Drag and Drop NCLEX Questions: Breaking Down the NGN

Starting April 2023, the NCLEX exam moved to a new format with several new next gen NCLEX questions, including Drag-and-Drop Cloze and Drag-and-Drop Rationale items.

On the Next Generation NCLEX (NGN), these items require the test-taker to match or drag-and-drop items into their appropriate location in a sentence, rationale, or table.

Drag-and-Drop Cloze vs Rationale Items

With Drag-and-Drop Cloze items, test-takers will have to select a response and drag it to the correct target – but there may be more than one correct answer. If a choice is incorrect, the test-taker can either drag it back to the list or remove it entirely.

Drag-and-Drop Rationale items consist of one sentence with one or two causes or effects. Test-takers will select a choice, place it on top of the target, and can remove it by dragging it back to the choice list or simply removing it.

This type of question can be a dyad (two sentences with one target) or a triad (three sentences with one target).

How to Answer Drag-and-Drop Questions on the Next Generation NCLEX (NGN)

To answer Drag-and-Drop Cloze items on the NGN, read the sentence provided and identify the missing word or phrase. Out of the provided options, drag and drop the selected word or phrase into the appropriate location in the sentence.

Answering Drag-and-Drop Rationale items requires reading the question stem and the rationale provided carefully to understand the context and the information being presented.

Similar to Cloze items, drag and drop the selected phrase or sentence into the appropriate location in the rationale.

As the Nursing Game Changes, so Does the NCLEX

Having access to a tailored study prep can help ease the stress of exit exams.

SimpleNursing is a cost-effective NCLEX study tool with payment plan options. We offer study plans, adaptive NCLEX practice exams, question banks, and more.

Pass the new exams on the first try with SimpleNursing’s NCLEX prep course.