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20 Welding Symbols & Drawings Practice Questions & Answers

Every Welding Symbols & Drawings practice question from the Welding Practice Test, with the correct answer and a short explanation.

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  1. 1. AWS A2.4 draws a distinction between a weld symbol and a welding symbol. Which statement expresses that distinction correctly?

    • A.The weld symbol is used on shop drawings; the welding symbol on erection drawings.
    • B.The weld symbol names the process; the welding symbol gives size and length.
    • C.The weld symbol is the figure showing weld type; the welding symbol is the entire assembly.✓ Answer
    • D.The welding symbol shows the weld type; the weld symbol is the entire assembly.

    The weld symbol is only the small figure that names the weld type, such as the right triangle for a fillet or the V for a V-groove. The welding symbol is the complete method of showing the requirement: reference line, arrow, weld symbol, dimensions, supplementary symbols, finish symbols, tail, and any specification or process reference. Because the weld symbol is one element inside the welding symbol, the two terms are not interchangeable.

    Source: AWS A2.4, Standard Symbols for Welding, Brazing, and Nondestructive ExaminationReport a problem with this question

  2. 2. On an AWS welding symbol, a fillet weld symbol is drawn below the reference line. What does that placement specify?

    • A.The side is the welder's choice, since side matters only for groove welds.
    • B.The weld is made on the arrow side, the side the arrow points to.✓ Answer
    • C.The weld is made on the other side, opposite the side the arrow touches.
    • D.The weld is made on both sides, because below the line means both members.

    In the AWS system the joint is the basis of reference, and the rule is fixed: a weld symbol below the reference line means the weld goes on the arrow side, and above the reference line means the other side. Symbols placed both above and below call for welding on both sides. The convention is counterintuitive to beginners but it never varies with how the arrow is drawn on the sheet.

    Source: AWS A2.4, Standard Symbols for Welding, Brazing, and Nondestructive ExaminationReport a problem with this question

  3. 3. A welding symbol carries a fillet weld symbol below the reference line and a V-groove weld symbol above it. What does this specify?

    • A.A fillet weld on the arrow side and a V-groove weld on the other side.✓ Answer
    • B.A fillet weld capping a V-groove weld, both run on the arrow side.
    • C.Either a fillet or a V-groove weld, whichever the welder finds easier to run.
    • D.A V-groove weld on the arrow side and a fillet weld on the other side.

    Each weld symbol keeps its own side significance, so the two figures are read independently: below the reference line is the arrow side and above it is the other side. One welding symbol can therefore specify two different weld types on the same joint. Nothing in the symbol lets the welder substitute one weld type for the other.

    Source: AWS A2.4, Standard Symbols for Welding, Brazing, and Nondestructive ExaminationReport a problem with this question

  4. 4. A welding symbol for a bevel-groove weld has an arrow that is bent, with the broken segment aimed at one of the two members. What does the break in the arrow indicate?

    • A.The broken arrow points to the member that must be left unbeveled.
    • B.The broken arrow points to the member that carries the backing.
    • C.The broken arrow points to the member that must be tacked first.
    • D.The broken arrow points to the member that must be prepared, or beveled.✓ Answer

    Bevel-groove and J-groove welds prepare only one of the two members, so the drawing must say which one. Bending the arrow so that it points at that member removes the ambiguity. When either member may be prepared with equal result, the arrow is drawn straight and unbroken.

    Source: AWS A2.4, Standard Symbols for Welding, Brazing, and Nondestructive ExaminationReport a problem with this question

  5. 5. A welding symbol shows three reference lines stacked on the same arrow. In what order are the operations performed?

    • A.In sequence from the arrow outward; the line nearest the arrow is first.✓ Answer
    • B.In sequence from the tail inward; the line farthest from the arrow is first.
    • C.In any order the welder chooses; stacking only groups the welds.
    • D.Top line first and bottom last, whatever end the arrow is on.

    Multiple reference lines exist precisely to fix an order of operations, and they are read in sequence starting at the arrow. A typical stack reads weld, then backgouge, then back weld. Data that applies to the whole set, such as a general note, is placed on the reference line farthest from the arrow.

    Source: AWS A2.4, Standard Symbols for Welding, Brazing, and Nondestructive ExaminationReport a problem with this question

  6. 6. The tail of a welding symbol is drawn at the end of the reference line opposite the arrow. What information goes there, and when is the tail left off?

    • A.The length of the weld; it is omitted when the weld is continuous.
    • B.The size of the weld; it is omitted when a standard size applies.
    • C.A process, a specification or a note; it is omitted when none is needed.✓ Answer
    • D.The count of welds; it is omitted when only one weld is needed.

    The tail is the place for references that the graphic elements cannot carry: a welding process letter designation such as SMAW or GMAW, a procedure or specification reference, or a note such as TYP meaning the symbol applies to all identical joints. Size, length and pitch have their own fixed locations beside the weld symbol, so they never belong in the tail, and the tail is simply left off when there is no reference to give.

    Source: AWS A2.4, Standard Symbols for Welding, Brazing, and Nondestructive ExaminationReport a problem with this question

  7. 7. A filled flag is drawn at the junction of the arrow and the reference line. What does the flag specify?

    • A.The weld is made only after the assembly is fitted and tacked.
    • B.The weld is finished flush, the flag acting as a contour symbol.
    • C.The weld is made at the erection site rather than in the shop.✓ Answer
    • D.The weld is made continuously all the way around that joint.

    The flag is the field weld symbol and tells the fabricator that this weld is made where the structure is erected, not in the shop, which affects position, access and shielding. The open circle at that same junction is the weld-all-around symbol, a different requirement entirely. Contour and finish requirements are shown at the weld symbol itself, not at the arrow junction.

    Source: AWS A2.4, Standard Symbols for Welding, Brazing, and Nondestructive ExaminationReport a problem with this question

  8. 8. A fillet weld symbol carries a flush contour symbol with the letter G placed just outside it. What does the G specify?

    • A.The letter names the gas-shielded process used to weld it.
    • B.The letter grades how smooth the finished surface must be.
    • C.The flush contour is to be produced by gouging the weld.
    • D.The flush contour is to be produced by grinding the weld.✓ Answer

    Finish symbols are letters placed outside the contour symbol and they name the method of obtaining the contour, not the degree of finish: C for chipping, G for grinding, M for machining, R for rolling, H for hammering and U for unspecified. Surface roughness, if it matters, is stated separately as a note or a numeric value on the drawing.

    Source: AWS A2.4, Standard Symbols for Welding, Brazing, and Nondestructive ExaminationReport a problem with this question

  9. 9. On a welding symbol, a rectangle is drawn on the side of the reference line opposite the groove weld symbol. What does that rectangle specify?

    • A.That a spacer is set between the members to hold the root open.
    • B.That a backing bar or strip is used at the root of the joint.✓ Answer
    • C.That melt-through with root reinforcement is required there.
    • D.That a back weld is deposited after the groove is filled.

    Three similar-looking supplementary symbols are routinely confused. The backing symbol is a rectangle placed opposite the groove weld symbol and calls for backing material at the root; a back or backing weld is shown by a plain semicircle, meaning metal is deposited on the far side; and melt-through is a filled semicircle requiring root penetration visible on the far side with no backing at all. The spacer symbol is also a rectangle but it is drawn inside the reference line, interrupting it.

    Source: AWS A2.4, Standard Symbols for Welding, Brazing, and Nondestructive ExaminationReport a problem with this question

  10. 10. A fillet weld symbol below the reference line has 1/4 to the left of the symbol and 2-5 to the right of it. What does the symbol call for?

    • A.1/4 in. throat size, in 5 in. increments spaced 2 in. center to center.
    • B.1/4 in. legs, in 2 in. increments spaced 5 in. center to center.✓ Answer
    • C.1/4 in. legs, in 5 in. increments with 2 in. gaps between them.
    • D.1/4 in. legs, in 2 in. increments with 5 in. gaps between them.

    Size always goes to the left of the weld symbol and length-pitch always to the right, so 1/4 is the fillet leg size and 2-5 is a 2 in. weld increment on a 5 in. pitch. Pitch is measured center to center between increments, so the unwelded space here is 3 in., not 5 in. Reading pitch as the gap is one of the most common errors on the module.

    Source: AWS A2.4, Standard Symbols for Welding, Brazing, and Nondestructive ExaminationReport a problem with this question

  11. 11. A plug weld symbol is drawn below the reference line with 3/4 to the left of the symbol, (6) in parentheses next to the symbol, and 4 to the right of it. What does it call for?

    • A.Six plug welds, 3/4 in. of filling, made in the other-side member.
    • B.Six plug welds, holes 3/4 in. across, spaced 4 in. center to center.✓ Answer
    • C.Four plug welds, holes 3/4 in. across, in a 6 in. long line.
    • D.Six plug welds, holes 3/4 in. deep, with 4 in. of clear space between them.

    For plug welds the size to the left of the symbol is the hole diameter, the number in parentheses is how many plug welds are required, and the pitch to the right is center-to-center spacing. Because the symbol sits below the reference line, the holes are made in the arrow-side member. Depth of filling would appear inside the symbol, and its absence means the hole is filled completely.

    Source: AWS A2.4, Standard Symbols for Welding, Brazing, and Nondestructive ExaminationReport a problem with this question

  12. 12. How is the right-triangle fillet weld symbol oriented where it touches the reference line?

    • A.The perpendicular leg is drawn on the side the vertical member is on.
    • B.The perpendicular leg is on the left only for arrow-side welds.
    • C.The perpendicular leg is always drawn on the left.✓ Answer
    • D.The perpendicular leg is always drawn on the right, toward the tail.

    The perpendicular leg of the fillet weld symbol is always drawn on the left no matter how the joint sits in space, and the same convention applies to the bevel-groove, J-groove and flare-bevel symbols. Keeping the leg fixed means the symbol never has to be redrawn to match the view, and the drawing itself shows the actual orientation of the members. Unequal leg sizes, when required, are given in parentheses to the left with the orientation shown on the drawing.

    Source: AWS A2.4, Standard Symbols for Welding, Brazing, and Nondestructive ExaminationReport a problem with this question

  13. 13. A bevel-groove weld symbol shows 1/2 to the left of the symbol and (3/8) in parentheses immediately to the right of that number. What do the two numbers mean?

    • A.1/2 in. depth of bevel, with 3/8 in. groove weld size, the effective throat.✓ Answer
    • B.1/2 in. groove weld size, with 3/8 in. depth of bevel at the root.
    • C.1/2 in. root opening, with 3/8 in. of root face left on the member.
    • D.1/2 in. weld length, with 3/8 in. of pitch between the increments.

    Depth of bevel is how deep the member is cut in preparing the joint; groove weld size is the effective throat actually obtained by the weld, and it is shown in parentheses right after the depth of bevel. The two can differ because a partial joint penetration weld need not fill the prepared depth. If a single number appears with no parentheses, it is the groove weld size and the depth of bevel is unspecified. Root opening is placed inside the weld symbol, not to its left.

    Source: AWS A2.4, Standard Symbols for Welding, Brazing, and Nondestructive ExaminationReport a problem with this question

  14. 14. A drawing calls for a 60 degree groove angle on a V-groove weld in a butt joint made from two plates. What angle is prepared on each plate edge?

    • A.60 degrees, since each edge is cut to the stated groove angle.
    • B.30 degrees, since the groove angle is the total included angle.✓ Answer
    • C.45 degrees, the standard bevel used whenever a groove angle is given.
    • D.120 degrees, since each edge takes twice the stated angle.

    The groove angle is the total included angle of the joint, so on a symmetrical V-groove each member carries a bevel angle of half that value. Confusing the two makes the finished groove twice as wide as intended and wastes filler metal. On a bevel-groove weld only one member is prepared, so there the bevel angle and the groove angle are the same number.

    Source: AWS A2.4, Standard Symbols for Welding, Brazing, and Nondestructive ExaminationReport a problem with this question

  15. 15. A resistance spot weld symbol is drawn centered on the reference line, with the line passing through it. What does that placement mean?

    • A.The symbol carries no arrow-side or other-side significance.✓ Answer
    • B.The symbol calls for spot welds made from both sides at once.
    • C.The symbol locates the spot welds along the centerline of the joint.
    • D.The symbol places every spot weld in the arrow-side member.

    A resistance spot weld passes through both members, so there is no arrow side or other side to distinguish and the symbol is centered on the reference line. Resistance seam welds follow the same centering rule. Arc spot and arc seam welds do have side significance and are placed above or below the line, which is why a study aid that describes a spot weld as a dot above the reference line is simply wrong.

    Source: AWS A2.4, Standard Symbols for Welding, Brazing, and Nondestructive ExaminationReport a problem with this question

  16. 16. On an examination symbol drawn in the AWS system, and shared with a weld symbol on the same reference line, letters such as RT, UT, MT and PT appear. What do those letters designate?

    • A.The acceptance criteria that the finished weld must satisfy.
    • B.The qualification level held by the person examining.
    • C.The nondestructive examination method that is to be used.✓ Answer
    • D.The percentage of joint length that must be examined.

    Examination symbols use letter designations for the method: RT radiographic, UT ultrasonic, MT magnetic particle, PT liquid penetrant and VT visual. The letters occupy the same standard location a weld symbol would, so above, below or centered on the reference line still means other side, arrow side or no side significance. Extent is shown separately by a length dimension or a number of examinations, and acceptance criteria come from the governing code, not from the symbol.

    Source: AWS A2.4, Standard Symbols for Welding, Brazing, and Nondestructive ExaminationReport a problem with this question

  17. 17. A print shows two plates lying in the same plane with their edges facing each other, joined by a weld along those edges. What are the joint and the weld correctly called?

    • A.An edge joint, and the weld made in it is a groove weld.
    • B.A groove joint, and the weld made in it is a fillet weld.
    • C.A butt joint, and the weld made in it is a butt weld.
    • D.A butt joint, and the weld made in that joint is a groove weld.✓ Answer

    A joint is the junction of the members, and there are five basic types: butt, corner, edge, lap and T-joint. A weld type is what is deposited in that joint: groove, fillet, plug, slot, spot, seam, edge, surfacing or stud. Butt names the joint only, so there is no such thing as a butt weld symbol; the weld made in a butt joint is a groove weld, and a square-groove symbol is drawn as two parallel lines.

    Source: AWS A3.0, Standard Welding Terms and DefinitionsReport a problem with this question

  18. 18. A three-view weldment drawing follows the standard U.S. arrangement of views. Where do the top view and the right-side view fall relative to the front view?

    • A.Top view above the front view and right-side view to its left.
    • B.Top view above the front view and right-side view to its right.✓ Answer
    • C.Top view below the front view and right-side view to its left.
    • D.Top view drawn to the left of the front view and right-side view above.

    U.S. drawings use third-angle projection, in which each view is placed on the side of the front view from which it is seen: the top view goes above and the right-side view goes to the right. First-angle projection, common outside the United States, swaps those positions, so checking the projection convention in the title block before scaling or cutting anything prevents a mirrored part.

    Source: ASME Y14.3, Orthographic and Pictorial ViewsReport a problem with this question

  19. 19. On a weldment detail drawing, a line made of short evenly spaced dashes runs across the face of a plate. What does that line represent?

    • A.The plane along which a section view has been taken.
    • B.The axis of a hole or the centerline of a symmetrical feature.
    • C.The edge or surface that is hidden from sight in that view.✓ Answer
    • D.The place where a long part has been shortened by a break.

    Evenly spaced short dashes are the hidden line, showing an edge or surface that exists but is blocked from view in that particular view, such as a hole or a rib behind the plate. A center line alternates long and short dashes, a cutting-plane line is heavy with arrows at the ends, and a break line is a freehand or zigzag line. Reading the alphabet of lines correctly is what lets a welder correlate the same feature across views.

    Source: ASME Y14.2, Line Conventions and LetteringReport a problem with this question

  20. 20. A weldment drawing carries the note DRAWING NOT TO SCALE, and one member is dimensioned 14 in. What governs the length the welder cuts?

    • A.The length measured on the print governs, using the title-block scale.
    • B.Neither governs; the piece is cut to fit the assembly at fit-up.
    • C.The written 14 in. dimension governs over anything measured on the print.✓ Answer
    • D.The bill of materials length governs whenever that note appears.

    Written dimensions always govern over anything scaled off the print, and the not-to-scale note makes that explicit by warning that the geometry was not redrawn to match. Notes and dimensions on the drawing are binding requirements, so the welder cuts to the stated 14 in. within the tolerance block, and a bill of materials entry that disagrees is a discrepancy to be resolved before cutting, not an override.

    Source: ASME Y14.100, Engineering Drawing PracticesReport a problem with this question

Practice questions based on the AWS SENSE Level I (Entry Welder) written modules, ANSI Z49.1 safety practice, and AWS A2.4 welding symbols. This bank covers the KNOWLEDGE half of entry-level welding only — the workmanship and welder performance qualification tests are hands-on and cannot be practised here, and this is not preparation for the separate, performance-based AWS Certified Welder credential. AWS, SENSE, and NCCER are marks of their respective organizations; this site is not affiliated with or endorsed by them. Work from your program's current materials, and follow the welding procedure and drawings on your own job rather than any number you remember. About AWS SENSE →