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: Find a word which substitutes the words underlined in the sentence.

Cue and queue are two words having the same pronunciation but different meanings, spellings and origins.

  1. homophones

  2. digraphs

  3. homonyms

  4. diphthongs

  5. homographs
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Homophones are two or more words having the same pronunciation but different meanings, spellings and origins. Some more examples of homophones include - board-bored; new-knew; doe-dough; baron-barren; sheer-shear, etc.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the pair of words which have a relationship between themselves similar to the relationship between the given pair of words.

Pedant : Erudition

  1. Carpenter : Cabinetry

  2. Prude : Modesty

  3. Ballerina : Ethereal

  4. Diplomat : Blunt
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Pedant (a person who puts unnecessary stress on minor or trivial points of learning, displaying a scholarship, lacking in judgment or sense of proportion) and erudition (learning acquired by reading and study, scholarship) are synonyms of each other. Similar bridge exists between prude and modesty. Hence, option (2) is the answer.

Multiple choice

Directions: Select the pair of words which have a relationship between themselves similar to the relationship between the given pair of words.

Editor : Novelist

  1. Receptionist : Restaurant

  2. Director : Playwright

  3. Surrogate : Probate

  4. Psychiatrist : Neurotic

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

A novelist writes the novel and an editor edits the play. Similarly, a playwright writes the play and a director directs the play. Hence, option (2) is the answer.

Multiple choice

Which forms of the word: "relate” will fit the sentences given below?

We seek to improve the _____ between our two countries. The llama is __ to the camel. I found the test _____ easy.

  1. relative, relation, relatively

  2. relativity, relative, relation

  3. relativity, related, relation

  4. relation, related, relatively
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

'relation' is the noun for 'improve the __'. 'related' is the adjective in 'is __ to'. 'relatively' is the adverb modifying 'easy' (relatively easy = comparatively easy).

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the option that expresses a relationship which is most nearly like that expressed in the capitalized pair of words given below.

PURIFY : POLLUTION : :

  1. congratulate : felicitations

  2. absolve : conviction

  3. penalize : remunerate

  4. unbound : free

  5. moan : colossal
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The capitalized pair of words (PURIFY : POLLUTION) expresses opposite meanings but, the first word (purify) is in the verb form and the second (pollution) in the noun form. So, the correct answer is – absolve : conviction (verb – noun combination expressing opposite meanings).

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the option that expresses a relationship which is most nearly like that expressed in the capitalised pair of words given below.

PEDANT : METICULOUS

  1. wimp : courageous

  2. weakling : zealous

  3. wrestler : cowardly

  4. warrior : valiant

  5. wastrel : industrious
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The capitalised pair of words (PEDANT : METICULOUS) expresses the noun-adjective combination. (A pedant is meticulous in his/her approach). The pair of words – wimp : courageous, though in the noun-adjective order, are opposite in meanings and not compatible. (A wimp is NOT courageous.) The correct answer is – warrior : valiant (expressing the noun – adjective combination).

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the option that expresses a relationship which is most nearly like that expressed in the capitalised pair of words given below.

PERENNIAL : INTERMITTENT : :

  1. annual : yearly

  2. clumsy : agility

  3. chagrin : comfortable

  4. congenial : discordant

  5. sordid : squalid
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The capitalised pair of words (PERENNIAL : INTERMITTENT) are both adjectives having opposite meanings. The words – congenial : discordant - are both adjectives having opposite meanings. Thus, it is the correct option.

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the option that expresses a relationship which is most nearly like that expressed in the capitalized pair of words given below.

CRIME : HENIOUS : :

  1. humane : barbarous

  2. fortune : prosperity

  3. gigantic : diminutive

  4. antique : modern

  5. dispute : rancorous
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

The capitalized pair of words (CRIME : HENIOUS) is the noun-adjective combination. The adjective ‘heinous’ can be used to describe the noun ‘crime’. Thus the correct answer is – dispute : rancorous – (noun-adjective combination – a rancorous dispute).

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the option that expresses a relationship which is most nearly like that expressed in the capitalized pair of words given below.

OBSCURE : CLARITY : :

  1. abundance : scarce

  2. enlighten : knowledge

  3. barren : fertility

  4. remuneration : penalty

  5. indignant : angry
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The capitalized pair of words (OBSCURE : CLARITY) have opposite meaning but, the first word is an adjective while the second word is a noun. The correct answer is – barren : fertility – the adjective-noun combination conveying opposite meaning.

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the option that expresses a relationship which is most nearly like that expressed in the capitalized pair of words given below.

CUE : QUEUE : :

  1. scarce : scanty

  2. odious : obvious

  3. cede : seed

  4. debate : berate

  5. minute : mint
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The two capitalized words - CUE : QUEUE – are homophones. The correct answer is – cede : seed – since the two words have a similar pronunciation but different spellings and meanings.

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the option that expresses a relationship which is most nearly like that expressed in the capitalized pair of words given below.

AMPHIBIAN : SALAMANDER ::

  1. arboreal : trees

  2. nocturnal : night

  3. ferocious : tiger

  4. arachnid : scorpion

  5. terrestrial : elephant
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

An example of an AMPHIBIAN is a SALAMANDER. Thus, one needs to look for a pair of words conveying a similar relationship. The correct answer is – arachnid : scorpion - since a scorpion is an example of arachnids.