Word analogies

'Hot is to cold as up is to …?' An analogy is two pairs of words joined by the same link. Find the link in the first pair and use it on the second.

Ages 9 to 11
11+ Verbal Reasoning
Worked examples

What is it?

A word analogy gives you one complete pair of words and the first word of a second pair. You choose the word that completes the second pair so that it has the same link as the first.

The link might be opposites, a young animal and its parent, an object and what you do with it, a part and the whole, a worker and their tool, and many more.

A typical question

Puppy is to dog as kitten is to (cat, mouse, fur).

How to spot it

The words 'is to' and 'as' appear: 'A is to B as C is to ?'
Sometimes it's written with colons: puppy : dog :: kitten : ?
In some papers you choose two words, one from each bracket, to complete the pattern.

Step-by-step method

Step 1: Look at the first pair and say the link as a short sentence: 'A puppy is a young dog.'
Step 2: Use the same sentence for the second pair, with a gap: 'A kitten is a young ___.'
Step 3: Try each option in the gap. Only one should make the sentence true.
Step 4: If two options seem to fit, make your link sentence more exact.
Step 5: Check the order: the second pair must go the same way round as the first.

Worked examples

Example 1: opposites

Question: Hot is to cold as up is to (down, high, over).

Step 1: Link: 'Hot is the opposite of cold.'
Step 2: 'Up is the opposite of ___.' Only 'down' works.

Answer: down

Example 2: young and adult

Question: Puppy is to dog as kitten is to (cat, mouse, fur).

Step 1: Link: 'A puppy is a young dog.'
Step 2: 'A kitten is a young ___.' The answer is cat. Mice and fur are linked to cats, but not in the same way.

Answer: cat

Example 3: object and use

Question: Pen is to write as knife is to (fork, cut, sharp).

Step 1: Link: 'You use a pen to write.' (an object and the action you do with it)
Step 2: 'You use a knife to ___.' 'Fork' is another object and 'sharp' describes it. 'Cut' is the action.

Answer: cut

Common traps

Picking a word that's just linked
In 'kitten is to (cat, mouse, fur)', mouse and fur are linked to cats, but only 'cat' has the same link as puppy and dog.
Getting the pair backwards
'Dog is to puppy' is adult to young. Make sure the second pair goes in the same direction.
A vague link
'They're both animals' fits too many answers. Make your sentence precise.

Top tips

Common links: opposites, synonyms, young/adult, male/female, part/whole, worker/tool, animal/home, object/use, group names (flock of sheep).
Learn animal homes (bee/hive, bird/nest, fox/den) and young (foal, calf, cub, kid, lamb).

Practice questions

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5 practice questions on this topic, from easy to 11+ level. Reading the guide is free for everyone; practice is for members, and signing up is free.

More free help with the same topic, on screen and on paper.