Study Notes – Analogy
Jharkhand Police Sub‑Inspector (SI) Examination – Reasoning Ability
Analogy is a comparison between two pairs of words/phrases that share a common relationship.
Mastering analogies is essential for the Reasoning Ability section; they test your ability to spot patterns, relationships, and logical links.
1. Simple Explanation
| Term | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Analogy | A comparison that shows how two pairs of words relate to each other in the same way. | Book : Page :: Pen : Ink – A book contains pages; a pen contains ink. |
| Relationship type | The underlying link (part‑whole, cause‑effect, function, etc.). | Crown : King (part‑whole) |
| Answer key | The word that completes the analogy, preserving the same relationship. | Pen : Ink |
Why it matters: Analogies test abstract reasoning, pattern recognition, and vocabulary.
2. Key Points & Tips
| Tip | Why it helps | How to use |
|---|---|---|
| Identify the relationship first | The relationship is the “rule” that must hold for the answer. | Look for patterns: A is to B in the same way C is to D. |
| Classify the relationship (part‑whole, cause‑effect, function, comparison, similarity, etc.) | Different categories have different answer patterns. | Quick mental check: “Does A contain B?” → part‑whole. |
| Eliminate impossible options | Reduces guesswork. | If the relationship is cause‑effect, options that are unrelated can be ruled out. |
| Check for word‑level patterns | Some analogies rely on word structure (e.g., suffix, prefix, letter patterns). | Look for “man‑woman” vs. “man‑girl” (gender). |
| Use the “reverse” method | Sometimes it’s easier to think of the answer first and then find the pair. | Want “teacher : school” → find a pair that matches “teacher : place of work”. |
| Practice common analogies | Familiarity speeds up mental decoding. | Regular practice of part‑whole and cause‑effect patterns. |
| Time management | Analogies can be time‑consuming. | Allocate 30–45 sec per analogy; skip if stuck, revisit later. |
3. Worked Example
Analogy: Tree : Root :: Animal : ___
Step‑by‑Step
| Step | Action | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Identify the relationship | A tree contains a root (part‑whole). |
| 2 | Classify the relationship | Part‑whole. |
| 3 | Find the part of an animal | The part that is inside the animal and essential. |
| 4 | Choose the answer | Options: Heart, Tail, Fur, Skin. |
| 5 | Eliminate wrong options | Tail and Fur are external. Skin is external. Only Heart is internal and vital. |
| 6 | Answer | Heart |
Answer: Tree : Root :: Animal : Heart
Key take‑away: Recognize the part‑whole pattern and then pick the corresponding internal part for the second pair.
4. Quick Revision Summary
- Definition: Analogy = two pairs of words with the same relationship.
- Common Relationship Types
- Part‑Whole (book–page, tree–root)
- Cause‑Effect (rain–flood, fire–smoke)
- Function (pen–write, stove–cook)
- Comparison/Synonym (hot–warm, big–huge)
- Similarity (man–woman, boy–girl)
- Opposite (hot–cold, fast–slow)
- Strategy
- Find the relationship.
- Classify it.
- Search for the counterpart in the second pair.
- Eliminate options that break the pattern.
- Common Mistakes
- Confusing part‑whole with function.
- Choosing synonyms when the relationship is about function or cause.
- Over‑thinking word‑play (letter patterns) when the relationship is purely conceptual.
- Practice Tip: Work on at least 10 analogies per day; categorize each by relationship type.
Quick Self‑Test
| 1 | Computer : Keyboard :: Phone : ___ |
| 2 | Teacher : Classroom :: Chef : ___ |
| 3 | Water : Ice :: Fire : ___ |
| 4 | Bird : Wing :: Fish : ___ |
| 5 | Doctor : Hospital :: Lawyer : ___ |
(Answers: 1 – Screen, 2 – Kitchen, 3 – Steam, 4 – Fin, 5 – Court)
Use these notes to sharpen your analogy skills and ace the reasoning section of the Jharkhand Police SI exam!