Analogy Reasoning Questions
Analogy questions show a pair of items linked by a relationship (A : B) and ask you to find the item that has the same relationship with a third (C : ?). State the link in one sentence, such as “a pen is used to write”, then apply that exact sentence to the second pair.
Analogies are listed among the reasoning question types in our Accenture guide, and they’re close cousins of coding-decoding for letters and number series for numbers.
What Are Analogy Questions?
An analogy question reads “A is to B as C is to ?”, usually written A : B :: C : ?. The first pair sets a relationship, and your job is to find the word, letter group or number that completes the second pair in the same way. The pair can be words, letters or numbers, but the logic is always the same: find the relationship, then repeat it.
Common Relationship Types
| Relationship | Example |
|---|---|
| Tool and use | Pen : Write |
| Worker and workplace | Doctor : Hospital |
| Part and whole | Petal : Flower |
| Animal and its young | Cow : Calf |
| Creator and creation | Author : Book |
| Instrument and what it measures | Thermometer : Temperature |
| Synonyms (same meaning) | Big : Large |
| Antonyms (opposite meaning) | Hot : Cold |
| Cause and effect | Exercise : Fitness |
| Degree or intensity | Warm : Hot |
A Step-by-Step Method
- Name the relationship between the first two items, in a short sentence.
- Apply the same sentence to the third item and look for the option that fits.
- Check the order. “A is the cause of B” is not the same as “A is the effect of B”, so make sure your answer sits in the same position as the first pair’s second item.
- Prefer the tighter relationship. If two options both fit loosely, choose the one that matches the first pair’s relationship most exactly.
- For letters and numbers, find the rule (shift, square, cube, multiply) and apply it to the third item.
Solved Examples
1. Doctor : Hospital :: Teacher : ? Answer: school. A doctor works in a hospital, so a teacher works in a school.
2. Petal : Flower :: Page : ? Answer: book. A petal is a part of a flower, so a page is a part of a book.
3. Hot : Cold :: Day : ? Answer: night. Hot and cold are opposites, and so are day and night.
4. CAT : DBU :: DOG : ? Answer: EPH. Each letter moves one place forward (C→D, A→B, T→U), so D→E, O→P, G→H.
5. AZ : BY :: CX : ? Answer: DW. The first letter moves one place forward and the second moves one place back, so C→D and X→W.
6. 4 : 16 :: 5 : ? Answer: 25. The second number is the square of the first, and 5² = 25.
7. 3 : 27 :: 4 : ? Answer: 64. The second number is the cube of the first, and 4³ = 64.
Common Mistakes
- Reversing the order. Doctor : Hospital is not the same as Hospital : Doctor, so keep the pair in the same direction.
- Choosing a loose relationship. Several options may be related to the third item, but only one has the exact relationship of the first pair.
- Matching the wrong part of speech. If the first pair is noun : verb, the answer should be a verb.
- Stopping at the first rule you notice for letters or numbers. Check the rule against both letters or numbers in the pair before applying it.
- Ignoring degree. “Warm : Hot” is about intensity, so the answer should carry the same step up in strength.
Practice Questions
Try each on paper, then check the answer.
1. Bird : Nest :: Bee : ? Answer: hive. A bird lives in a nest, and a bee lives in a hive.
2. Author : Book :: Painter : ? Answer: painting. An author creates a book, and a painter creates a painting.
3. Cow : Calf :: Horse : ? Answer: foal. A calf is the young of a cow, and a foal is the young of a horse.
4. Thermometer : Temperature :: Barometer : ? Answer: pressure. A thermometer measures temperature, and a barometer measures atmospheric pressure.
5. BE : DG :: CF : ? Answer: EH. Each letter moves two places forward (B→D, E→G), so C→E and F→H.
6. 6 : 36 :: 7 : ? Answer: 49. The second number is the square of the first, and 7² = 49.
7. Needle : Sew :: Knife : ? Answer: cut. A needle is used to sew, and a knife is used to cut.
8. Brave : Cowardly :: Generous : ? Answer: stingy. Brave and cowardly are opposites, so the opposite of generous is stingy (or miserly).
Frequently Asked Questions
What are analogy questions in reasoning?
They show a pair of items with a relationship and ask you to find the item that completes a second pair in the same way. The items can be words, letters or numbers.
How do I solve analogy questions quickly?
State the relationship between the first pair in one sentence, then apply that same sentence to the third item. For letters and numbers, find the rule (a shift, a square, a cube) and apply it.
What are the common types of analogy?
Tool and use, worker and workplace, part and whole, animal and young, creator and creation, instrument and measure, synonyms, antonyms, cause and effect, and degree, plus letter and number analogies.
What should I do when two options both seem to fit?
Pick the one whose relationship matches the first pair most exactly, including the order and the part of speech, since a looser relationship is usually the trap.
How are letter and number analogies different from word analogies?
They follow a rule you can calculate, such as moving letters forward or backward, squaring or cubing a number, instead of a meaning-based relationship.
Which exams ask analogy questions?
They appear in the reasoning sections of placement tests and in many bank and SSC exams. Our Accenture guide lists analogies among the commonly reported question types.