Understanding Analogies

Every Analogy Question consists of Two Words, Called the Main Pair that are separated by a Colon. Below the main pair are five answer choices having five pair of words with a colon between them. You are to choose from the answer choices the pair that has the similar relation between the words as the main words have.

Analogies Example

CRUMB: BREAD::

1. Kilogram : unit
2. Fiber : rope
3. Flower : basket
4. Splinter : wood
5. Milk : butter

Explanation:

The correct answer is (D)

First find the relationship between the given pair of words, and then look for the pair of words among the answers that has the same relationship.

What is the relationship between CRUMB and BREAD? A CRUMB is a very small piece that falls from or breaks off from a piece of BREAD.

In choice (D), a splinter is a very small piece that breaks off or splits away from a piece of wood.

None of the relationships between the two words in the other choices is similar to the relationship between CRUMB and BREAD:

A Kilogram is a type of unit; it is not a small piece of a unit

Flowers can be carried in a basket; it is not a piece of a basket.

Rope is made up of fiber.

Milk is what butter is made from, but butter is not a small piece of Milk.

Strategies

Explanation of the preceding example gives you three clues:

• You must know the meaning of the words.
• You can express the relationship between the two words in the question in a sentence that explains how they are related.
• You can express the relationship between the two words in the correct answer by using almost the same sentence and substituting the words in the answer for the words in the question.

To answer Analogy questions, start by making up a “test sentence” that explains how the two words in the question are related. Then try the words from each choice in your test sentence to see which pair makes the most sense. Take the example:

Example

ALBUM : PHOTOGRAPHS ::

1. Head : cap
2. Bulb : light
3. Compact disks : CPU
4. Shelf : books
5. Pen : paper

Explanation:

Make up a sentence that expresses the relationship between the two words in the question. Your test sentence may be “An ALBUM is a place for saving PHOTOGRAPHS”

A ________ is a place for saving ________.

Put in the words from the choices, the pair that makes the most sense in the test sentence is the correct answer.

1. A head is a place for saving caps.
2. A bulb is a place for saving light
3. A compact disk is a place for saving CPU.
4. A shelf is a place for saving books
5. A pen is a place for saving papers.

Only choice (D) makes sense. It is the right choice.