A verbal analogy question has four terms in two pairs. You are given the first complete pair, which establishes the relationship. You must then choose a pair of words whose relationship is most similar to the relationship in the given pair.
One type of verbal analogy question gives the first pair of words and the first half of the second pair, followed by a list of possible matches. This kind of question looks like this:
CLOCK is to TIME as THERMOMETER is to
The four answer choices are all single words. You must choose the one that completes a relationship with thermometer that is analogous to the relationship between clock and time.
Or you may just be given the first pair of words, and then a selection of paired terms from which you must find the one that implies the same relationship as the given pair. This kind of question looks like this:
CLOCK : TIME ::
The four answer choices are all pairs of words. You must choose the pair that has an analogous relationship to the relationship between clock and time.
To answer these questions, look at the given pair of words and decide what the relationship between the words is. Then choose the answer that has the most similar relationship to the given pair of words. Follow these four steps:
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Read each question carefully. |
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Establish what the correct relationship is between the two terms in the given pair. |
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Study the selection of possible answers carefully and eliminate any that do not share the same relationship as the given pair. |
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Read the remaining choices through again, this time substituting the key relationship word from the sample pair (CLOCK measures TIME, THERMOMETER measures TEMPERATURE). |
TIP
Remember to choose the correct answer because it is an analogous relationship, not because it is on the same subject as the given pair of words.
Try this question:
| 1. | SPEEDOMETER is to POINTER as WATCH is to |
| (A) | case |
| (B) | hands |
| (C) | dial |
| (D) | numerals |
The correct answer is (B). First consider what a pointer is used for on a speedometer. It indicates speed at a particular moment. A watch uses hands (choice B) for the same general function, that is, to indicate something at a particular moment. In this case, the hands indicate time. Choice (A), case, is incorrect because the watch case has nothing to do with this function. Choices (C), dial, and (D), numerals, are wrong because although the dial and the numbers have to do with indicating time, they don’t perform the specific function of indicating something at any one particular moment.
Try another sample question:
| 2. | WINTER is to SUMMER as COLD is to |
| (A) | wet |
| (B) | future |
| (C) | warm |
| (D) | freezing |
The correct answer is (C). Winter and summer are opposites, so you should look for an answer choice that means the opposite of cold.
Now, try the other kind of verbal analogy:
| 3. | SPELLING : PUNCTUATION :: |
| (A) | pajamas : fatigue |
| (B) | powder : shaving |
| (C) | bandage : cut |
| (D) | biology : physics |
The correct answer is (D). Spelling and punctuation are parts of the mechanics of English. Biology and physics are parts of the field of science. Therefore, the pair of words with the most analogous relationship to the given pair is answer choice (D). In this type of question, it may help to substitute the colons with words when you read the question in your head. You would read the third example like this: “Spelling is to punctuation as _____ is to ______.”