Word analogies: verbal reasoning questions with answers

Eight word analogies questions

1. Choose one word from each group to complete the sentence in the best way.

   "grin" is to (reduce scowl ask) as "ignore" is to (notice amble hinder)

   Mark ONE word in each group.

   • A reduce
   • B scowl
   • C ask

   • X notice
   • Y amble
   • Z hinder
   Show the answer to question 1

   Answer: B, X · scowl, notice

   Why:

   Work out how "grin" is linked to a word in the first group, then find the word in the second group that is linked to "ignore" in the same way.

   "Notice" is the opposite of "ignore", as "scowl" is of "grin": "ignore" means to take no notice of and "notice" to see or become aware of; "grin" means to turn up the corners of your mouth and "scowl" to draw your eyebrows together.

2. Choose one word from each group to complete the sentence in the best way.

   "observe" is to (remain notice buy) as "join" is to (grin crave connect)

   Mark ONE word in each group.

   • A remain
   • B notice
   • C buy

   • X grin
   • Y crave
   • Z connect
   Show the answer to question 2

   Answer: B, Z · notice, connect

   Why:

   Work out how "observe" is linked to a word in the first group, then find the word in the second group that is linked to "join" in the same way.

   "Connect" means nearly the same as "join", as "notice" does as "observe": "join" and "connect" both mean to put or come together; "observe" and "notice" both mean to see or become aware of.

3. Choose one word from each group to complete the sentence in the best way.

   "strange" is to (peculiar ordinary hostile) as "ancient" is to (modern bumpy phoney)

   Mark ONE word in each group.

   • A peculiar
   • B ordinary
   • C hostile

   • X modern
   • Y bumpy
   • Z phoney
   Show the answer to question 3

   Answer: B, X · ordinary, modern

   Why:

   Work out how "strange" is linked to a word in the first group, then find the word in the second group that is linked to "ancient" in the same way.

   "Modern" is the opposite of "ancient", as "ordinary" is of "strange": "ancient" means very, very old and "modern" of the present time; "strange" means not what you would expect and "ordinary" just as you would expect. "Peculiar" means nearly the same as "strange", but no word in the other group means nearly the same as "ancient".

4. Choose one word from each group to complete the sentence in the best way.

   "silly" is to (neat sensible packed) as "real" is to (pretty fake huge)

   Mark ONE word in each group.

   • A neat
   • B sensible
   • C packed

   • X pretty
   • Y fake
   • Z huge
   Show the answer to question 4

   Answer: B, Y · sensible, fake

   Why:

   Work out how "silly" is linked to a word in the first group, then find the word in the second group that is linked to "real" in the same way.

   "Fake" is the opposite of "real", as "sensible" is of "silly": "real" means truly what it seems and "fake" made to look real, but not; "silly" means not showing good sense and "sensible" showing good sense.

5. Choose one word from each group to complete the sentence in the best way.

   "beautiful" is to (gorgeous genuine soaking) as "noisy" is to (needy hushed loud)

   Mark ONE word in each group.

   • A gorgeous
   • B genuine
   • C soaking

   • X needy
   • Y hushed
   • Z loud
   Show the answer to question 5

   Answer: A, Z · gorgeous, loud

   Why:

   Work out how "beautiful" is linked to a word in the first group, then find the word in the second group that is linked to "noisy" in the same way.

   "Loud" means nearly the same as "noisy", as "gorgeous" does as "beautiful": "noisy" and "loud" both mean making a lot of noise; "beautiful" and "gorgeous" both mean very pleasing to look at. "Hushed" is the opposite of "noisy", but no word in the other group is the opposite of "beautiful".

6. Choose one word from each group to complete the sentence in the best way.

   "real" is to (wide fascinating authentic) as "fierce" is to (affluent modern savage)

   Mark ONE word in each group.

   • A wide
   • B fascinating
   • C authentic

   • X affluent
   • Y modern
   • Z savage
   Show the answer to question 6

   Answer: C, Z · authentic, savage

   Why:

   Work out how "real" is linked to a word in the first group, then find the word in the second group that is linked to "fierce" in the same way.

   "Savage" means nearly the same as "fierce", as "authentic" does as "real": "fierce" and "savage" both mean wild and ready to attack; "real" and "authentic" both mean truly what it seems.

7. Choose one word from each group to complete the sentence in the best way.

   "spotless" is to (sure clean plentiful) as "energetic" is to (lively scrumptious tiny)

   Mark ONE word in each group.

   • A sure
   • B clean
   • C plentiful

   • X lively
   • Y scrumptious
   • Z tiny
   Show the answer to question 7

   Answer: B, X · clean, lively

   Why:

   Work out how "spotless" is linked to a word in the first group, then find the word in the second group that is linked to "energetic" in the same way.

   "Lively" means nearly the same as "energetic", as "clean" does as "spotless": "energetic" and "lively" both mean full of energy; "spotless" and "clean" both mean with no dirt on it.

8. Choose one word from each group to complete the sentence in the best way.

   "genuine" is to (entire fake sociable) as "narrow" is to (wide attractive exciting)

   Mark ONE word in each group.

   • A entire
   • B fake
   • C sociable

   • X wide
   • Y attractive
   • Z exciting
   Show the answer to question 8

   Answer: B, X · fake, wide

   Why:

   Work out how "genuine" is linked to a word in the first group, then find the word in the second group that is linked to "narrow" in the same way.

   "Wide" is the opposite of "narrow", as "fake" is of "genuine": "narrow" means not wide and "wide" a long way from side to side; "genuine" means truly what it seems and "fake" made to look real, but not.