What is an analogy?

An analogy is a comparison of two pairs of words to find out the relationship between them. A bridge explains how the two words of a pair logically fit in together – the first important step to solve an analogy.

If A stands for Trees and B for Forest, can you form a bridge between these two words.

Yes, we can say trees are present in a forest. But can you form a bridge expressing more subtle relationship between the words?

Think!!

I think you guess it right. The bridge might be “Forest is a collection of trees.”

Now look at this:

Trees:Forest::Ship::?

Try to fill in the missing word in the above analogy. As Forest is a collection of trees, ? is a collection of ship.

Collection of ship is fleet. So Fleet is the right word for the blank.

Trees:Forest :: Ship:Fleet

These two form an analogy pair as they have the same relationship.

What skills are tested in analogies section?

The analogies section tests your ability to establish the logical sound relationship between the given pair of words and then select the pair from among the five set of answer choices, having an identical relationship.

A typical GRE analogy question will look like:

Directions: In each of the sample questions, a related pair of words or phrases is followed by five lettered pairs of words or phrases. Click on the lettered pair that best expresses a relationship similar to that expressed in the original pair.

CHOREOGRAPHY:DANCE                

A) plot:story

B) string:guitar

C) drill:recitation

D) recital:music

E) valedictory:speech

Explanation:

Choreography is composition of  sequences of steps in dance. The bridge is “X is composition of sequences of steps in Y”. Plot is composition of  sequences of steps in story. So Answer is (A). Other choices can be eliminated as this bridge does not fit-in in any other choice.Recital is performance of music.A valedictory is farewell speech (one delivered during graduation exercises by an outstanding member of a graduating class.)

How do you solve an analogy?

STEP 1  Identify the relationship between the given pair of words.

LURK:WAIT

A) prattle:talk

B) abscond:depart

C) brisk:walk

D) skimp:read

E) eloquence:speak

Let’s try to form a bridge between the given pair of words.To lurk is to wait secretly. Now  in the sentence, lets replace
the given words with the words from the answer choices.

Choice A: Is it correct to say:
prattle is to talk secretly? No
Choice B: To abscond is to depart
secretly..Yes this can be the answer.
Choice C: To brisk is to walk secretly? No
Choice D: To skimp is to read secretly? No
Choice E: To eloquence is to speak secretly? No

Hence answer is B.

STEP II:  The sentence forming the relationship should be neither too general nor too vague. Look for a deeper relationship if the relationship formed does not fit into any of the given choices or fits into more than one choice.

 

BAT: CRICKET

A) board:chess

B) ball:soccer

C) team:basketball

D) racket:badminton

E) racket:tennis

The bat is used to play cricket.If we use this bridge, it eliminates only the choice C. Let’s look for a more subtle relationship between the given pair of words. The bridge is: A bat is used to strike a ball in cricket. Also a racket is used to strike a ball in tennis. So E is the correct choice.

STEP III Check for the parts of speech of the given words. It may help you in arriving at the right answer for e.g if the given pair is noun:verb the answer will also be noun:verb pair. The part of speech of both the given pair and the answer will always be the same.

STEP IV  Look for eye-catchers. This is the GRE test maker’s common ploy. The answer choice will have words that fall into the same category as that of the given pair but have different relationship. So be careful of selecting that choice just because the words in it are identical to the given pair. Remember you are looking for an answer choice having same relationship as that of the given pair, not the identical words.

LAVISH:PARSIMONIOUS

A)  mendicant:poor

B)  spendthrift:puerile

C)  affluent:mansion

D)  eternal:ephemeral

E)  laud:exemplary

Here lavish (meaning spending in excess) and parsimonious (meaning economical) are antonyms. The choice B is an eye catcher as lavish reminds us of spendthrift (meaning spending lavishly). However spendthrift and puerile (meaning childish) are not antonyms. The words eternal (meaning everlasting) and ephemeral (meaning short-lived) form an antonym pair. Hence D is the answer.

STEP V The order of the pair of words is important. The answer choices should form the same relationship as that of given pair in the same order. Their order can’t be changed.

Types of relationship that may exist between pair of words:

I Synonym/Antonym

In this type of analogy, the two words of a given pair will be either synonyms or antonyms.

EXEMPLARY:IR-REPREHENSIBLE

A) outstanding:reproachable
B) hackneyed:uncommon
C) charlatan:genuine
D) castigate:laud
E) obsequious:subservient

Both exemplary and ir-reprehensible (meaning blameless) are synonyms. The words obsequious and subservient (meaning servile) are also synonyms. The remaining answer choices form an antonym pair. Hence answer is E.

II Part/Whole 

In these analogies, one word of a pair will be a part of the other word of the pair.
   

e.g Musician:Orchestra::Player:Team
Musician is a part of Orchestra as Player is a part of a team.

III Member/Class

The bridge here is “X is a type of/kind of Y”

e.g Apple:Fruit::Trowel:Tool
An apple is a kind of fruit as trowel is a kind of tool.
IV Effect/Cause

In this type,One word in
the pair is the cause, and the other is the effect. That means that one
word is a result, action or an incidence that the other word creates.

e.g Earthquake:Tsunami::Negligence:Accident
The bridge here is “X causes Y” or “X is the result of Y.”

V Varying degrees of a quantity or quality

The one word of  a given pair may be better/worse/stronger/weaker form of the other pair of a given word.

NOISE:DIN

A) utterance:voice
B) celebration:revelry
C) motion:traction
D) sanity:treatment
E) remonstrance:sin

This analogy is based on degree.Din is a great noise and revelry is great celebration. Utterance is just a kind  of noise. The other choices does not fit in.Hence the answer is B.

V1 Definition/Evidence

The bridge in this type of analogy is “X is a defining characteristic of Y.”

CACHE:HIDE

A) forgiveness:punish
B) stockpile:accumulate
C) testimony:falsify
D) treasure:money
E) intimation:fear

Here Cache can be either a verb or a noun.Since the first word of the options is noun so cache is used here as noun. Cache as  a noun means a hidden place that is used to store something. So we can say that hide is a defining characteristic of Cache. Similarly to accumulate is a defining characteristic of  stockpile.

     VII Purpose/Function

One word of the pair defines the function of the other word of a pair.

SCYTHE:REAPING

A) shears:cutting
B) crops:planting
C) lights:reading
D) screws:turning
E) saws:gluing

A scythe is a tool used for reaping. Similarly, shears are used for cutting.