An analogy expresses a relationship between two pairs of words: 'A is to B as C is to D.' The key to solving analogies is identifying the specific relationship between the first pair (A:B), then finding a word D that creates the same relationship with C. Success depends on precisely naming the relationship rather than finding superficial similarities.

A : B :: C : D (read as 'A is to B as C is to D')

puppy : dog :: kitten : cat (young animal to adult animal)
painter : brush :: writer : pen (artist to tool)
hot : cold :: light : dark (opposites)

How to recognize it

First, identify the exact relationship in the given pair
Name the relationship specifically (not just 'related to')
Apply that same relationship to find the answer
Check that both pairs have parallel structure

Common mistakes

Focusing on word meanings rather than relationships
Accepting any association instead of parallel structure
Not testing all answer options against the relationship

Learn 2

Synonym Relationship

Words that have the same or similar meanings.

Synonym relationships connect words with similar meanings. In analogies, both pairs will share this 'means the same' relationship. Perfect synonyms are rare—most synonyms have subtle differences in connotation, formality, or usage. Recognizing synonym relationships requires understanding that the connection is about meaning equivalence.

A ≈ B (A means approximately the same as B)

happy : joyful :: sad : sorrowful
big : large :: small : tiny
fast : quick :: slow : sluggish

How to recognize it

Ask: Could these words be substituted for each other?
Both pairs express the 'same meaning' relationship
Words may differ in intensity or formality
Focus on denotation (dictionary meaning), not connotation

Common mistakes

Confusing synonyms with related words (house/home aren't exact synonyms)
Missing subtle meaning differences
Expecting perfect interchangeability

Learn 3

Antonym Relationship

Words that have opposite meanings.

Antonym relationships connect words with opposite meanings. There are different types of opposites: contradictory (alive/dead—no middle ground), contrary (hot/cold—allows degrees between), and converse (buy/sell—same action, different perspectives). Understanding the type of opposition helps identify the correct relationship.

A ↔ B (A is the opposite of B)

hot : cold :: light : dark
up : down :: left : right
buy : sell :: give : take

How to recognize it

Words represent opposing ends of a spectrum or concept
Both pairs must have the same type of opposition
Look for negation, reversal, or complementary relationships
Consider whether the opposition is absolute or gradual

Common mistakes

Missing that antonyms can be gradable (warm/cool) or absolute (dead/alive)
Confusing antonyms with merely different words
Not matching the type of opposition between pairs

Learn 4

Category Relationship

A specific item belongs to a broader category or class.

Category relationships (also called 'is-a' or taxonomic relationships) connect a specific example to its broader class. This hierarchical relationship is fundamental to how we organize knowledge. The first word names a specific instance; the second names the category it belongs to. Both pairs in the analogy must show the same level of specificity.

A ∈ B (A is a member of category B)

dog : animal :: rose : flower
piano : instrument :: hammer : tool
tennis : sport :: jazz : music

How to recognize it

Ask: 'Is A a type of B?' or 'A is a kind of B'
The first word should be more specific than the second
Both pairs should have the same hierarchical distance
The category should be the immediate or natural grouping

Common mistakes

Confusing with part-whole (a wheel is not a 'type of' car)
Choosing categories at different levels of abstraction
Missing that both pairs need the same relationship level

Learn 5

Part-Whole Relationship

One thing is a component or part of something larger.

Part-whole relationships (also called meronymy) connect a component to the larger entity it belongs to. Unlike category relationships where A 'is a type of' B, here A 'is a part of' B. The part cannot exist independently in the same form—a wheel removed from a car is still a wheel, but its function relates to being part of the car.

A ⊂ B (A is a part of B)

wheel : car :: page : book
finger : hand :: branch : tree
chapter : novel :: scene : movie

How to recognize it

Ask: 'Is A a physical or logical component of B?'
The whole (B) contains or is composed of the part (A)
Both pairs should show the same type of composition
Consider: does A function as part of B?

Common mistakes

Confusing with category ('wheel' is not a 'type of' car)
Reversing the relationship (whole : part instead of part : whole)
Missing the compositional nature of the relationship

Learn 6

Degree/Intensity Relationship

One word represents a stronger or weaker form of the same concept.

Degree relationships connect words that express the same concept at different intensities. The second word is typically a more extreme version of the first. This relationship involves scalar adjectives and verbs where meaning varies along a continuum. Both pairs must show the same direction of intensity change.

A < B in intensity (B is a stronger form of A)

warm : hot :: cool : cold
like : love :: dislike : hate
tired : exhausted :: hungry : starving

How to recognize it

Ask: 'Is B a more intense version of A?'
Words should express the same basic concept
The intensity difference should be similar in both pairs
Consider whether there's a scale from mild to extreme

Common mistakes

Confusing with synonyms (synonyms are roughly equal, degree differs)
Not maintaining consistent direction (mild→extreme in both)
Missing that the underlying concept must be the same

Learn 7

Function/Purpose Relationship

An object is connected to what it is used for or its primary purpose.

Function relationships connect an object to its purpose or primary use. The first word names a tool, device, or object; the second describes what it does or what action it enables. This relationship captures the designed intent or typical use of things.

A is used to B (A's function is B)

pen : write :: knife : cut
camera : photograph :: telescope : observe
oven : bake :: refrigerator : cool

How to recognize it

Ask: 'What is this object designed to do?'
The first word is typically a noun (the tool)
The second word is typically a verb (the action)
Both pairs show the same tool-to-action pattern

Common mistakes

Confusing primary function with secondary uses
Reversing the relationship (action : tool instead of tool : action)
Choosing overly general functions

Learn 8

Cause-Effect Relationship

One thing leads to, produces, or results in another.

Cause-effect relationships connect actions or conditions to their outcomes. The first word is the cause, condition, or action; the second is the result, consequence, or effect. This relationship captures the natural or logical progression from one state to another.

A → B (A causes or leads to B)

study : knowledge :: practice : skill
fire : smoke :: rain : flood
exercise : fitness :: sleep : rest

How to recognize it

Ask: 'Does A lead to or produce B?'
There should be a causal or consequential link
The direction matters: cause comes before effect
Both pairs must show cause→effect (not mixed)

Common mistakes

Confusing correlation with causation
Reversing cause and effect
Not maintaining the same causal direction in both pairs

Learn 9

Sequence/Temporal Relationship

One thing comes before or after another in time or logical order.

Sequence relationships connect items based on their temporal or logical order. The first word precedes the second in time, development, or process. This includes life cycles, calendar sequences, procedural steps, and developmental stages.

A precedes B (A comes before B)

egg : chicken :: seed : plant
dawn : dusk :: spring : summer
caterpillar : butterfly :: tadpole : frog

How to recognize it

Ask: 'Does A come before B in time or development?'
Look for stages, cycles, or progressions
Both pairs must show the same direction (earlier→later)
The interval or relationship type should match

Common mistakes

Confusing with cause-effect (sequence is about order, not causation)
Reversing the temporal direction
Mixing different types of sequences (days vs. seasons)

Learn 10

Symbolic Relationship

One thing represents or symbolizes an abstract concept.

Symbolic relationships connect concrete objects or images to the abstract concepts they represent in cultural or universal understanding. A dove represents peace; a crown represents royalty. These associations are often culturally established and may vary across societies, though some symbols have near-universal meaning.

A symbolizes B (A represents the concept B)

dove : peace :: owl : wisdom
rose : love :: skull : death
crown : royalty :: scale : justice

How to recognize it

Ask: 'What abstract concept does this concrete thing represent?'
The first word is typically concrete/visual
The second word is typically abstract/conceptual
Both pairs show symbol→meaning relationship

Common mistakes

Confusing with function (a symbol represents, not performs)
Missing cultural context of symbols
Reversing abstract and concrete elements

Learn 11

Grammatical Relationship

Words connected by grammatical transformation or word form changes.

Grammatical relationships connect words through systematic language transformations. This includes verb tenses (run→ran), noun plurals (child→children), derivational forms (happy→happiness), and agent nouns (teach→teacher). The relationship is about how word forms change according to grammatical rules.

A transforms to B by grammatical rule

run : ran :: sing : sang (past tense)
happy : happiness :: kind : kindness (adjective to noun)
teach : teacher :: paint : painter (verb to agent noun)

How to recognize it

Ask: 'Is this a grammatical transformation?'
Look for tense changes, plural forms, or derivations
The transformation rule must be the same in both pairs
Word roots should be related

Common mistakes

Confusing with synonyms (grammatical forms are related, not equivalent)
Applying irregular rules incorrectly
Not matching the exact type of transformation

Learn 12

Odd Word Out

Identify the single item in a group that does not share the property binding the others.

An odd-word-out task presents a small set of terms and asks you to identify the one that does not belong. The correct answer is the item that lacks a property shared by all the others — category membership, semantic relationship, grammatical form, or any structural feature. The key is to find the single category that includes the majority and excludes exactly one term. Multiple plausible categories often exist; the intended one is the category that partitions the set into (n−1, 1).

Given set S, find x ∈ S such that S \ {x} shares a property P that x does not

apple, banana, cherry, carrot → carrot (not a fruit)
run, jump, sleep, swim → sleep (not an active motion verb)
circle, square, triangle, red → red (not a shape)

How to recognize it

Look for a single category that fits all but one item
Check multiple dimensions: meaning, word class, origin, structure
Verify that the candidate answer is the only one that fails the rule

Common mistakes

Choosing an item that shares some but not all properties of the majority
Finding a property only two items share (requires n−1 sharing)
Overthinking — the intended rule is usually the simplest one that works

Learn 13

Tool–Product Relationship

One word names a tool, the other names what the tool creates or acts upon.

A tool–product analogy pairs an instrument (pen, camera, hammer) with the output it produces or the material it acts on (writing/ink, photograph, driven nail). The relationship is functional and directional: the tool creates or modifies the product. A valid analogy keeps the same causal direction on both sides.

A (tool) : B (product/effect of A) :: C : D

pen : writing :: brush : painting
camera : photograph :: oven : bread
saw : plank :: loom : fabric

How to recognize it

Ask: 'What does A produce or act upon?' — the answer is B
A and C are physical instruments; B and D are their outputs or targets
The direction is producer → product, not the reverse

Common mistakes

Using material instead of product (pen : ink describes material, not output)
Confusing with worker–workplace (chef : kitchen) or part–whole
Reversing direction on one side only

Learn 14

Worker–Workplace Relationship

One word names a person by role, the other names the place where that role is performed.

A worker–workplace analogy pairs a role term (teacher, chef, judge) with the typical physical setting where that role is carried out (school, kitchen, courtroom). The relationship is asymmetric and directional — the worker performs their work at the workplace. Both pairs in a valid analogy must preserve the same direction: A:B :: C:D must be worker:workplace on both sides, not mixed.

A (role) : B (place where A works) :: C : D

teacher : school :: chef : kitchen
judge : courtroom :: pilot : cockpit
farmer : farm :: surgeon : operating room

How to recognize it

Ask: 'Where does A typically work?' — the answer is B
Both A and C name people defined by an occupation
Both B and D name physical spaces, not abstract concepts

Common mistakes

Reversing direction (workplace : worker on one side only)
Confusing workplace with tool (e.g., chef : knife is tool–product, not worker–workplace)
Using a place that's only loosely associated (e.g., teacher : book)

Worked examples

The worked examples below preserve the original practice set at every difficulty. Open an example to compare the prompt, answer choices, correct answer, and explanation.

Example

Explanation

Back to Verbal Reasoning