Analogies
Analogies
Analogies test the ability to identify a relationship between a given pair and find another pair sharing the exact same relationship. Types include semantic (meaning-based), alphabetical (letter-position-based), and symbolic (coded pattern) analogies.
Key Idea
First identify the precise nature of the relationship in the given pair — tool:user, part:whole, cause:effect, synonym, antonym — then apply the same logic to find the answer pair.
Core Rules
Semantic Relationship Identification
Categorise the pair as: tool→user, product→source, action→doer, part→whole, cause→effect, or degree (hot→warm)
When both words carry meaning and the link is conceptual or factual.
Alphabetical Position Rule
Find position of each letter (A=1, B=2, … Z=26); compute the gap or operation (e.g., +3, ×2, reverse) and apply identically to the answer pair
When the analogy pair consists of letters or letter groups with no obvious semantic link.
Mirror / Reverse Pair Rule
If word A is the plural, feminine, or opposite of word B, the answer pair must satisfy the same directional transformation
When one word in the pair is a grammatical or logical transformation of the other.
Degree of Intensity Rule
Identify whether the pair goes from weak→strong, general→specific, or raw→processed; preserve that direction in the answer
When pairs like 'Drizzle : Downpour' or 'Cub : Lion' show a magnitude or maturity relationship.
Elimination by Relation Consistency
Reject any answer option whose relationship type differs from the given pair, even if the words seem related
When two answer options look plausible; checking the exact relationship direction eliminates distractors.
Relevant Exams
Analogies appear in 2–4 questions in SSC CGL Tier-I and RRB NTPC. UPSC CSAT uses them in reading-comprehension reasoning sets. Quick relation classification saves 30–40 seconds per question.