Analogy Questions for SSC CGL: The Short Answer
Analogy questions give a pair with a hidden relationship (such as Doctor : Hospital) and ask you to find the word, letters or number that completes a second pair in the same way (Teacher : ? → School). The method is simple: say the first pair's relationship as a short sentence ("a doctor works in a hospital"), then test each option in that same sentence. For letter and number analogies, write the letter positions or try squares, cubes and ±1 patterns until the first pair fits exactly.
Key takeaway for SSC: SSC CGL and CHSL Tier 1 usually ask 3 to 5 analogy questions (word, letter, number and figure), and SSC MTS, GD and RRB NTPC ask several more. They are the quickest marks in the reasoning section if you know the 15 relationship types and the number patterns below.
Letter analogies use the same skills as coding, so pair this note with our coding decoding tricks for SSC CGL and alphanumeric series tricks.
Types of Analogy in Reasoning (Word Relationships)
| Relationship type | Example pair | Sentence test |
|---|---|---|
| Worker : Workplace | Doctor : Hospital | A doctor works in a hospital |
| Worker : Tool | Carpenter : Saw | A carpenter uses a saw |
| Worker : Product | Poet : Poem | A poet writes a poem |
| Tool : Action | Knife : Cut | A knife is used to cut |
| Animal : Young one | Dog : Puppy | The young one of a dog is a puppy |
| Animal : Sound | Lion : Roar | A lion roars |
| Animal : Home | Bee : Hive | A bee lives in a hive |
| Part : Whole | Petal : Flower | A petal is part of a flower |
| Country : Capital | Japan : Tokyo | Tokyo is the capital of Japan |
| Country : Currency | Japan : Yen | Japan's currency is the yen |
| Word : Synonym | Big : Large | Big means large |
| Word : Antonym | Hot : Cold | Hot is the opposite of cold |
| Instrument : Measure | Thermometer : Temperature | A thermometer measures temperature |
| Cause : Effect | Virus : Disease | A virus causes disease |
| Male : Female | Horse : Mare | A female horse is a mare |
Other pairs SSC uses often: Study of (Birds : Ornithology, Earthquakes : Seismology), raw material : product (Cotton : Cloth), state : dance (Kerala : Kathakali), sport : venue (Tennis : Court, Boxing : Ring) and unit : quantity (Ohm : Resistance, Newton : Force).
How to Solve Analogy Questions Quickly (Step-by-Step)
- Make a sentence from the first pair, as specific as possible. "A doctor treats patients in a hospital" is better than "a doctor is related to a hospital".
- Apply the sentence to the second pair with each option.
- If two options fit, make the sentence more specific (for example, "the young one of a cow is a calf", not just "small animal").
- Check the order. Hive : Bee is reversed compared to Bee : Hive; the answer pair must follow the same order.
Example 1: Pen : Write :: Knife : ?
(a) Sharp (b) Cut (c) Kitchen (d) Steel
A pen is used to write; a knife is used to cut. Answer: (b) Cut.
Example 2: Ornithology : Birds :: Entomology : ?
(a) Insects (b) Words (c) Fish (d) Fossils
Ornithology is the study of birds; entomology is the study of insects. (Etymology is the study of word origins, a common trap.) Answer: (a).
Example 3: Cow : Calf :: Sheep : ?
(a) Kid (b) Lamb (c) Foal (d) Cub
Answer: (b) Lamb. A kid is a young goat, a foal a young horse, a cub a young lion or bear.
Letter Analogy Reasoning Tricks (Alphabet Positions)
Write the alphabet positions (A = 1 … Z = 26) or use EJOTY (E 5, J 10, O 15, T 20, Y 25).
| Pattern | Example | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Same shift | CAT : ECV :: DOG : FQI | Each letter +2 |
| Opposite letters | ACE : ZXV :: BDF : YWU | A↔Z, B↔Y … (positions add to 27) |
| Reverse | ABC : CBA :: MNO : ONM | Letters reversed |
| Mixed shift | FISH : GJTI :: BIRD : CJSE | Each letter +1 |
| Opposite then reverse | — | Test opposite first, then reverse order |
Example 4: ACE : ZXV :: BDF : ?
A (1) ↔ Z (26), C (3) ↔ X (24), E (5) ↔ V (22): opposite letters. So BDF → YWU.
Example 5: PQR : OPQ :: KLM : ?
Each letter −1. KLM → JKL.
Number Analogy Reasoning Tricks (Squares, Cubes, ±1)
| Pattern | Example pair | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Square + 1 | 3 : 10 | 3² + 1 |
| Square − 1 | 8 : 63 | 8² − 1 |
| Cube | 5 : 125 | 5³ |
| n³ − n | 4 : 60 | 4³ − 4 |
| n² + n | 9 : 90 | 9² + 9 = 9 × 10 |
| Multiply by a constant | 7 : 21 | × 3 |
| Digit sum or product | 46 : 24 | 4 × 6 |
| Reverse digits | 47 : 74 | Digits swapped |
Example 6: 3 : 10 :: 7 : ?
3² + 1 = 10, so 7² + 1 = 50.
Example 7: 4 : 60 :: 6 : ?
4³ − 4 = 60, so 6³ − 6 = 210.
Example 8: 9 : 90 :: 12 : ?
9 × 10 = 90 (n² + n), so 12 × 13 = 156.
Tip: Always check the rule against the first pair exactly. 3 : 10 could also be "3 × 3 + 1" or "3 + 7"; only a rule that is mathematically natural (square + 1) is used in exams, and it must also give one of the options.
"Study of" Words Asked in Analogy Questions
| Study of | Word | Study of | Word |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birds | Ornithology | Insects | Entomology |
| Earthquakes | Seismology | Heart | Cardiology |
| Skin | Dermatology | Bones | Osteology |
| Fungi | Mycology | Weather | Meteorology |
| Origin of words | Etymology | Coins | Numismatics |
| Stamp collecting | Philately | Fossils | Palaeontology |
Figure Analogy Basics (Non-Verbal Analogy)
In figure analogy, figure 1 changes into figure 2 by a rule, and you apply the same rule to figure 3. Check these changes in order: rotation (45°, 90° or 180°, clockwise or anticlockwise), mirror flip, number of sides or elements added or removed, shading moved or swapped, and inner and outer shapes exchanged. Track one element at a time, such as a single dot or arrow, rather than the whole figure.
Choose the Analogous Pair (Pair Analogy Questions)
Sometimes you are given one pair and asked to choose the option pair with the same relationship.
Example 9: Painter : Brush
(a) Writer : Book (b) Surgeon : Scalpel (c) Singer : Song (d) Farmer : Field
A painter uses a brush as a tool. A surgeon uses a scalpel as a tool. Answer: (b). (a) and (c) are worker : product; (d) is worker : workplace.
Example 10: Odometer : Distance
(a) Barometer : Pressure (b) Speedometer : Car (c) Thermometer : Fever (d) Compass : North
An odometer measures distance; a barometer measures (atmospheric) pressure. Answer: (a). A thermometer measures temperature, not "fever".
Analogy Questions: Common Traps
- Look-alike words: Entomology (insects) vs Etymology (word origins); Philately (stamps) vs Philology (languages).
- Reversed order: if the first pair is Young : Adult, the answer cannot be Adult : Young.
- Too general a sentence: "related to" fits everything; be specific.
- Number rules that fit by accident: check every number in the first pair with your rule.
- Gender pairs: Drone is a male bee, Mare a female horse, Vixen a female fox, Doe a female deer.
Analogy Questions for SSC CGL (Practice Set with Answers)
- Bee : Hive :: Spider : ? Answer: Web. A spider lives on a web.
- Japan : Yen :: Bangladesh : ? Answer: Taka.
- Seismology : Earthquakes :: Cardiology : ? Answer: Heart.
- Lion : Roar :: Frog : ? Answer: Croak.
- CAT : ECV :: DOG : ? Answer: FQI. Each letter +2.
- LION : ORLM :: BEAR : ? Answer: YVZI. Opposite letters (L↔O, I↔R, O↔L, N↔M).
- 5 : 125 :: 6 : ? Answer: 216. Cube.
- 8 : 63 :: 11 : ? Answer: 120. n² − 1.
- Choose the pair like Author : Book: (a) Chef : Kitchen (b) Sculptor : Statue (c) Pilot : Plane (d) Tailor : Needle Answer: (b). Worker : product.
- Ohm : Resistance :: Newton : ? Answer: Force. SI unit : quantity.
For timed practice, take the SSC CGL Analogy Mock Test 01 and the SSC CGL Reasoning Mini Mock Test 05.
Analogy Questions FAQs
What is analogy in reasoning?
An analogy compares two pairs that share the same relationship, written as A : B :: C : D. You find the missing term so that C relates to D exactly as A relates to B.
How do you solve analogy questions easily?
Turn the first pair into a short, specific sentence, apply that sentence to the second pair with each option, and keep the same order of terms. For letters and numbers, test positions, shifts, squares and cubes.
What are the types of analogy in SSC CGL?
Word (meaning) analogy, letter analogy, number analogy and figure analogy. Word analogies use relationships such as worker–tool, animal–young one, country–capital and instrument–measure.
How many analogy questions come in SSC CGL?
Usually 3 to 5 questions in SSC CGL Tier 1 reasoning, combining word, letter, number and figure analogies. SSC CHSL, MTS and GD ask a similar or higher number.
What is a number analogy?
A pair of numbers linked by a rule such as square + 1 (3 : 10), cube (5 : 125) or n² + n (9 : 90). Apply the same rule to the second number.
What is the difference between analogy and classification?
In analogy you complete a pair with the same relationship. In classification (odd one out) you find the item that does not share the common property of the group.
Practice Next
- Mixed reasoning tests with analogy questions: SSC GD Reasoning Sectional Mock Test 08 and SSC CHSL Reasoning Sectional Mock Test 13.
- Mock tests: SSC CGL Analogy Mock Test 01, SSC CGL Reasoning Mini Mock Test 05, SSC CHSL Analogy Mock Test 01, SSC CHSL Reasoning Mini Mock Test 03 and SSC CGL Reasoning Mini Mock Test 01.
- Related notes: coding decoding tricks for SSC CGL, Venn diagram questions for SSC CGL, blood relation questions for SSC CGL and synonyms and antonyms for SSC CGL.
- Exam details: SSC CGL 2026 and SSC CHSL 2026.
- Browse all study notes.