ANALOGIES 101

SET A

The examples below will introduce you to analogies. Each analogy consists of two pairs of words. Your job is to
make the second pair express a relationship between its two words that is as similar as possible to the
relationship between the words in the first pair. For instance, in the analogy

NIGHTTIME : MOON :: DAYTIME :

the best word to place in the blank would be SUN, because the daytime sky is lit by the sun just as the nighttime
sky is lit by the moon.

Now fill the blanks in the analogies below with the most suitable word or pair of words from those that are listed
as choices.

1. MOTHER : SON :: FATHER : 7. FOOT : SOCK :: HAND :

a. child a. shake
b. parent b. ring
c. daughter c. mitten
d. grandson d. shoe
e. baby e. fingers

2. ATTIC : BASEMENT :: MOUNTAIN : 8. SHORT : HEIGHT :: LIGHT :

a. hill a. dark
b. ocean b. weight
c. ski slope c. heavy
d. valley d. little
e. river e. bright
9. GRASS : MOWER :: HAIR :
3. COUNTRY : PRESIDENT :: SCHOOL : a. ribbons
a. students b. comb
b. teacher c. brush
c. desk d. shampoo
d. principal e. scissors
e. rules
10. BLUE JAY : BIRD :: ALLIGATOR :
4. BLACK : GRAY :: BROWN : a. reptile
a. white b. crocodile
b. yellow c. river
c. pink d. animal
d. dark e. dinosaur
e. tan
5. PAST : FUTURE :: YESTERDAY : 11. MOVIE : TICKET :: PARTY
a. now a. balloons
b. tomorrow b. guest
c. the day before c. cake
d. after d. invitation
e. New Year's Day e. present

6. CARPENTER : HAMMER :: GARDENER : 12. BIG : ENORMOUS :: HOT :

a. seeds a. cold
b. soil b. freezing
c. shovel c. warm
d. garden d. small
e. flowers e. sweltering
13. SUMMER : SUNBURN :: WINTER 22. CASTLE : SHACK :: CROWN:
a. sledding a. furry hood
b. snowstorm b. torn shirt
c. skating c. throne
d. frostbite d. tattered cap
e. snowman e. dirty socks

14. PLUMP : FAT :: PRETTY : 23. HERD : COWS ::

a. ugly a. orchestra : musicians
b. thin b. pupils : class
c. gorgeous c. birthday party : children
d. diet d. parking lot : cars
e. blond e. theater : audience

15. MARSHMALLOW : ROAST :: EGG: 24. COLD : COOL ::

a. dye a. tall : short
b. fry b. often : occasionally
c. scramble c. warm : hot
d. eat d. smart : brilliant
e. beat e. neat : messy

16. SEW : CLOTH :: PAINT : 25. CAR : GARAGE ::

a. brush a. lamp : lampshade
b. easel b. bowl : cabinet
c. paper c. bus : bus stop
d. painter d. bookcase : book
e. watercolors e. flower : garden

17. SEW : THREAD :: PAINT : 26. SHEPHERD : SHEEP ::

a. brush a. hunter : deer
b. easel b. lion : tamer
c. paper c. zoo : zookeeper
d. painter d. rancher : cattle
e. watercolors e. fisherman : fish

18. SEW : NEEDLE :: PAINT : ________ 27. MAPLE : TREE ::

a. brush a. breakfast : meal
b. easel b. flower : rose
c. paper c. milk : lunch
d. painter d. door : house
e. watercolors e. branch : leaf

19. NORTH : UP :: WEST :: 28. CARRIAGE : AUTOMOBILE ::

a. down a. horse : cart
b. left b. candle : electric lamp
c. right c. scissors : saw
d. east d. comb : brush
e. compass e. fork : hoe

20. LAKE : OCEAN :: ISLAND : 29. SHOES : BOOTS ::

a. river a. blazer : parka
b. country b. socks : skates
c. Hawaii c. gloves : hat
d. Continent d. summer : winter
e. beach e. shorts : sweatshirt

21. TREE : BRANCH :: PERSON :: 30. FOREST : TREE ::

a. hair a. sky : star
b. clothes b. flock : goose
c. arm c. children : class
d. feet d. family : living room
e. skin e. story : book
ANALOGY FORMATS

Here are some of the kinds of relationships which analogies may express. Make up a second pair to match the
first pair given in each example.

1. ANTONYMS expensive : cheap ::

2. SYNONYMS strong : sturdy ::
3. PART : WHOLE room : house ::
4. WHOLE : PART staircase : step ::
5. TOOL : ITS ACTION saw : cuts ::
6. TOOL USER : TOOL doctor : stethoscope ::
7. TOOL : OBJECT ITS USED WITH hammer : nail ::
8. CATEGORY : EXAMPLE furniture : table ::
9. EFFECT : CAUSE flood : rain ::
10. CAUSE : EFFECT virus : disease ::
11. INCREASING INTENSITY large : gigantic ::
12. DECREASING INTENSITY wonderful : satisfactory ::
13. ACTION : THING ACTED UPON kick : ball ::
14. ACTION : SUBJECT PERFORMING ACTION sew : seamstress ::
15. OBJECT OR PLACE : ITS USER hotel : traveler ::
16. NOUN : CLOSELY RELATED ADJECTIVE forest : shady ::

Here are three important things to remember when you think about analogies:

PARTS OF SPEECH. If the words in the first pair express a noun : adjective or verb : noun or adjective :
adjective relationship (for instance), the second pair should show the same relationship between parts of
speech.

WORD ORDER. If the first pair expresses a tool user : tool relationship (for instance), the second pair must
express the same relationship in the same order (tool user first, tool second).

EXACTNESS. Sometimes two or more of the given choices would make fairly good sense in the blank. When
this happens, you should choose the word or pair of words that most exactly suits the relationship youre
expressing.
ANSWERS TO ANALOGIES 101 SET A:

1. daughter
2. valley
3. principal
4. tan
5. tomorrow
6. shovel
7. mitten
8. weight
9. scissors
10. reptile
11. invitation
12. sweltering
13. frostbite
14. gorgeous
15. fry
16. paper
17. watercolors
18. brush
19. left
20. continent
21. arm
22. tattered cap
23. orchestra : musicians
24. often : occasionally
25. bowl : cabinet
26. rancher : cattle
27. breakfast : meal
28. candle : electric lamp
29. blazer : parka
30. sky : star