Analogy questions test whether you can identify the relationship between two words and apply that same relationship to another pair. Knowing the definitions is important, but the main task is determining exactly how the words are connected.
How to Read an Analogy
A typical analogy may look like this:
Graceful : Clumsy :: Hot : _____
Read it as, “Graceful is to clumsy as hot is to blank.” Because graceful and clumsy are opposites, the missing word should be the opposite of hot. The answer is cold.
How to Solve an Analogy
- Identify the relationship between the first two words.
- Express that relationship in a short sentence.
- Apply the same sentence to the second pair.
- Check the direction of the relationship. For example, a puppy is a young dog, but a dog is not a young puppy.
- Eliminate choices that are merely related to the topic but do not match the exact relationship.
Common Analogy Relationships
| Relationship | Example | How It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Synonym | Mad : Angry | The words have similar meanings. |
| Antonym | Hot : Cold | The words have opposite meanings. |
| Description | Giraffe : Tall | The second word describes the first. |
| Part to Whole | Slice : Pizza | The first item is part of the second. |
| Item to Category | Basketball : Sport | The first item belongs to the category named by the second. |
| Young to Adult | Puppy : Dog | The first word names the young form of the second. |
Worked Example
Puppy : Dog :: Kitten : _____
Turn the first pair into a sentence: “A puppy is a young dog.” Then apply the same sentence to the second pair: “A kitten is a young _____.” The missing word is cat.
Sample Questions
Choose the word that best completes each analogy.
- A. finish
- B. open
- C. delay
- D. repeat
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Begin and start are synonyms.
The second pair must follow the same relationship. A synonym for end is finish.
- A. success
- B. contest
- C. defeat
- D. winner
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Night and day are opposites.
The opposite of victory is defeat.
- A. actor
- B. movie
- C. camera
- D. ticket
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A chapter is part of a book.
In the same part-to-whole relationship, a scene is part of a movie.
- A. song
- B. string
- C. instrument
- D. sound
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A hammer is a type of tool.
A violin is a type of instrument, so instrument completes the category relationship.
- A. round
- B. heavy
- C. sharp
- D. small
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This is a descriptive relationship. A feather is commonly described as light.
A stone is commonly described as heavy, making heavy the best match.
Analogy Tips
- Do not choose an answer simply because it is related to one word in the question.
- Name the exact relationship in the first pair before reviewing the choices.
- Turn the analogy into a sentence when the relationship is unclear.
- Check that the answer works in the same direction as the original pair.
- Eliminate choices that are too broad, too narrow, or only loosely connected.
Strong analogy answers match the relationship, not merely the topic. Once you can state the relationship in the first pair, completing the second pair becomes much easier.