Verbal, Non-Verbal, or Performance Tests: An intelligence test may be fully verbal, fully non-verbal or fully performance-based or it consist of a mixture of items from each category. Verbal tests require subject to give verbal responses either orally or in written form. Therefore verbal tests can be administered only t o literate people. The non-verbal tests use picture or illustrations as test items. Raven's Progressive Matrices (RPM) Test is an example of a non-verbal test. In this test, the subject examines an incomplete pattern and chooses a fugure from the alternatives that will compete the pattern.
Performance tests require subject to manipulate objects and other material to perform a task. Written langauge is not necessary for answering the items. For example, Koh's Block Design Test contains a number of wooden blocks. The subject is asked to arrange the blocks within a time period to product goven design. A major advantage of perfomance tests is that they can be easily administered to persons from different culture.