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.
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.
Practise this now
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Editorial responsibility: Alexander Torstensson. See the verification and corrections process.