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Analogy

AFCAT · Logical Reasoning

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Core Concept

Read this first — the foundation of the topic

→Core Concept

Analogy questions test your ability to identify logical connections. The format is A : B :: C : D (A is to B as C is to D)

→You are given A

B and need to find C : D with the same relationship type

→Function

Doctor : Patient (one serves the other) 2

→Part-Whole

Page : Book (part of a bigger thing) 3

→Category

Rose : Flower (specific to general) 4

→Cause-Effect

Rain : Flood (one causes the other) 5

→Antonym

Hot : Cold (opposites) 6

→Synonym

Happy : Joyful (similar meaning) 7

→Tool-Work

Hammer : Nail (tool used for work) 8

→Place

Fish : Water (natural habitat) 9

→Material

Chair : Wood (what it's made of) 10

→Degree

1

Make a sentence with first pair: 'A does what to B' or 'A is what of B'

2

Apply same sentence to options

3

Pick the option that fits perfectly Shortcut Formula 2 - ELIMINATION METHOD: Rule: If you can't find direct relationship, eliminate options that don't match the word types (noun-noun, verb-noun, adjective-noun pattern) Worked Example 1: Question: Horse : Stable :: Bird :

→Options

1

Find relationship between Horse and Stable Horse lives in Stable (habitat relationship)

2

Apply same logic to Bird Bird lives in... what?

3

Check options (a) Nest - Yes, bird lives in nest (b) Sky - Bird flies in sky, doesn't live there (c) Tree - Some birds live in trees, but not specific (d) Fly - This is an action, not a place Answer: (a) Nest Worked Example 2: Question: Pen : Write :: Knife :

→Options

1

Relationship between Pen and Write Pen is used to Write (tool-function relationship)

2

Apply to Knife Knife is used to... what?

3

Check options (a) Sharp - This is a quality, not function (b) Cut - Yes, knife is used to cut (c) Steel - This is material, not function (d) Kitchen - This is a place, not function Answer: (b) Cut Shortcut Formula 3 - REVERSE CHECK METHOD: After selecting answer, reverse the relationship. If Bird : Nest, then does Nest : Bird make sense? Yes, nest belongs to bird. This confirms your answer

📋Exam Pattern Recognition

SSC CGL asks 2-3 analogy questions per paper. 60% are function-based relationships. 25% are part-whole relationships. 15% are other types. Most questions have obvious wrong options that can be eliminated quickly

⚠️Most Common Trap - SURFACE SIMILARITY MISTAKE

Students pick options that look similar to given words instead of finding logical relationships. For example: in 'Book : Library', students might pick 'Cook : Kitchen' thinking both end in 'ook'. But the relationship is 'things stored in place', so correct answer would be 'Car : Garage'. Don't get fooled by word similarity.

Focus only on relationship logic

⚡Time-Saving Tip

In exam, spend maximum 30 seconds per analogy question. If relationship isn't clear in 15 seconds, use elimination method. This topic has high accuracy potential with practice.

🔑 Key Points

Analogy format is A : B :: C : D, find the same relationship pattern
Make a sentence with first pair, then apply to second pair
Function relationships appear in 60% of SSC analogy questions
Part-whole relationships are second most common at 25%
Quick Formula: If A does X to B, then C should do X to D
Elimination trick: Remove options that don't match word types
Reverse check method: Test your answer by reversing the relationship
Don't fall for surface word similarity, focus on logical connection
Ten main relationship types: Function, Part-Whole, Category, Cause-Effect, Antonym, Synonym, Tool-Work, Place, Material, Degree
Time limit: Maximum 30 seconds per analogy question in exam

📌 Exam Facts

SSC CGL papers contain 2-3 analogy questions consistently every year
Function-based relationships appear in 60% of analogy questions
Part-whole relationships constitute 25% of analogy questions
Tool-work relationship pattern: Hammer : Nail, Pen : Write, Knife : Cut
Habitat relationship examples: Fish : Water, Bird : Nest, Lion : Den
Degree relationship follows intensity pattern: Hill : Mountain, Stream : River
Category relationships move from specific to general: Rose : Flower, Apple : Fruit
Material relationships show composition: Chair : Wood, Ring : Gold

🚀 60-Second Revision

Remember: Make sentence with first pair, apply same logic to second pair
Formula: A does what to B = C does what to D
Trap: Avoid choosing options based on word similarity instead of relationship logic
Pattern: 60% function relationships, 25% part-whole relationships in SSC
Shortcut: Eliminate options that don't match word type patterns
Time rule: Maximum 30 seconds per question, use elimination if stuck
Check: Reverse your answer to verify the relationship works both ways

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