In the name of ALLAH, the most beneficient, the most merciful

Analogies

Analogies are vocabulary questions, but actually, they require more than just knowing the meaning of the words. Analogies ask you to find out the relationships between pairs of words.

The basic skills necessary for these questions are a strong college- or graduate-level vocabulary and the ability to distinguish similarities and differences between words or ideas.

Directions

Each question below consists of a related pair of words or phrases, followed by four/five pairs of words/phrases labeled A through D/E. Select the pair that best expresses a relationship similar to that expressed in the original pair.

Analysis of Directions

To understand the concept better, consider the following example:

CRUMB : BREAD ::

  1. Candle : Light
  2. Fire : Spark
  3. Hillock : Mountain
  4. splinter : Wood
  5. Milk : Butter

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.

A CRUMB is a very small piece that falls from or breaks off from a piece of BREAD. In choice (D), 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, for example,

  • Candle emits light; it is not a small piece of a candle.
  • Spark can cause fire. Fire is not a piece of spark.
  • Hillock and mountain has a relationship of small and large.
  • Milk is what butter is made from, but butter is not a small piece of Milk.

Strategies

Explanation of the preceding example gives 3 clues:

  • You must know the meaning of the words.
  • You should be able to express the relationship between the two words in the question in a test sentence.
  • You should be able to express the relationship, in correct answer, by using the test sentence for substituting the words.

To answer Analogy question, start making up a "test sentence" that expresses how the two words in the question are related. Then try to insert the words from each choice in your test sentence to see which pair makes the most sense, for example,

ALBUM : PHOTOGRAPHS ::

  1. Head : Cap
  2. Bulb : Light
  3. Compact Disks : CPU
  4. Shelf : Books
  5. Pen : Paper

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.

An ________ is a place for saving ________________. (test sentence with blanks)

Now put the words from the choices in the blanks of the test sentence, 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.

As only choice D makes sense so it is the right choice.

Eliminate Wrong Choices and Guess:

In case, you don't know the correct answer, eliminate any choices that you know are wrong and guess from those remaining.

Suggestions with Examples

Make sure that you know what both words in the first pair mean. A simple word such as run may be a noun or a verb. As a noun, it may mean the act of running, or a score in a baseball game, or a flaw in panty hose. As a verb, it may be intransitive (without an object) and mean to move rapidly - to run in a race. Or it may be transitive (taking an object) and mean to control or direct - to run a business.

To determine which parts of speech the words in the original pair are, look at the five answer choices. All the choices will be the same parts of speech as the original pair. So if you’re not sure about a word in the first pair, the words in the choices will tell you what parts of speech are being used.

BOARDS : ROWBOAT ::

  1. disembarks : airplane
  2. enters : account book
  3. gets on : bus
  4. refuses : time
  5. hopes : fear

The word boards may be a verb meaning gets into or a noun describing the lumber from which rowboats are constructed. The best answer is C gets on : bus. The choices make clear that boards is a verb. The relationship between boards and rowboat is the same as the relationship between gets on and bus.

Construct a sentence relating the two words. To help determine the relationship between the two words in the original pair, construct a sentence (using the words) that explains how the two words are related. Then use almost the same sentence replacing the original words with the answer choices.

RECIPE : COOKBOOK ::

  1. letter : secretary
  2. formula : chemist
  3. blueprint : building
  4. map : atlas
  5. prescription : pharmacy

The best answer is D map : atlas. The sentence you could have used is “A recipe is found in a cookbook.” You could then have tried each of the choices. A a letter is found in a secretary. No, that’s incorrect. B a formula is found in a chemist. No, that’s incorrect. C a blueprint is found in a building. Possibly, but not usually. D a map is found in an atlas. Absolutely! E a prescription is found in a pharmacy. Possibly, but not necessarily. Another, possibly better, sentence is “A recipe is contained in a cookbook” and “A map is contained in an atlas.”

Notice how constructing a sentence relating the two words can be really helpful in solving an analogy. The actual analogy can be stated as follows: “Recipe is to cookbook in the same way as map is to atlas.” The standard analogy sentence is “A is to B in the same way as C is to D.”

SONNET : LITERATURE ::

  1. rhythm : poetry
  2. football : sport
  3. dancing : ballet
  4. research : biology
  5. acting : actor

The best answer is B football : sport. In this case, you might say to yourself, “A sonnet is a type of literature” and therefore recognize that the relationship is between an example and the larger category. Now, doing the same thing with the answer choices, you will find that the correct answer, B, shows the same relationship. Football is a type of sport. This sentence can be expressed as “Sonnet is to literature in the same way as football is to sport.”

ANONYMOUS : NAME ::

  1. careful : measurement
  2. quick : importance
  3. formless : shape
  4. large : body
  5. colorful : hue

The best choice is C formless : shape. Your sentence should go something like this: “An anonymous person or thing is lacking a name.” Choice C is best because it correctly completes the sentence: “Anonymous describes the lack of a name in the same way as formless describes the lack of shape.”

Try to make your sentence as specific as possible. Because some of the choices may be generally the same, make your sentence as precise as you can. If your sentence isn’t specific enough, more than one answer choice may seem good.

HAND : MAN ::

  1. tail : dog
  2. paw : cat
  3. bumper : car
  4. rain : umbrella
  5. head : hat

The best choice is B paw : cat. Using the sentence “Hand is a part of a man” eliminates choices D and E, but is not specific enough to get the right answer. Choice A “Tail is a part of a dog,” choice B “Paw is a part of a cat,” and choice C “Bumper is a part of a car,” are all possibilities with this general sentence. But if you make the sentence more specific, such as: “Hand is a part of a man that is used for grasping,” then choices A and C can be eliminated.

ORATORY : COMMUNICATION ::

  1. key : ignition
  2. concept : paragraph
  3. dancing : recreation
  4. stalling : conversation
  5. cursing : crime

In this case, you may say to yourself, “Oratory is a specific kind of communication” and thus recognize that the relationship here is between specific and general. This strategy eliminates all the choices except C and E. A more precise or specific sentence that would lead you to the best answer is, “Oratory is always a specific and typical kind of communication.” Is choice E cursing always a specific and typical kind of crime? No. Is choice C dancing always a specific and typical kind of recreation? Yes. Notice that cursing is not necessarily a crime. Dancing is necessarily a recreation. Therefore, C dancing : recreation is the best choice.

Remember that making a clear and specific sentence showing the relationship between the first two words usually eliminates wrong answers and leads you to the best choice.
Remember that making a clear and specific sentence showing the relationship between the first two words usually eliminates wrong answers and leads you to the best choice.

HEADACHE : ASPIRIN ::

  1. insect : insecticide
  2. allergy : ragweed
  3. quinine : malaria
  4. infection : antibiotic
  5. poison : toxin

The best choice is D infection : antibiotic. A headache may be cured by an aspirin, and an infection may be cured by an antibiotic. Though quinine is taken to prevent or to reduce the symptoms of malaria, the order of the two terms reverses that of the original pair. Remember that maintaining the order given in your original sentence “a headache may be cured by an aspirin” is key.

SLEEPER : SMOKE ALARM ::

  1. snake : hiss
  2. air raid : siren
  3. car horn : driver
  4. sailor : lighthouse
  5. crossing : bell

The best choice is D sailor : lighthouse. A sleeper is warned by a smoke alarm in the same way as a sailor is warned by a lighthouse. Choice C is incorrect because the order is reversed.

Sometimes, it is easier to make up a sentence using the original words in reverse order. Remember in this case to reverse the order of the words in the choices when you try them in your sentence. In essence, you are starting your sentence with the second word first on the original and on all the choices.

ARROW : QUIVER ::

  1. actress : applause
  2. garage : car
  3. editorial : newspaper
  4. pistol : holster
  5. dirt : shovel

The best choice is D pistol : holster. A quiver is a case for holding an arrow; the closest parallel is holster, which is the case that holds a pistol. Notice that, in this situation, it is probably easier to make a sentence starting from the second word. Just remember that each of your sentences for this question must then be consistent and start from the second word.

Often, you will need to consider not only the primary relationship between the original words, but also a secondary relationship.

PERJURY : TRUTH ::

  1. attorney : client
  2. treason : loyalty
  3. courage : cowardice
  4. sorcery : witchcraft
  5. patience : indecision

Perjury is the opposite of truth. This sentence shows that the primary relationship between the original words is one of opposites.
Beyond this primary relationship, you must consider secondary relationships. First, notice that perjury is an unlawful act. Second, notice that, considering more specifically the relationship of perjury to truth, you may conclude that perjury is a violation of truth. Scanning the answer choices, you see that treason is the opposite of loyalty and that courage is the opposite of cowardice. However, only choice B presents a relationship in which the first term is an unlawful act and in which the first term is a violation of the second. Thus, taking the secondary relationships of the original pair fully into account, you should conclude that B treason : loyalty is the best choice.

FINE : SPEEDING ::

  1. watch : retiring
  2. certificate : achieving
  3. key : unlocking
  4. payment : working
  5. penalty : fouling

The best choice is E penalty : fouling. “Speeding can cause you to get a fine.” This sentence tells you that the original relationship is between two actions. The primary relationship is that the second action causes the first. Choices A, “retiring can cause you to get a watch,” B, “achieving can cause you to get a certificate,” and D, “working can cause you to get a payment,” are all second actions that could ultimately cause the first action. But the secondary relationship to consider is that speeding is illegal and is punishable by a fine. This secondary relationship helps you focus on the important specifics needed for the right answer: choice E, “fouling can cause you to get a penalty,” and “fouling is illegal by the governing rules and is punishable by a penalty.”

VANDALIZE : PROPERTY ::

  1. judge : murderer
  2. criticize : creativity
  3. incinerate : combustibles
  4. slander : reputation
  5. courage : villainy

The best choice is D slander : reputation. “To vandalize is to destroy property.” This sentence tells you that the original relationship is between an action and its object: Property is the object of vandalism. Beyond this primary relationship, you must consider secondary relationships. First, notice that destruction is the object of vandalism. Second, notice that it is unlawful destruction. Scanning the choices, you see that to judge can destroy (condemn to death) a murderer; to criticize can destroy (by discouraging) creativity; and courage can (under certain conditions) destroy villainy. But in none of these choices - A, B, or E - is the relationship between the terms typically or necessarily one of destruction. In choice C, to incinerate necessarily destroys combustibles (flammable objects); and in choice D, slander typically destroys reputation. So both of these are possible choices. However, only one of them refers to a typically unlawful act as well, choice D. Thus, taking the secondary relationships of the original pair fully into account, you should conclude that D is the best choice.

Watch the “level” of each word. Carefully examine each word; if you have trouble with the meaning, try to notice or identify the “level” of one or both of the words. Is one word extreme, harsh, gentle, or pleasant?

LOUD : BLARING ::

  1. impotent : potent
  2. tepid : warm
  3. surprising : shocking
  4. cool : calm
  5. noise : quiet

The best choice is C surprising : shocking. Even if you didn’t know the meaning of the second word, blaring, and therefore couldn’t make a sentence, you could still get the right answer. Notice that blaring is a harsh or extreme word. The only second word that is harsh or extreme is shocking. Blaring is the extreme of loud in the same way that shocking is the extreme of surprising. So if you didn’t know the relationship between the original words, or even the meaning of the words, you could get the right answer by using this strategy to make an educated guess.

Remember that your choice does not have to come from the same category, class, or type as the original pair of words. You are looking for a pair of words that have the same relationship.

TASTING : EATING ::

  1. skimming : reading
  2. cooking : cleaning
  3. singing : dining
  4. baking : broiling
  5. laughing : smiling

The best choice is A skimming : reading. Notice that the original pair of words, tasting and eating, are from the category of food, and notice that three of the choices, B, C, and D, have words from the same category. But you are looking for the words that have the same relationship as the original pair, not words from the same category. Tasting is to eat or drink in small quantities, lightly. Skimming is to read in small quantities, lightly and swiftly. Even though skimming and reading are from the category of books and reading, this pair has the closest relationship to the original pair and is the best answer.

Effective Approach to Analogies

  1. Determine the relationship between the original pair of words by using them in a clear, specific sentence.
  2. Narrow your choices to pairs that typically or necessarily express a similar relationship.
  3. Choose the pair that expresses the original relationship most precisely by taking into account the secondary relationship(s) between the words in the original pair.

Solved Examples
Practice Test 1
Online Test Practice