Dear Aspirants

Hope we all are aware of the enormous loads of responsibilities. Placement preparation is a process ...

Let’s begin a series on the critical area of Verbal ability …

We shall take a look at the topic Analogy with a special focus on the various types of analogy questions:

Analogy

Meaning: 1.Similarity between things that are otherwisely dissimlar and making a comparison based on such similarity

2.An inference that if things agree in some respects they probably agree in othersand drawing a comparison in order to show a similarity in some respect.

Simply speaking, analogy is a test of a person’s basic understanding of the relationship , more importantly to find out the basis (rationale) of such relationship . Words denote multiple meanings, functionality and inferences.Hence, finding out the exact basis of a relationship is critical to solving analogy questions.It is generally perceived that a decent understanding of verbal analogies demonstrate one’s linguistic ability as well as problem solving ability.Hence, by practicing verbal analogies one tends to acquire an ability to solve linguistic problems in multiple ways by not only using his vocabulary. and logical thinking.

There are a number of possible relationships that could form basis verbal analogies. Find below a random list of various types of analogy questions:

1. Worker & article (created)- Writer:Book, Farmer: Rice

2. Worker & Tool (used)- Carpenter:Saw, Surgeon:Scalpel

3.Tool & Object(worked on)- Saw:Wood, Paint brush:Canvas

4.The Tool & Act- Knife:Bread(cuts), Brake:Car(stops)

5.Time sequence- Dawn:Twilight, Sunrise:sunset

6.Cause & Effect- Explosion: Destruction, Germ:Disease

7.Degree of Intensity- Joy:Ecstasy, warm:Hot

8.Class-Species(object-group)  -  Mammal:Rodents, Furniture:Table

9.Type-Characteristic- Lion:Carnivorous, Cow: Herbivorous

10.Grammatical /syntactical relationships- Wolf: Vulpine(noun:adjective), alumnus:alumni (Singular:plural)

11.Synonyms & Antonyms

12. Person & thing sought or liked- Alchemist:Gold, Entrepreneur:Capital

13.Person & thing avoided by- Old: traffic, pilot: bad weather

14. Gender- Duck:Drake, Goose:Gander

15.Part to the Whole- Star: Galaxy, Soldier:Command

16.Symbol & what it stands for-  Flag:Nation, Coin:Currency

17.Object and Group Analogies- wolf & pack, tree & forest, seagull & flock

18.Performer & action-Soldier:Fight, Scientist:research

19. Object & Location- Plane:Hangar, Dog:kennel

20.Things that go together- salt & pepper, fork & knife.

The above information is just a handy material which you may use to understand the various question types and with that understanding may find possible answers easily.

However, practice shall make you much better. Hence, other than the regular practice papers that we see in our classes, we need to practice on our own.Hence, in my next posting I shall give you some practice questions.

In our next blog we shall talk about subject-Verb agreement questions.