How to Solve Analogies: Vocabulary | Verbal Ability (VA) & Reading Comprehension (RC) - CAT PDF Download

Introduction

Solving analogies can feel like cracking a code—but with a creative approach, it becomes an exciting game of connections. Here's an EduRev document on  how to master analogies, step by step:

Think of Analogies as Riddles

Each analogy is a riddle. The goal is to uncover the hidden relationship between two things and find the perfect match from the options. It's not just about words—it's about connections.

Types of Analogies and How to Approach Them

1. Completing Analogous Pair

Example: Oasis: Sand ∷ Island: ?
(a) River
(b) Sea
(c) Water
(d) Waves

How to Think: Imagine an oasis surrounded by sand. What surrounds an island? Water! The analogy is about surroundings.

Correct Answer is Option (c).

Here, first pair is ⇒ “Oasis: Sand” and second pair is “Island:?”. And, “∷” sign means first pair and second pair share similar relationship. ‘Oasis’ is a mass of water amidst ‘Sand’ similarly ‘Island’ is a mass of land amidst ‘water

2. Simple Analogy 

In such questions, a simple statement is given where a relationship is given and we’re asked the second element for the term given in the question, like the example below:
Sweet is to Chocolate as Book is to….?
(a) Dictionary
(b) Library
(c) Encyclopedia
(d) Atlas

How to Think: Sweet describes chocolate, just like Encyclopedia is a detailed form of a book.

Correct Answer is Option (c).

3. Choosing the Analogous Pair

 In such questions, a pair is given in the question and we’ve to find a suitable pair from the options given that resembles the similar relationship as in the question like the examples below:
Borrow : Steal

(a) Enter: Trespass

(b) Tell: Speak

(c) Ask: Beg

(d) Hit: Kill

How to Think: Both involve taking something, but one with permission, the other without. Similarly, among all the options, we see this option is seen in ‘Enter: Trespass’ where we ‘enter’ after taking permit while ‘trespassing’ is done without any permit whatsoever.

Correct Answer is Option (a).

4. Multiple Word Analogy 

These are the type of questions discussed above with the only difference being that here three elements are given in a pair instead of two and we have to select the suitable option. Like the example below:
Music: Guitar: Performer
a) Dance: Tune: Instrument
b) Food: Recipe: Cook
c) Patient: Medicine: Doctor
d) Trick: Rope: Acrobat.

How to Think: In, Music: Guitar: Performer, ‘Performer’ plays ‘Music’ on ‘Guitar’. So, III element is playing/doing I element on II element. 
From options, we can clearly see that this pattern is followed only in option d) i.e. Acrobat (An athlete who performs acts requiring skill) performs ‘Tricks’ on a ‘Rope’.

Correct Answer is option (d).

5. Number-based Analogy

 Till now, we saw the analogy based on words now we’ve questions based on numbers too like shown below:

Choose the analogous pair: 
7 : 24
(a) 20 : 100

(b) 23 : 72
(c) 19 : 58
(d) 8 : 35

Correct Answer is option (b).

6. Alphabet-based Analogy

  In these types of questions, two words that are group of random letters are related to each other in some way. We’re supposed to complete the analogous pair based on that relationship:

FJUL: BOQQ∷ LHRX: ?
(a) BKPR
(b) MNCC
(c) HRYY
(d) HMNC

Correct Answer is option (d).

The relationship between FJUL: BOQQ can be illustrated as:

7. Mixed Analogy

These types of questions mixed alphabet and number like shown below:

T/J : 2 :: X/H : ?
(a) 2
(b) 3
(c) 4
(d) 5

Correct Answer is option (b).

Three-Step Bridge Method for Solving Analogies

Step 1: Build a strong bridge (relationship) sentence relating the words in the question pair. The bridge should be as short and clear as possible.
Step 2: Use this bridge with each answer choice, inserting them in place of the words in the question pair.
Step 3: The answer will be the sentence that is the most logical. If after completing steps 1 and 2, you still have not found the answer pair that works, it may be necessary to adjust the bridge sentence.

Example 1: Bad : Terrible
(a) hard : difficult
(b) hot : warm
(c) funny : hilarious
(d) right : wrong
(e) young : new

Correct Answer is Option (c).

Something that is extremely bad is terrible. Something that is extremely funny is hilarious.

Example 2: Candy : Sweet
(a) man : strong
(b) time : fast
(c) money : powerful
(d) movie : exciting
(e) fire : hot

Correct Answer is Option (e).

A characteristic of a candy is to be sweet. A characteristic of a fire is to be hot.

Example 3: Finger : Hand
(a) ball : game
(b) clock : room
(c) wheel : car
(d) hat : suit
(e) man : woman

Correct Answer is Option (c).

A finger is part of a hand. A wheel is part of a car.

Solved Questions

Q.1. Cup : Lip :: Bird : ?

(a)    Bush

(b)   Grass

(c)   Forest

(d)    Beak

Relationship: Cup is used to drink something with the help of lips. Similarly birds collects grass with the help of beak to make her nest.

Correct Answer is Option (d)

Q.2. Flow : River :: Stagnant : ?

(a)   Rain

(b)   Stream

(c)   Pool

(d)  Canal

Relationship: As Water of a River flows similarly water of Pool is Stagnant. 

Correct Answer is Option (c)

Q.3. Paw : Cat :: Hoof : ?

(a) Lamb

(b) Elephant

(c) Lion

(d) Horse

Relationship: As cat has Paw similarly Horse has Hoof. 

Correct Answer is Option (d)

Q.4. Ornithologist : Bird :: Archaeologist : ?

(a)   Islands

(b)   Mediators

(c)   Archaeology

(d)   Aquatic

Relationship: As Ornithologist is a specialist of Birds similarly Archaeologist is a specialist of Archaeology.

Correct Answer is Option (c)

Q.5. Peacock : India :: Bear : ?

(a) Australia

(b) America 

(c) Russia

(d) England

Relationship: As Peacock is the national bird of India, similarly Bear is the national animal of Russia.

Correct Answer is Option (c)