Strengthen your verbal reasoning skills with this free PMMA word analogy reviewer and practice test. Analogy exercises ask you to recognize a relationship between words and apply that same relationship to another pair.
This page explains how word analogies work, introduces useful relationship types, and provides examples to guide your practice. These are independently prepared learning materials, not official Philippine Merchant Marine Academy examination questions. Use analogy exercises as supplementary English and verbal reasoning practice, rather than as a guaranteed preview of the actual examination.
PMMA Analogy Practice Test
Read each word pair carefully and identify how the two words are connected. Then choose the answer that follows the same relationship in the same order.
Try explaining the connection in a short sentence before looking at the choices.
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What Is a Word Analogy?
A word analogy compares two relationships. It often follows this format:
A : B :: C : D
Read this as “A is to B as C is to D.”
For example:
Bird : Nest :: Bee : Hive
A nest is a home for a bird, just as a hive is a home for a bee. The connection is not simply that all four words relate to animals. Both pairs follow the more specific relationship of animal to home.
In a single-blank question, one word may be missing. In a double-blank question, you may need to choose two words that complete the comparison. Either way, your task is to match the relationship precisely.
Word Analogy Relationships to Practice
1. Synonyms
Synonym analogies connect words with similar meanings.
Silent : Quiet :: Rapid : Fast
Silent and quiet have related meanings, just as rapid and fast do. Remember that some words have several meanings, so the intended connection depends on how they are used in the pair.
2. Antonyms
Antonym analogies connect words with opposite meanings.
Expand : Contract :: Arrive : Depart
To expand is the opposite of contracting, while arriving is the opposite of departing. Check that both pairs express opposition rather than merely different actions.
3. Part and Whole
This relationship connects a component to the larger object it belongs to.
Page : Book :: Wheel : Bicycle
A page is part of a book, just as a wheel is part of a bicycle. The order matters: both pairs move from the smaller component to the whole object.
4. Tool and Function
These analogies connect an object with what it is used to do.
Scissors : Cut :: Thermometer : Measure temperature
Scissors are used to cut, while a thermometer is used to measure temperature. Focus on the function rather than the appearance, material, or location of the object.
5. Worker and Workplace
This relationship connects a person’s occupation with a typical place of work.
Chef : Kitchen :: Mechanic : Workshop
A chef works in a kitchen, while a mechanic works in a workshop. An answer naming a tool, such as a wrench, would not preserve the workplace relationship.
6. Category and Member
A word may name a specific example of a broader group.
Rose : Flower :: Salmon : Fish
A rose is a type of flower, just as salmon is a type of fish. Avoid confusing this relationship with part and whole. A rose is a flower, but a petal is only part of one.
7. Degree or Intensity
Some pairs express different strengths of a related quality or action.
Warm : Hot :: Cool : Cold
The second word in each pair expresses a stronger degree along the same temperature direction.
8. Cause and Effect
Cause-and-effect analogies connect a condition or event with a possible result.
Friction : Heat :: Exercise : Fatigue
Friction can produce heat, while exercise can produce fatigue. This relationship describes what one thing can cause, rather than suggesting that the result always occurs under every circumstance.
How to Solve Analogy Questions
Turn the first pair into a sentence. For “author : novel,” you might say, “An author writes a novel.” A matching pair would be “composer : symphony” because a composer writes a symphony.
Preserve the direction. If the first pair is creator to creation, the second pair should follow that order. “Symphony : composer” reverses the relationship.
Choose the most precise connection. Two words may share a general association without matching the original pair. For example, a chef uses a knife, but “chef : knife” does not match “teacher : classroom.”
Check every option. An early choice may seem reasonable until another option provides a closer match.
Use the same method for double-blank analogies. Insert each proposed pair into the question, then explain the completed relationship. Do not select an option simply because one of its words fits.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
One frequent mistake is choosing words from the same topic instead of matching their relationship. Ships, sailors, anchors, and ports are associated with maritime activities, but that does not make every combination a valid analogy.
Another mistake is relying on an unfamiliar word’s appearance. Similar spelling does not guarantee similar meaning. After practice, check unknown words in a dictionary and record their meanings.
Finally, avoid forcing a complicated explanation when a simple, consistent relationship fits. A strong answer should explain both pairs naturally without changing the rule halfway through.
Make Analogy Practice Part of Your Review
Keep a record of the relationship types you miss most often. Create your own examples and explain why each pair matches. This develops a method you can apply to new questions instead of memorizing familiar answers.
For additional English, Mathematics, Science, and reasoning exercises, visit our PMMA entrance exam reviewer and coverage guide.