PassCCAT
Word analogies

How to solve word analogies

Verbal

Spot the relationship in one pair, then complete a second pair that mirrors it.

How to solve these

Mini-lesson

Analogies are not about word meaning, they are about the relationship between two words. Your job is to find the link in the first pair, then copy that exact link into the second pair.

  1. 1

    Name the relationship in a short sentence

    Turn the first pair into a sentence that explains how the words connect, e.g. "A painter uses a brush to do their work." A precise sentence is half the answer.

  2. 2

    Plug each option into the same sentence

    Replace the words with the second pair plus each option: "A writer uses a ___ to do their work." The option that keeps the sentence true is the answer.

  3. 3

    Match the direction and order

    If the first pair goes tool to user, the answer must go tool to user too, not the reverse. "Brush is to painter" is not the same as "painter is to brush".

Hacks

  • Make your linking sentence specific. "Is related to" is too loose and lets several options fit.
  • If two options both seem to fit, your sentence is too vague. Tighten it until only one survives.
  • Common relationship types: tool/user, part/whole, cause/effect, opposite, degree, category/example.

Avoid these

  • Picking a word just because it is from the same topic (writer and reader are related, but reader is not the tool).
  • Ignoring word order and choosing a reversed relationship.

Worked examples

Answers shown

Follow the steps on real items before you practise.

Example 1Difficulty 1

Page is to book as branch is to ?

Answer: D. Here is why:

  1. page relates to book as branch relates to tree.
Example 2Difficulty 1

Writer is to pen as farmer is to ?

Answer: D. Here is why:

  1. writer relates to pen as farmer relates to plow.
Example 3Difficulty 1

Small is to tiny as bad is to ?

Answer: B. Here is why:

  1. small relates to tiny as bad relates to terrible.