1 verbal ability analogies. 2 – the purpose of the analogies section is to test your ability to...

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Verbal Ability

•Analogies

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Analogies

– The purpose of the Analogies section is to test your ability to recognize parallels and similarities between words and ideas.• You will have to address eight analogies per each verbal

section (16 total for the entire test).• First, memorize the directions for this portion of the

test.

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Analogies

– The purpose of the Analogies section is to test your ability to recognize parallels and similarities between words and ideas.• Second, find the “bridge” between the stem words

before even looking at the answer choices.– Come up with a simple sentence to relate the two words.– If necessary, you can start with the second word first.– Start with a simple, general bridge sentence, but if more than

one answer choice fits, go back and make your sentence more specific.

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Analogies

– The purpose of the Analogies section is to test your ability to recognize parallels and similarities between words and ideas.• Begin this section by first determining the relationship between

the original pair of words.– There will always be a direct and necessary relationship between the

words in the stem pair.» A weak bridge expresses a relationship that isn’t necessary or

direct.» Some key words indicating a weak bridge: Usually, can, might,

seldom, may or may not, some, or sometimes.» Use the phrase (by definition) to establish direct and necessary

links.

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Analogies

– The purpose of the Analogies section is to test your ability to recognize parallels and similarities between words and ideas.• Some common types of analogies you should

memorize:– Part and whole: sole:shoe.– Whole and part: hand:fingers.– Class and member: fish:salmon.– Type of: debate:argument.– Degree: cool:frigid.

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Analogies


memorize:– Opposites: tall:short.– Worker and tool: photographer:camera.– Worker and workplace: teacher:classroom.– Cause and effect (result): poison:death.– Effect and cause: death:poison.

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Analogies


memorize:– Action and that which performs it: fly:plane.– Purpose or object and action: scissors:cut.– Indication of: boo:disapproval.– Synonyms: canine:dog.– Study of: linguistics:language.

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Analogies


memorize:– Characteristic of: dexterity:pianist.– Definition: hero:courage.– Lack of definition: coward:courage.

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Analogies

– The purpose of the Analogies section is to test your ability to recognize parallels and similarities between words and ideas.• There are other types beyond those above, but you

have many of them covered here, and recognizing the relationship is crucial to helping you answer the question correctly.• Plug the answer choices into the bridge and maintain

the same word order that you used with the stem pair.

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Analogies

– The purpose of the Analogies section is to test your ability to recognize parallels and similarities between words and ideas.• If you get stuck, eliminate all answer choices with weak

bridges.– If two choices have the same bridge—eliminate them both.

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Analogies

– The purpose of the Analogies section is to test your ability to recognize parallels and similarities between words and ideas.• Avoid classic analogy traps.

– The Both Are Trap: The words aren’t directly related to each other, but they are both related to a third word.

– The Same Subject Trap: The words are in the same subject area as the stem words, but they don’t share the same bridge.

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Analogies

– The purpose of the Analogies section is to test your ability to recognize parallels and similarities between words and ideas.• Avoid classic analogy traps.

– The Cliché Trap: The words sound natural together but don’t actually have a clear and logical relationship.

– The Reverse Direction Trap: The bridge is strong but wrong and would be right if the order of the words was reversed.

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Analogies

– The purpose of the Analogies section is to test your ability to recognize parallels and similarities between words and ideas.• If you cannot build a good bridge for the words in the

stem pair, eliminate all choices with weak bridges and then guess intelligently.• The best way to prepare for Analogies is to practice,

practice, practice.– Create your own types of analogies to help you think

analogously.

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Analogies

– The purpose of the Analogies section is to test your ability to recognize parallels and similarities between words and ideas.• The best way to prepare for Analogies is to practice,

practice, practice.– Analogies should be reasonable and inevitable or valid and

necessary.» Eliminate answer choices that seem to violate the rule

above.

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Analogies

– The purpose of the Analogies section is to test your ability to recognize parallels and similarities between words and ideas.• The best way to prepare for Analogies is to practice, practice,

practice.– Make up a sentence that reveals the connection between the two words.– Example: For APPLAUSE:APPROVAL your sentence might be: “Applause

is an indication of approval.”– Make sure your sentence is as precise and specific as possible.– Imprecise: A MINISTER gives a SERMON.– Precise: One of the functions of a MINISTER is to teach through a

SERMON.

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Analogies

– The purpose of the Analogies section is to test your ability to recognize parallels and similarities between words and ideas.• The best way to prepare for Analogies is to practice, practice,

practice.– Make sure you identify the parts of speech of the paired words because

the correct answer will have parts of speech that match.– Most analogies involve nouns and adjectives.– Always be alert for words with multiple meanings.– Example: A school may mean “group.”– The answer must be in the same order as the capitalized words.– Example: COLLAGE:ARTIST and NOVEL:AUTHOR not COMPOSER:SONATA.