VERBAL ANALOGIES: AN INTRODUCTION

Verbal Analogies - Set 1

Verbal analogies provide excellent training in seeing relationships between concepts. From a practical standpoint, verbal analogies always appear on standardized tests (like the SAT, the GRE, and other professional exams). Increasingly, too, employers may use these word comparisons on personnel and screening tests to determine an applicants quickness and verbal acuity. So it is worth your while to master this skill, and besides, theyre fun to do. The student portion of the Web site contains three analogy exercises of varying levels. You can do them alone, either with or without a dictionary, or with friends. Before you begin, however, study the information on this page so that you see the many possible relationships suggested in each pair of words. If you wish to practice with other samples, your instructor can give you additional exercises on the instructor portion of this Web site. How to "Read" Analogies The symbol ( : ) means "is to" and the symbol ( : : ) means "as." Thus, the analogy, "aspirin : headache : : nap : fatigue," should be read "aspirin is to headache as nap is to fatigue." Stated another way, the relationship between aspirin and headache is the same as the relationship between nap and fatigue. Tips for Doing Analogies
1. Butterfly is to caterpillar as frog is to: a. Fish b. Amphibian c. Tadpole d. Toad 2. Century is to 100 as decade is to: a. 1000 b. 10 c. Millennium d. Score Artist is to painting as author is to: a. Writer b. Words c. Books d. Literature Prison is to criminals as orchard is to: a. Fruit b. Trees c. Pickers d. Oranges Window is to blind as eye is to: a. Shade b. Eyelid c. Sty d. Eyelashes Whisper is to shout as walk is to: a. Command b. Run c. Gallop d. Tiptoe

2.

3.

4.

Try to determine the relationship between the first pair of words. Eliminate any pairs in your answer choices that dont have the same relationship. Try putting the first pair into a sentence: "Aspirin relieves a headache." Therefore, a nap relieves fatigue.

5.

6.

Sometimes paying attention to the words parts of speech helps. For example "knife" (noun) : "cut" (verb) : : "pen" (also a noun) : "write" (also a verb).

3. 7. Picture is to mural as song is to: a. Melody b. Singer c. Opera d. Piano Good is to better as bad is to: a. Worst b. Worse c. Badder d. Best Toe is to knee as finger is to: a. Arm b. Wrist c. Elbow d. Hand

8.

9.

10. Toil is to oil as hate is to: a. Ate b. Work c. Hat d. Lone

Verbal Analogies - Set 2

1. Quiet is to sound as darkness is to: a. Cellar b. Sunlight c. Noise d. Stillness Hero is to cowardice as cheat is to: a. Bravery b. Diligence c. Fraud d. Honesty

2.

Circle is sphere as square is to: a. Globe b. Oblong c. Cube d. Diamond 4. Letter is to alphabet as word is to: a. 5. Much is to more as little is to: a. Less b. A lot c. Big d. Small 6. Week is to fortnight as solos is to: a. Choir b. Singer c. Twins d. Duet 7. Car is to garage as airliner is to: a. Airport b. Hangar c. Travel d. Sky 8. Flower is to bouquet as link is to: a. Connect b. Event c. Chain d. Joining 9. Regret is to apology as guilt is to: a. Fear b. Investigation c. Denial d. Confession 10. History is to authority as fiction is to: a. Imagination b. Romance c. News d. Novel

Verbal Analogies - Set 3

1. Pinch is to salt as lock is to: a. Hair b. Key c. Door d. Open Camera is to photographer as sextant is to: a. Prostitute b. Surgeon c. Astrologer d. Navigator War is to destruction as germ is to: a. Influenza b. Warfare c. Disease d. Dirt Comrade is to friend as recollect is to: a. Memoirs b. Remember c. Memory d. Enemy Arrival is to departure as invasion is to: a. Evacuation b. Approach c. War d. Reception Fuel is to fire as cause is to: a. Affect b. Manner c. Effect d. Delay

7.

Control is to order as anarchy is to: a. Chaos b. Discipline c. Power d. Government aw is to citizen as constitution is to: a. Rights b. Democracy c. Regulation d. Government Assist is to save as request is to : a. Agree b. Command c. Ask d. Give

8.

2.

9.

3.

4.

10. Mountain is to land as whirlpool is to: a. Forest b. Sea c. Fountain d. wet

5.

6.