Word Analogies guide
Word Analogies present 'A is to B as C is to ?'. The reliable method is to state the relationship between A and B as a precise sentence, then find the option that completes the same sentence with C.
The method
- Put the A:B relationship into a specific sentence.
- Apply that exact sentence to C and see which option satisfies it.
- Make the relation sentence precise enough to exclude near-misses.
- Check the direction of the relation — analogies are order-sensitive.
Worked word analogy examples
Do not match words because they share a topic. Name the relationship in the first pair, keep its direction, then apply that same relationship to the second pair.
Puppy : dog :: calf : cowyoung animal → adult animal
Scalpel : surgeon :: gavel : judgespecialist tool → person who uses it
Bird : flock :: wolf : packindividual animal → collective group
Hot : cold :: ancient : modernopposites
Paw : cat :: hoof : horsebody part → animal
Whisper : speak :: stroll : walkgentler form → general action
These examples cover common verbal analogy relationships. The practice drill varies the vocabulary while testing the same transferable skill: identifying the precise relation, not merely an association.
Common mistakes
- Choosing a co-member of C rather than the analogous term.
- Getting the relation the right type but the wrong direction.
- Picking a word merely associated with C, not in the same relation.
- Using a relation sentence too vague to rule out distractors.
Frequently asked questions
Why write the relation as a sentence?
A precise sentence forces the relation to be specific, so an option that is merely associated with C — but not in the same relation — is easy to reject.