Master List of Common Analogy Types
The only kind of relationship between words in analogies is a clear and necessary one. In analogy questions, the relationship between the words is more important than the meanings of the words themselves. The most common analogy relationships include:
- Synonyms: words that have similar meanings.
- Antonyms: Antonyms are words that have opposite meanings.
- Member and Class: Member and class analogies are very common problems, which may occur in the first third of an analogy section. In this type of analogy, the first word may be an element of the class that the second word describes, or vice versa. This category can also be classified as "Type Of."
- Degree of Intensity: In a degree-of-intensity analogy, the two words express a similar concept, but one word is stronger, harsher, or more intense than the other. The degree of intensity in the answer-pair must be the same as in the original pair. People consider these problems to be hard. However, once you get used to them, they can become routine.
- Part and Whole: In this type of analogy, the first word is part of the second word. The order can also be whole to part.
- Definition: In a definitional analogy one of the words can be used to define the other. This is probably the most common type of analogy problem.
- Lack of: In this type of analogy one word describes the absence of the other word. This sub-category of the definition type of analogy is important and common enough to warrant a name. Example: DISHEARTENED : HOPE ::
- Manner: This type of analogy describes the manner, way, or style by which an action is accomplished. Example: PRATTLE : SPEAK ::
- Function: This type of analogy describes the purpose or function of something. Example: MNEMONIC : MEMORY ::
- Action and Significance: In this type of analogy one word describes an action and the other word indicates the significance of the action. Example: CURTSY : REVERENCE ::
- Pertaining to: In this type of analogy, one word refers to the category or class the other word belongs to. Example: DIDACTIC : TEACH ::
- Symbol and Representation: In this type of analogy, one word stands for or represents a concept, action, or thing. An example will illustrate. Example: CARET : INSERT::
- Cause and effect: In this type of analogy, one word stands for the reason and the other for the result. Example: DRUG : CURE
- Agent and Action: In this type of analogy, one word is the agent to do the action. Example: BRAIN : THINKING
- Component and Product: In this type of analogy, one word is the component of the other. Example: BUTTER : CAKE
Tips
- Learn to recognize common types of analogies. Get familiar with the above common types.
- Before you look at the answer-choices, think of a short sentence that expresses the relationship between the two words.
- If more than one answer-choice fits your paraphrase, make your paraphrase more specific.
- Eliminate answer-choices that do not have a clear and reasonably necessary relationship.
- Never initially eliminate a choice if you are uncertain of the meaning of either word in it.
- Watch out for eye-catchers. Beware of obvious answers! They may be there only to mislead you.
- In hard problems, eliminate any answer-choice that reminds you (however vaguely) of the original pair.
- When you don’t know the meaning of one of the words in the stem, work backwards from the choices.
- Do not choose an answer with a reversed relationship.
- Do not choose answers based on the meanings of the words.
- Consider alternative meanings of words, as well as alternative parts of speech.
- If you don't know the meaning a word, try to recall if you've ever heard it in an expression. The context of the expression may suggest the meaning of the word.