English Language · Reasoning

Verbal Analogies

1,722 Questions

Test your reasoning abilities with these verbal analogies questions focused on identifying word relationships. The exercises require finding pairs that share similar logical or semantic connections. This section is a crucial part of the verbal ability and reasoning tests in many competitive exams.

Word pair relationshipsSemantic connectionsLogical analogiesOdd pair identification

Verbal Analogies Questions

Multiple choice

Directions: The question is independent of one another.

Modern warfare does not revolve around the usage of standard weapons and armaments only. Recently China held India hostage, when an artificial lake was formed in a region in Tibet under the control of the Chinese, and the overflow of the lake or a leakage in the dam could overflow the Sutlej and hence flood the entire Sutlej basin in India. China refused permission to Indian specialists to inspect the lake, and held the country ransom to a “water bomb”. Again, the US is arm-twisting India to support US on major issues like Iraq and terrorism, in return for supporting India's demand for a UNSC seat. These are symptoms of war, albeit of a different kind. Which of the following would qualify as war, according to the definition of war described above?

  1. The refusal of the Taliban government in Afghanistan to permit Indian forces to free hostages by use of force, of an Indian plane hijacked in India and taken to Afghanistan.

  2. The refusal of a groom to marry just before the marriage ritual if the bride's family did not provide him a Maruti 800 car in dowry.

  3. The US slapping high duties on Chinese exports to USA, in retaliation to rising trade deficit of USA with China, and the Chinese refusal to devalue its currency to set into order the imbalance in trade.

  4. A strike called by farmers in the rest of Maharashtra to protest against the decision of the government to cut power in the rest of the state to provide uninterrupted power to the capital Mumbai, when the power was actually generated outside Mumbai.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The passage defines modern 'warfare' as asymmetric pressure tactics rather than conventional combat - like China threatening India with water flooding, or the US leveraging UNSC seat support for political alignment. Option C fits this definition: the US using tariff retaliation as economic coercion against China mirrors the asymmetric pressure described. Option A describes a hostage situation (conventional security issue). Option B is a personal dispute, not state-level warfare. Option D is a domestic labor protest over resource allocation, not asymmetric warfare between entities.

Multiple choice

Directions: In question given below, each passage consists of six sentences. The first & six sentences are given in the beginning The middle four sentences in each have been removed and jumbled up. These are labeled P, Q, R & S. Find out the proper order for the four sentences.

S1 : The Hound of Baskervilles was feared by the people of the area. S6 : The Hound of Baskervilles remains an unsolved mystery. P : Some people spoke of seeing a huge, shadowy form of a hound at midnight on the moor. Q : But they spoke of it in tones of horror . R : Nobody had actually seen the hound . S : This shadowy form did not reveal any details about the animal The proper sequence should be :

  1. SPQR

  2. SPRQ

  3. PSRQ

  4. PQRS
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The correct sequence PSRQ follows a logical progression: P states that some people claimed to see the hound, S adds that the sightings were shadowy and revealed no details, R clarifies that nobody actually saw the hound definitively, and Q explains that despite lack of evidence, people spoke of it with horror. This creates the atmosphere of fear and mystery that leads to S6 about the unsolved nature of the legend.

Multiple choice

Directions: Fill I, II, III and IV with P, Q, R and S to make a meaningful story.

Once there lived a merchant who dealt in salt. One day, he went to the town to sell some salt. He loaded his donkey _I. There flowed a stream in their way. When the donkey was crossing the stream, _II. It fell into the water. Some salt dissolved in the water. The load became lighter and the donkey was very happy. The next day, while they were crossing the stream, the donkey _III____ in the water on purpose. The salt melted in the water, the master was very angry. However, he saw through the trick. He wanted to teach him a lesson. He drove it back and loaded it with sponges. The donkey tried the same _IV. The sponges soaked water. The load became heavier. The donkey felt very uncomfortable and helpless.

P. with salt Q. trick again R. sat down S. its foot slipped

  1. PQRS

  2. SRPQ

  3. SRQP

  4. PSRQ

  5. None of these.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

"Loaded" suggests (P). "Fell into the water" suggests (S). "In the water” suggests (R) and “saw through the trick" suggests (Q).

Multiple choice

Directions: There is some relationship between the two pair of letters on the left of the sign (::). The same relationship exists between the two terms on the right of which one is missing. Find the missing one from the given alternatives.

GHI : KLM : : QRS : ?

  1. BCA

  2. ABC

  3. XYA

  4. UVW
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

In the alphabet, GHI are positions 7, 8, 9. Adding 4 to each gives KLM (11, 12, 13). Applying the same pattern to QRS (17, 18, 19) by adding 4 gives UVW (21, 22, 23). This is a consistent '+4' letter pattern.

Multiple choice

Directions: There is some relationship between the two pair of letters on the left of the sign (::). The same relationship exists between the two terms on the right of which one is missing. Find the missing one from the given alternatives.

YXW : VUT : : MLK : ?

  1. JIH

  2. KLM

  3. TUV

  4. NOP
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

YXW are consecutive letters in reverse order (25, 24, 23). VUT continues this reverse pattern (22, 21, 20). Similarly, MLK (14, 13, 12) should be followed by JIH (10, 9, 8) continuing the reverse alphabetical sequence.

Multiple choice

Directions: There is some relationship between the two pair of letters on the left of the sign (::). The same relationship exists between the two terms on the right of which one is missing. Find the missing one from the given alternatives.

HJLN : ? : : IKMO : RTVX

  1. USWY

  2. STUV

  3. QSUW

  4. QUSV
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The pattern involves alternating jumps: +2, +1, +2, +1. For HJLN: H(8)+2=J(10), J(10)+1=K, K+2=L, L+1=N. For IKMO: I(9)+2=K(11), K(11)+1=M, M+2=O, O+1 gives? This doesn't perfectly match. Looking at IKMO:RTVX, the right side also follows +2,+1 pattern. For HJLN, applying this: H(8)+2=J(10), then Q(17), S(19), U(21), W(23) doesn't fit the pattern perfectly. Actually, the correct pattern is that each letter is followed by a letter 2 positions ahead, then 1 position ahead, alternating. So H(8)->J(10) [+2], then we need a letter that fits the second sequence. Let me reconsider: HJLN and IKMO are both 4-letter sequences. RTVX is the result for IKMO. For HJLN: H(8), J(10), L(12), N(14). If we apply the same +2 pattern consistently: H+2=J, J+2=L, L+2=N. Then the next would be N+2=P, P+2=R, R+2=T, but this gives PNRT. The actual answer is QSUW. Let me re-examine: Q(17)=H+9, S(19)=J+9, U(21)=L+9, W(23)=N+9. So the pattern is +9 to each corresponding position.

Multiple choice

Directions: There is some relationship between the two pair of letters on the left of the sign (::). The same relationship exists between the two terms on the right of which one is missing. Find the missing one from the given alternatives.

MBLF : QFPJ : : NFBU : ?

  1. QJMP

  2. SFYP

  3. RJFY

  4. RFJY
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

In MBLF→QFPJ: M→Q (+4), B→F (+4), L→P (+4), F→J (+4). All letters shift by +4. Applying to NFBU→?: N→R (+4), F→J (+4), B→F (+4), U→Y (+4). This gives 'RJFY' which matches option C. The pattern is uniformly +4 for all positions.

Multiple choice

Directions: There is some relationship between the two pair of letters on the left of the sign (::). The same relationship exists between the two terms on the right of which one is missing. Find the missing one from the given alternatives.

BVUIFOUJD : BWUJFPUKD : : HFOVJOF : ?

  1. HGOVJQG

  2. HGOWJPF

  3. HGOWKPF

  4. HFOVJFP
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

BVUIFOUJD : BWUJFPUKD shows the pattern: +1, +2, +1, +2, +1, +2, +1, +2, +1 (alternating +1 and +2): B(2)+1=W(23)? No, that's not right. Let me recount: B(2) to B(2) is 0, V(22) to W(23) is +1, U(21) to U(21) is 0, I(9) to J(10) is +1, F(6) to F(6) is 0, O(15) to P(16) is +1, U(21) to U(21) is 0, J(10) to K(11) is +1, D(4) to D(4) is 0. So pattern is 0, +1, 0, +1, 0, +1, 0, +1, 0. Applying this to HFOVJOF: H(8) stays H, F(6)+1=G, O(15) stays O, V(22)+1=W, J(10) stays J, O(15)+1=P, F(6) stays F. This gives HGOWJPF, which is option B.

Multiple choice

Directions: There is some relationship between the two pair of letters on the left of the sign (::). The same relationship exists between the two terms on the right of which one is missing. Find the missing one from the given alternatives.

DPNNFODF : GTSTMWMP : : CFHJO : ?

  1. FILOV

  2. FJNPW

  3. FJLOV

  4. FJMPV
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

DPNNFODF : GTSTMWMP shows the pattern: +3, +2, +4, +3, +3, +4, +2, +2, +2: D(4)+3=G(7), P(16)+2=T(18), N(14)+4=S(19), N(14)+3=T(17)? No, T is 20, not 17. Let me check: D(4) to G(7) is +3, P(16) to T(20) is +4, N(14) to S(19) is +5, N(14) to T(20) is +6, F(6) to M(13) is +7, O(15) to W(23) is +8, D(4) to M(13) is +9, F(6) to P(16) is +10. Pattern: +3, +4, +5, +6, +7, +8, +9, +10. Applying to CFHJO: C(3)+3=F(6), F(6)+4=J(10), H(8)+5=M(13), J(10)+6=P(16), O(15)+7=V(22). This gives FJMPV, which is option D.

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the option that bears the same relationship as the given words bear.

AMULET : EVIL

  1. fort : attack

  2. fire : hose

  3. eggs : rotten

  4. police : law
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

An amulet is worn or carried to protect against evil or harm. Similarly, a fort is built to protect against attack. The relationship is 'protection:thing protected against'. Option B is backwards (hose extinguishes fire), C is a flawed example, and D doesn't show the protection relationship.

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the option that bears the same relationship as the given words bear.

BUOY : SHIP

  1. lighthouse : rock

  2. conduct : rule

  3. statute : transgressor

  4. law : citizen
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

A buoy serves to guide and protect ships by marking hazards or channels. Similarly, laws exist to guide and protect citizens by establishing acceptable behavior. Both represent guidance/protection mechanisms for their respective subjects. Option A has the object in the wrong place, while B and C don't show this guidance relationship.

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the option that bears the same relationship as the given words bear.

GRAIN : GRAM

  1. english : american

  2. seed : plant

  3. quart : liter

  4. furlong : mile
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Grain and gram are both units of weight, with grain being an older/traditional unit and gram being the metric unit. Similarly, quart is an imperial unit of volume and liter is the metric unit. Both pairs represent the same quantity measured in different systems (traditional:metric). Option D has two traditional units, and A and B don't show measurement relationships.

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the option that bears the same relationship as the given words bear.

BASEMENT : ATTIC

  1. pinnacle : apex

  2. nadir : zenith

  3. zenith : apex

  4. zenith : root
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Basement is the lowest point of a building, while attic is the highest point. Similarly, nadir means the lowest point (literally or metaphorically), while zenith means the highest point. Both pairs represent opposite extremes in vertical positioning. Option C has two synonyms (both mean high point), A is also synonyms, and D mixes concepts.