has been described as "progress". I would like to suggest another word: forgetting.
Three generations of children in this town learned to swim in that pool. On hot afternoons it is the only place where teenagers, toddlers and pensioners share the same patch of water without anyone checking who belongs.
A car park will certainly be useful. But we should be honest about what we are trading: a place where people meet for a place where people park.
Yours sincerely,
R. Okafor
1. What is the writer's main purpose? A. To explain how the pool was built B. To argue against replacing the pool C. To support the new car park D. To describe the history of the town
2. Why does the writer put "progress" in quotation marks? A. To show it is the most important word B. To show doubt that the plan is really an improvement C. To show the council's spelling mistake D. To show it is the name of the car park
3. "Without anyone checking who belongs" suggests that the pool is: A. expensive B. welcoming to everyone C. poorly supervised D. only for members
4. Which statement would the writer most likely agree with? A. Useful things are always the most valuable. B. Some places matter because they bring people together. C. Car parks should never be built. D. Pools are only important for children.
Quantitative reasoning
5. A number goes into a machine that multiplies by 3, then subtracts 4. The number that comes out is 23. What number went in? A. 6 B. 7 C. 9 D. 27
6. A library lent 12, 15, 9, 18 and 21 books on five days. What was the mean number of books lent per day? A. 14 B. 15 C. 16 D. 18
7. Two apples balance three pears. One pear balances four plums. How many plums balance four apples? A. 12 B. 16 C. 20 D. 24
8. What comes next? 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, ... A. 11 B. 12 C. 13 D. 16
Abstract reasoning
The real test uses diagrams and allows only about 34 seconds per question. These text versions practise the same thinking. For diagram practice, see our abstract reasoning page.
9. A star sits in one corner of a square. In frame 1 it's top left, in frame 2 top right, and in frame 3 bottom right. Where is it in frame 4? A. Top left B. Top right C. Bottom right D. Bottom left
10. Which shape does not belong? A. Square B. Rectangle C. Rhombus D. Triangle
11. What comes next? ▲ ▲■ ▲■▲ ▲■▲■ ? A. ▲■▲■▲ B. ■▲■▲■ C. ▲■▲■■ D. ▲▲■▲■
12. Which pair follows the same rule as ○ → ●? A. □ → ■ B. □ → ○ C. ■ → □ D. ● → ●
Communicating Ideas in Writing
You have 25 minutes, including planning and editing.
Prompt: "Not everything that is lost needs to be found."
Write a response in any form you choose: a story, a reflection or an argument. Markers look at relevance to the prompt, quality of ideas, form and style, organisation, voice and language. The ASET Handbook says spelling and grammar count for little, as long as the writing can be read.
Want feedback? Upload your child's response through our free sample and add a human-marked review for $15.
Answers and explanations
| Q | Answer | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | B | The whole letter argues the pool is worth more than a car park. |
| 2 | B | The writer quotes the council's word to question it, then suggests "forgetting" instead. |
| 3 | B | Anyone can be there, of any age, without being questioned. |
| 4 | B | The final line contrasts a place where people meet with a place where they park. |
| 5 | C | Work backwards: 23 + 4 = 27, then 27 ÷ 3 = 9. |
| 6 | B | Total = 75. 75 ÷ 5 = 15. |
| 7 | D | 4 apples = 6 pears, and 6 pears = 24 plums. |
| 8 | C | Each number is the sum of the two before it: 5 + 8 = 13. |
| 9 | D | The star moves one corner clockwise each frame. |
| 10 | D | The others have four sides. |
| 11 | A | One shape is added each time, alternating ▲ and ■, always starting with ▲. |
| 12 | A | The rule is "same shape, filled in". Only □ → ■ keeps the shape and fills it. |
What these questions show
- Reading in the ASET often includes persuasive texts, so recognising a writer's purpose and tone matters.
- Quantitative reasoning rewards working backwards and swapping one thing for another, as in questions 5 and 7.
- Abstract reasoning is the fastest section and the one that improves most with practice. Read abstract reasoning rule families.
More practice
- Read our ASET test guide, ASET key dates for 2028 and WA GATE cut-off scores.
- Our ASET practice exams launch in December. Join the waitlist.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an official ASET practice test? Yes. The WA Department of Education provides one free practice ASET with an answer key, plus the ASET Handbook.
Are wrong answers penalised in the ASET? No. Students should answer every question.
Are there ASET past papers? No public past papers are released.
Sample questions written by Practice Tests & Exams. Test format from the WA Department of Education and the ASET Handbook (checked 31 October 2026). Not affiliated with the WA Department of Education.