Analogies

Analogies test your ability to recognize and understand the relationship between two words or phrases. In CUET English, analogy questions assess logical reasoning, vocabulary, and the ability to identify various types of word relationships — from synonyms and antonyms to part-whole and cause-effect connections.

1. What is an Analogy?

An analogy is a comparison between two pairs of words that share a similar relationship. In analogy questions, you are given one complete pair and one incomplete pair. You must identify the relationship in the first pair and apply it to complete the second pair.

Structure: A : B :: C : D — read as 'A is to B as C is to D'

Example:

• Doctor : Hospital :: Teacher : School
• — A doctor works in a hospital; similarly, a teacher works in a school.

Example:

• CRICKET : BAT :: TENNIS : RACKET
• — Cricket is a sport and one needs a bat to play it; similarly, one needs a racket to play tennis.

Importance in CUET: Analogies test your vocabulary, logical reasoning, and ability to identify relationships — a combination of verbal ability and analytical thinking.

2. How to Solve Analogy Questions

Step 1: Before you look at the options, think of a short sentence that expresses the relationship between the two words.

• WRITER : PEN — The tool of the writer is the pen.
• BAPTISM : CHURCH — Baptism takes place in a church.

Step 2: Apply the same sentence to the second pair and test each option.

Step 3: If more than one option fits, narrow down the relationship by making the sentence more specific.

Example:

• MERCURY : FLUID — Mercury is fluid. (Too broad — all options fit.)
• Mercury appears in a fluid state. (More specific — only Oxygen : Gaseous fits.)

Step 4: Eliminate options that do not have a clear and reasonably necessary relationship.

3. Common Types of Analogy Relationships

1. Synonym Relationship — Words that have similar meanings.

• Happy : Joyful :: Sad : Melancholy
• Brave : Courageous :: Fearful : Timid
• Practice : Practise :: Advice : Advise (Different forms of same word)

2. Antonym Relationship — Words that have opposite meanings.

• Hot : Cold :: Light : Dark
• Success : Failure :: Victory : Defeat
• Open : Secretive :: Forthright : Snide

3. Part to Whole Relationship — One word is a part of the other.

• Wheel : Car :: Leaf : Tree
• Chapter : Book :: Page : Notebook
• Chain : Link :: Nexus : Connection

4. Whole to Part Relationship — One word is the whole, the other is a part.

• Country : State :: Building : Room
• Body : Heart :: Tree : Root

5. Cause and Effect Relationship — One word causes the other.

• Rain : Flood :: Heat : Sweat
• Exercise : Health :: Study : Knowledge
• Germ : Disease :: War : Destruction
• Poison : Death :: Elixir : Life

6. Instrument and Action Relationship — One word is the tool used to perform the action.

• Pen : Write :: Sword : Fight
• Needle : Sew :: Knife : Cut

7. Worker and Workplace Relationship — One word is the person, the other is where they work.

• Teacher : School :: Doctor : Hospital
• Engineer : Factory :: Pilot : Aeroplane
• Pilgrim : Shrine :: Traveller : Destination

8. Worker and Tool Relationship — One word is the person, the other is the tool they use.

• Artist : Brush :: Musician : Guitar
• Carpenter : Hammer :: Sculptor : Chisel
• Journalist : Typewriter :: Surgeon : Scalpel

9. Worker and Product Relationship — One word is the person, the other is what they produce.

• Baker : Bread :: Potter : Pot
• Poet : Poem :: Architect : Building

10. Degree of Intensity Relationship — One word represents a lesser degree of the other.

• Warm : Hot :: Cold : Freezing
• Happy : Ecstatic :: Sad : Despondent
• Joy : Ecstasy :: Admiration : Love
• Cold : Chilled :: Tepid : Hot

11. Class and Subclass Relationship — One word is a broad category, the other is a specific member.

• Animal : Dog :: Flower : Rose
• Vehicle : Car :: Furniture : Chair
• Song : Ballad :: Story : Epic

12. Person and Quality Relationship — One word is a person, the other is a quality associated with them.

• Saint : Holiness :: Soldier : Bravery
• Child : Innocence :: Scholar : Knowledge
• Agile : Acrobat :: Eloquent : Orator

13. Gender Relationship — One word is male, the other is female.

• Prince : Princess :: Lion : Lioness
• Hero : Heroine :: Father : Mother

14. Young and Adult Relationship — One word is the young of the other.

• Dog : Puppy :: Cat : Kitten
• Lion : Cub :: Horse : Colt

15. Animal and Sound Relationship — One word is the animal, the other is the sound it makes.

• Dog : Bark :: Cat : Meow
• Lion : Roar :: Cow : Moo
• Roar : Engine :: Tinkle : Bell

16. Group and Collection Relationship — One word is a collection of the other.

• Cow : Herd :: Wolf : Pack
• Letter : Word :: Page : Book
• Day : Week :: Week : Month

17. Action and Recipient — One word is the action, the other is the one who receives it.

• Educate : Student :: Heal : Patient
• Teach : Pupil :: Treat : Patient
• Handcuffs : Robber :: Leash : Dog

18. Positive and Negative Connotation — One word has a positive connotation, the other has a negative connotation.

• Frugal : Miserly :: Confident : Arrogant
• Thrifty : Stingy :: Brave : Reckless
• Praise : Flatter :: Emulate : Mimic

19. Related by Function — One word describes the function of the other.

• Spear : Dart :: Cannon : Gun (First is a larger version of the second)
• Wood : Carve :: Clay : Mould

20. Cause and Effect / Emotion Expression

• Tears : Hurt :: Fume : Anger
• Dishonesty : Distrust :: Loyalty : Trust

21. Country and Currency

• Rupee : Paisa :: Century : Year (Smaller unit to larger unit)

22. Place and Worship

• Synagogue : Religion :: Court : Law

23. Form and State

• Opaque : Translucent :: Turbid : Transparent (Synonyms in each pair)

4. Advanced Tips for Solving Analogies

1. Watch out for Eye-Catchers: Frequently, some answer choices are placed as eye-catchers — choices that immediately suggest themselves by being obviously similar to the original pair. These are often misleading and should be avoided.

• PHARMACY : DRUGS — Your instant choice may be Hotel : Food or Hospital : Patients, but the correct answer is Hotel : Food because drugs are prepared in a pharmacy, just as food is prepared in a hotel.

2. Consider Secondary Meanings: In some questions, familiar words may be used in an unfamiliar context with a secondary meaning.

• LONG : DESIRE — Here 'Long' has nothing to do with measurement. 'Long' is a synonym for 'Desire'.
• SECOND : SUPPORT — 'Second' means to support.
• Affirm : Hint :: Charge : Insinuate — Both pairs are synonyms, but the second word in each pair has a negative connotation.

3. Eliminate Options Without a Clear Relationship: If an option pair does not have a clear and reasonably necessary relationship, eliminate it.

• SOIL : EROSION :: Muscle : Atrophy — Wasting away of soil is erosion; wasting away of muscle is atrophy.

4. Form a Sentence First: Before looking at the options, think of a short sentence that expresses the relationship between the two words.

• ORCHESTRA : MUSICIAN :: Troupe : Actor — An orchestra comprises musicians; a troupe comprises actors.

5. Step-by-Step Strategy for Solving Analogies

1. Read the analogy carefully: Identify the relationship between the first pair of words (A and B).
2. Form a sentence that describes the relationship: e.g., 'A is a type of B' or 'A is used to do B'.
3. Apply the same relationship to the second pair: Use the sentence formed in step 2 to test each option.
4. Eliminate options that don't fit: Remove options that don't maintain the same relationship.
5. Consider multiple relationships: Sometimes there may be more than one possible relationship — choose the most precise.

Sample Walkthrough 1:

CRICKET : BAT :: ?

• Step 1: Cricket is a sport; a bat is the tool used to play it.
• Step 2: Sentence: 'A bat is used to play cricket.'
• Step 3: Options: (a) Drama : Singer, (b) Walking : Health, (c) Football : Goal, (d) Tennis : Racket
• Step 4: Only (d) fits — a racket is used to play tennis.

Sample Walkthrough 2:

MERCURY : FLUID :: OXYGEN : ?

• Step 1: Mercury is fluid.
• Step 2: Sentence: 'Mercury appears in a fluid state.'
• Step 3: Oxygen appears in a gaseous state.
• Answer: (d) Oxygen : Gaseous

6. Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Trap: Choosing a word that fits but doesn't maintain the exact relationship. Always check the precise relationship between the first pair.
• Trap: Confusing synonyms with antonyms. Pay attention to whether the relationship is similarity or opposition.
• Trap: Not considering multiple meanings of a word. Some words have multiple meanings — choose the meaning that fits the analogy.
• Trap: Overlooking the part-whole relationship. A part is different from a type or category.
• Trap: Choosing based on similarity rather than relationship. The words may be related, but the relationship must be the same as in the first pair.
• Trap: Falling for eye-catchers. Don't choose an option just because it looks similar to the original pair on the surface.

7. Practice Questions with Explanations

Common Mistakes

• Choosing a word that fits a relationship but not the exact relationship of the first pair.
• Confusing synonyms with antonyms — check if the relationship is similarity or opposition.
• Not considering multiple meanings of a word — choose the contextually appropriate meaning.
• Overlooking the part-whole distinction — a part is different from a type.
• Choosing based on superficial similarity rather than relationship type.
• Not forming a clear sentence about the relationship before testing options.
• Forgetting that some words can have multiple relationship types — choose the most precise.
• Ignoring the order of words — the relationship may be directional (A causes B, not B causes A).
• Falling for eye-catchers — options that seem obviously related but have a different relationship.