Analogies Analogies test your ability to Recognize the

Analogies

Analogies test your ability to: • Recognize the relationship between the words in a word pair • Recognize when two word pairs display parallel relationships

To answer an analogy question you must: • Formulate and recognize the relationship between the words in the given word pair • Select the answer containing words related to one another in most nearly the same way • Recognize when two word pairs display parallel relationships

Analogies look like this: STEM: WORDS : : A. First pair B. Second pair C. Third pair D. Fourth pair E. Fifth pair

In what ways could two words be related? • The relationship will always have to do with the meaning of the words

Examples of possible relationships • • • Synonyms or antonyms A part to the whole A member to the category that contains it Cause to effect (or effect to cause) Varying degrees of a quantity or quality Object to function

Here is one example of each of these relationships Synonyms INFANT: BABY GROWN-UP : ? ? Antonyms BIG : SMALL FULL : ? ? Part to whole WHEEL : CAR BRANCH : ? ? Member to Category APPLE : FRUIT CARROT : ? ? Cause to Effect SLIVER : PAIN HEAT : ? ? Matters of Degree WARM : HOT COOL : ? ? Object to Function TRUCK : TRANSPORT OVEN : ? ?

PRACTICE PLATOON: SOLDIER HOT: SCALDING STARVATION: BINGING GILLS: BREATHING PERSUASIVE: CONVINCING SOCCER: SPORT

Approaches that may be helpful in answering analogy questions: • Try to establish a precise relationship between the words in the given pair • Form a sentence that captures the relationship between the two words • Then look for the answer choice containing the word pair whose relationship is closest to that of the given pair and can be expressed in a similar fashion

Example APPLE : FRUIT : : A. Salad : Mix B. Orange: Banana C. Juice : Can D. Slice : Core E. Carrot : Vegetable

How do you know if you have a good sentence? • Look at the answer choices • If more than one answer choice seems to fit, then your sentence is too general • If none of them work, then your sentence is too specific

Example PEN : WRITE : : A. Pencil : Sharpen B. Ink : Blue C. Letter : Compose D. Knife : Cut E. Mistake : Erase

Helpful Approaches con’t: • Pay attention to the order of the words in the pair • Pay attention to the parts of speech • The relationships you need to explain will be constant relationships • Analogy questions are vocabulary intensive • Remember that a single word can have several different meaning • Never decide on the best answer without reading all the answer choices • Practice recognizing and formulating relationships between word pairs

Practice Mnemonic : Remember : : A. Amnesiac : Forget B. Euphoria : Relax C. Nostril : Smell D. Audio : Hear E. Glasses : See

Answer Mnemonic : Remember : : E. Glasses : See

Practice EXCORIATE : ABRADE : : A. Consent : Decree B. Demur : Agree C. Mar : Burnish D. Eschew : Avoid E. Proscribe : Support

Answer EXCORIATE : ABRADE : : D. Eschew : Avoid

Practice COBBLER : OXFORDS : : A. Mason : Mortar B. Lapidary : Stones C. Haberdasher : Linen D. Chandler : Candles E. Agronomist : Fertilizer

Answer COBBLER : OXFORDS : : D. Chandler : Candles

• • • 1. ______ : trail : : grain : grail a. train b. path c. wheat d. holy

• 1. a. Train becomes trail when the “n” is replaced by an “l, ” and grain becomes grail when the “n” is replaced by an “l. ”

• 2. particular : fussy : : ______ : subservient • a. meek • b. above • c. cranky • d. uptight

• 2. a. Particular is a synonym for fussy, and meek is a synonym for subservient.

• • • 3. ______ : horse : : board : train a. stable b. shoe c. ride d. mount

• 3. d. To mount means to get on a horse, and to board means to get on a train.

• • • 4. tureen : ______ : : goblet : wine a. napkin b. soup c. spoon d. pilsner

• 4. b. A tureen is used to hold soup, and a goblet is used to hold wine.

• If I have to explain this, you need to start tutoring with Venable and Kilkenny ASAP! • Even I know why on this one, and I’m math illiterate.

• • • 6. son : nuclear : : ______ : extended a. father b. mother c. cousin d. daughters

• 6. c. A son is part of a nuclear family, and a cousin is part of an extended family.

• • • 7. coif : hair : : ______ : musical a. shower b. close c. praise d. score

• 7. d. To coif means to arrange hair, and to score means to arrange a musical.

• • • 8. feta : Greek : : provolone : ______ a. salad b. Swiss c. blue d. Italian

• 8. d. Feta is a Greek cheese, and provolone is an Italian cheese.

• • • 9. moccasin : snake : : ______ : shoe a. alligator b. waders c. asp d. loafer

• 9. d. A moccasin is a type of snake, and a loafer is a type of shoe.

• 10. ______ : zenith : : fear : composure • a. apex • b. heaven • c. heights • d. nadir

• 10. d. Nadir is the opposite of zenith, and fear is the opposite of composure.