Analogies
A word analogy draws a relationship between two words by comparing them to two other words.
When you write, it is important to understand how words are related. A word analogy shows how word pairs are
related. Once you determine how the two words are related, you find the same relationship among the pairs in the
answer choices.
There are different kinds of analogies:
Synonyms Car : automobile : : world : earth
Antonyms Happy : sad : : beautiful : ugly
Part/whole relationship House : room : : book : chapter
Category Animal : horse : : plant : tomato
In a story, an author describes crowded buildings and a packed harbor.
Crowded and packed are related in the same way that wrecked and ruined are related: they are
synonyms, or words that have the same or similar meanings. So we can put these two word pairs
together in a synonym analogy.
crowded : packed : : wrecked : ruined (you read this as, “crowded is to packed as
wrecked is to ruined” – in other words, crowded is similar to packed in the same way that
wrecked is similar to ruined)
Smile and frown are related in the same way that mountain and valley are related: they are
antonyms, or opposites. So
we can put these two word pairs together to form an antonym analogy.
smile : frown : : mountain : valley
In a part/whole analogy, the first word in each pair names a part of what the second word
names. An article is a partof a newspaper. A chapter is a part of a book.
article : newspaper : : chapter : book
Category analogies show a relationship between a category and something that resides within
that category. An insect is the category under which a bumblebee falls. The nervous system is the
category that contains the brain.
insect : bumblebee : : nervous system : brain
Exercise A
Decide what the relationship is between the first two words in each analogy. Then complete the
analogy with one of the words in parentheses. If you are unsure of a word’s meaning, consult a
dictionary for clarification. Write answers on a separate piece of paper.
DO NOT WRITE ON THIS PAPER.
Example: wrong : right : : sky : _______________ (toy, fly, earth)
Answer: wrong : right : : sky : earth
1. begin : end : : open : ___________________ (reach, unlock, close)
2. detective : inspector : : teacher : ___________________ (professor, student, child)
3. incognito : disguised : : foolish : ___________________ (smart, funny, senseless)
4. insect : mosquito : : dog : ___________________ (cat, bone, collie)
5. nose : face : : elbow : ___________________ (arm, wrist, knee)
6. intelligence : stupidity : : beautiful : ___________________ (glamorous, ugly, pretty)
7. bird : parrot : : vermin : ___________________ (poison, animal, mouse)
8. tires : ambulance : : knob : ___________________ (horn, door, typewriter)
9. clue : hint : : cup : ___________________ (mug, saucer, drink)
10. boy : girl : : day : ___________________ (sun, night, star)
Exercise B
Decide what the relationship is between the first two words in each analogy. Then complete the
analogy with one of the words in parentheses. If you are unsure of a word’s meaning, consult a
dictionary for clarification. Write answers on a separate piece of paper.
DO NOT WRITE ON THIS PAPER.
1. pick : select : : couch : ___________________ (window, ladder, sofa)
2. center : middle : : sea : ___________________ (ocean, fish, land)
3. neighborhood : city : : pupil : ___________________ (game, class, end)
4. want : desire : : find : ___________________ (discover, remain, fall)
5. top : bottom : : large : ___________________ (huge, small, many)
6. flour : bread : : water : ___________________ (soup, salad, eat)
7. hear : listen : : see : ___________________ (feel, watch, smell)
8. angry : calm : : clean : ___________________ (neat, lost, dirty)
9. win : succeed : : push : ___________________ (shove, lose, find)
10. soldier : army : : player : ___________________ (ball, field, team)
Exercise C
In the following section, try to define the relationship between the first pair of words given
below. From the four answer choices, choose the pair of words that has the same relationship as
the original pair of words. Write answers on a separate piece of paper.
DO NOT WRITE ON THIS PAPER.
_____ 1. Ensue : follow : :
A. run : lead
B. pursue : chase
C. permit : play
D. object : quit
_____ 2. Chamber : room : :
A. diary : record
B. garage : house
C. privacy : property
D. title : book
_____ 3. Chaos : order : :
A. stinginess : strictness
B. regulation : rule
C. moisture : droplets
D. courage : cowardice
_____ 4. Astound : amaze : :
A. blend : separate
B. postpone : delay
C. afford : sell
D. excel : surprise
_____ 5. Dwindle : shrink : :
A. begin : start
B. grow : plant
C. forego : choose
D. attend : disappear
_____ 6. Omen : future : :
A. entertainment : shows
B. weather : patterns
C. clouds : rain
D. knowledge: ignorance
_____ 7. Haughty : arrogant : :
A. timid : unfriendly
B. impatient : mad
C. happy : relaxed
D. frank : sincere
_____ 8. Ravage : destroy : :
A. tarnish : soil
B. instigate : riot
C. purify : pollute
D. defend : decorate
_____ 9. Silhouette : portrait : :
A. wall : building
B. fingerprint : identification
C. paintbrush : painting
D. style : contrast
_____ 10. Insolent : rude : :
A. spoiled : cranky
B. outrageous : shocking
C. careless : selfish
D. generous : rich
Exercise D
Choose the correct answer.
1) assimilation is to melting pot as multiculturalism is to ___ .
a)
diversify
b)
homogeneous
c)
bilingual
d)
mosaic
2) Contact lenses are to glasses as ballpoint pen is to ___ .
a)
pencil
b)
fountain pen
c)
marker
d)
ink
3) Sweat is to shiver as ___ is to hungry.
a)
salivate
b)
stuffed/full
c)
satiated
d)
famished
4) Vest is to undershirt as ___ is to necklace.
a)
b)
locket
beads
c)
chain
d)
gold
5) Reptile is to vertebrate as pie is to ___ .
a)
meal
b)
dessert
c)
fruit
d)
sweet
6) Applause is to performance as ___ is to book.
a)
epilogue
b)
summary
c)
critic
d)
review
7) lager is to ale as cola is to ___ .
a)
juice
b)
coke
c)
root beer
d)
water
8) hair is to stubble as potatoes are to ___ .
a)
french fries
b)
sweet potatoes
c)
potato skins
d)
vegetable
9) Brake is to stop as student is to ___ .
a)
read
b)
learn
c)
study
d)
write exams
10) Jingle is to corporation as ___ is to politician.
a)
platform
b)
campaign
c)
slogan
d)
promises
11) Cohesive is to united as efficient is to ___ .
a)
cheap
b)
faster
c)
optimized
d)
productive
12) Opulence is to wealth as opaque is to ___ .
a)
solid
b)
translucent
c)
invisible
d)
cloudy
13) Berate is to criticize as ___ is to 'care about'.
a)
love
b)
envy
c)
desire
d)
patronize
14) Gaudy is to cluttered as sufficient is to ___ .
a)
plenty
b)
appropriate
c)
typical
d)
average
15) Suggestive is to undertone as ___ is to movement.
a)
energy
b)
kinetic
c)
fast
d)
active
16) Impression is to indelible as ___ is to permanent.
a)
fixture
b)
long-lasting
c)
temporary
d)
etched
17) Indignant is to self-righteous as showy is to ___ .
a)
arrogant
b)
pretentious
c)
ostentatious
d)
excessive
18) Alienated is to ostracized as forgetful is to ___ .
a)
ignorant
b)
neglectful
c)
occupied
d)
distracted
19) Virtuous is to integrity as ignominious is to ___ .
a)
disgrace
b)
shameful
c)
immoral
d)
sin
20) Mission statement is to purpose as ___ is to beliefs.
a)
motto
b)
moral
c)
goal
d)
religion