ACER's Higher Ability Selection Test (HAST) is used for selective entry, gifted programs, scholarships and some Victorian SEAL programs. It has up to four parts, and each school chooses a three- or four-part package:
| Test (Secondary level) | Time | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 45 min | 35 to 40 |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 40 min | 28 to 35 |
| Abstract Reasoning | 30 min | 30 |
| Written Expression | 25 min | 1 stimulus |
Below are 11 original sample questions and a writing stimulus at about Year 6 to 7 level. Answers are at the end. For Year 5 HAST-P questions, see our Brisbane State High sample questions.
These are our own practice questions, not ACER material. ACER doesn't release past papers.
Reading comprehension
Read the passage, then answer questions 1 to 4.
For most of the last century, the ideal Australian backyard was a neat rectangle of lawn. A lawn was easy to understand: you watered it, you mowed it, and on Saturday afternoons the street hummed with the sound of everyone else's mower.
Lately, though, some gardeners have begun to ask what the lawn is actually for. Their answer is often uncomfortable. A lawn grows food for no one, shelters almost nothing, and in a dry summer drinks more water than the vegetable patch beside it. Replace even part of it with native shrubs and grasses, these gardeners argue, and the yard begins to fill with birds, lizards and insects that had quietly disappeared.
Critics point out that children need somewhere flat to kick a ball, and that a "wild" yard can look, to the neighbours, simply neglected. Both points are fair. But the choice is rarely all or nothing. A strip of lawn for games, edged with a deep border of local plants, keeps the cricket pitch and invites the blue-tongue lizard back. The question is not whether to have a lawn, but whether every square metre needs to be one.
1. What is the main idea of the passage? A. Lawns should be banned. B. Backyards can balance lawn with native plants. C. Children need large lawns to play on. D. Native plants need more water than lawns.
2. "The street hummed with the sound of everyone else's mower" suggests that: A. lawns were common across the neighbourhood B. mowers were very quiet C. people mowed only on Saturdays D. neighbours disliked the noise
3. Why is the gardeners' answer described as "uncomfortable"? A. It means gardening is hard work. B. It suggests something many people value gives little back. C. It makes neighbours angry. D. It costs a lot of money.
4. How does the writer respond to the critics? A. By saying they are wrong B. By agreeing that lawns must stay as they are C. By accepting their points and suggesting a compromise D. By changing the subject
Mathematical reasoning
5. A water tank is three-quarters full. After 120 litres are used, it's half full. How many litres does the tank hold when full? A. 240 B. 360 C. 480 D. 600
6. A car travels 150 km in 1 hour 40 minutes. What is its average speed? A. 75 km/h B. 85 km/h C. 90 km/h D. 100 km/h
7. A bag holds 4 red, 6 blue and 10 green marbles. One marble is taken at random. What is the probability that it is NOT green? A. 1/5 B. 3/10 C. 1/2 D. 2/3
8. The sum of three consecutive even numbers is 78. What is the largest of the three? A. 24 B. 26 C. 28 D. 30
Abstract reasoning
The real test uses shapes and diagrams. These text versions use the same three question types ACER names: next in sequence, complete the pattern and middle of sequence. For diagram practice, see our abstract reasoning page.
9. Next in sequence. What comes next?
↑1 →2 ↓3 ←4 ?
A. ↑5 B. →5 C. ↑4 D. ↓5
10. Complete the pattern. Which option fills the gap?
| ● | ○○ | ●●● |
| ○ | ●● | ○○○ |
| ● | ○○ | ? |
A. ●●● B. ○○○ C. ●● D. ○●●
11. Middle of sequence. Five frames are shown out of order. Frame P has 2 dots, Q has 5 dots, R has 1 dot, S has 4 dots and T has 3 dots. When the frames are put in the simplest logical order, which frame is in the middle? A. P B. Q C. S D. T
Written expression
You have 25 minutes. Your writing must be based on the stimulus.
Stimulus: "The best ideas often look like mistakes at first."
You may write a story, a personal reflection or an argument, as long as it develops from this statement.
ACER penalises rehearsed writing that isn't developed from the stimulus. Spend the first few minutes planning a response to this stimulus.
Answers and explanations
| Q | Answer | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | B | The last sentence sums it up: the question is not whether to have a lawn, but how much. |
| 2 | A | If everyone else's mower can be heard, everyone has a lawn. |
| 3 | B | The answer is that lawns give almost nothing back, which is uncomfortable for people who love them. |
| 4 | C | "Both points are fair. But the choice is rarely all or nothing." |
| 5 | C | Three-quarters minus a half is a quarter, and a quarter = 120 L. Full = 4 × 120 = 480 L. |
| 6 | C | 1 hour 40 minutes = 5/3 hours. 150 ÷ 5/3 = 90 km/h. |
| 7 | C | Not green = 4 + 6 = 10 out of 20 = 1/2. |
| 8 | C | The middle number is 78 ÷ 3 = 26. The numbers are 24, 26, 28. |
| 9 | A | The arrow turns 90° clockwise each time and the number goes up by 1. After ← comes ↑, and after 4 comes 5. |
| 10 | A | Each column has 1, 2 and 3 dots. Rows 1 and 3 match, and row 2 is the reverse shading. |
| 11 | D | The simplest order is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 dots: R, P, T, S, Q. T is in the middle. |
What these questions show
- Reading at secondary level focuses on the writer's argument and attitude, not just facts.
- Maths reasoning often has a simple step hiding behind a wordy question, as in question 5.
- Abstract reasoning rewards the simplest rule that fits every frame. Two rules at once, like question 9, are common.
More practice
- HAST practice tests: full timed papers with worked explanations
- HAST exam format and HAST results explained
- Abstract reasoning: how to approach it
Frequently asked questions
Does ACER publish HAST sample questions? ACER's Student Information Bulletins include a few example questions. There are no released past papers.
Will my child sit all four HAST tests? Not always. Each school chooses three or four. Ask the school which package it uses.
Is HAST on paper or computer? Paper, with a separate answer sheet for multiple choice.
Sample questions written by Practice Tests & Exams. Test structure from ACER's HAST Student Information Bulletins (checked 10 September 2026). Not affiliated with ACER.