In This Lesson, You Will Learn How to Use Comparison and Contrast to Show the Similarities

Name:__________________________________

Beach Park

Analogies

Objective:

In this lesson, you will learn how to use comparison and contrast to show the similarities and differences of people, places, and things.

What is an Analogy?

An analogy is a relationship. To show the relationship of pink to red, you might say,"Pink is to red as lavender is to purple." You would be illustrating a relationship of degree. Pink is a lighter shade of red and lavender is a lighter shade of purple.

An analogy is a resemblance in some way between things otherwise unlike. Generally, analogies are used to demonstrate likenesses and differences. They are written using symbols rather than the words is to and as. Look at the example below.

pink : red :: lavender : purple

Pink is to redas lavenderis to purple.

Recognizing Analogies

Analogy questions require reasoning and logic. They make you think! In solving an analogy question, you must determine the relationship between one pair of words and identify or provide a second pair of words that has the same relationship.

Analogy questions often appear on standardized tests in multiple-choice form. However, they sometimes appear in a fill in the blank format. Look at the example of two analogy test questions that follow.

1. Directions: Select the appropriate pair of words to complete the analogy.

dress:clothing :: __________________

A. wheel:car

B. page:read

C. bicycle:transportation

D. world:round

2. Directions: Decide what word would complete this analogy.

bath:clean :: mud: __________________

Here are some clues to help you answer analogy questions.

1. Analyze the first pair of words. Identify the relationship between the first two items. (In example 1 on the previous page, a dress is an item of clothing. This is an analogy of classification.)

dress:clothing :: bicycle : transportation

2. Express the analogy in sentence or question form. Example 1 could be read: "A dress is an item of clothing, just as . . ." and then consider the relationship between the other pairs of words.

3. Find the best available choice to complete the analogy. If choices are given, choose the pair of words with the same relationship between them as the first pair. Ask yourself a question about the comparison such as this: "If a bath makes you clean, what would mud make you?"

These are the types of comparisons you will usually be asked to make or recognize when taking tests that contain analogy items.

1. Identifying synonyms . For example, ROUND:CIRCLE::strong:muscular. In solving this analogy, think, "Round is a synonym for circular and strong is a synonym for muscular."

2. Identifying antonyms . For example, PATRIOT:TRAITOR::loyal:unfaithful. For this solution, you would need to think, "A patriot is the opposite of a traitor; loyal is the opposite of unfaithful.

3. Identifying cause . For example, VIRUS:SICKNESS::water:dampness. In the cause situation, a virus causes sickness and water causes dampness.

4. Identifying effect . For example, TEARS:SORROW::smiles:joy. Tears are the result of sorrow and smiles are the effect of joy.

5. Comparing a part to a whole. For example, WORDS:SENTENCE::pages:book. Words make up a sentence, just as pages make up a book.

6. Comparing a whole to a part. For example, WALL:BRICKS::deck:cards. A wall contains bricks, just as a deck contains cards.

7. Classification . For example, BAGEL:BREAD::pork:meat. A bagel is a type of bread, just as pork is a type of meat.

8. Characteristics . For example, DUCKS:DOWNY::fish:slippery. Ducks feel downy, just as fish feel slippery.

9. Degree . For example, COLOSSAL:LARGE::microscopic:small. Colossal means very large, just as microscopic means very small.

10. Use. For example, DESK:STUDY::bed:sleep. A desk is used to study, just as a bed is used to sleep.

11. Measure. For example, THERMOMETER:TEMPERATURE::scale:weight. A thermometer is used to measure temperature, just as a scale is used to measure weight.

12. Action to Performer. For example, TEACHING:PROFESSOR::acting:actor. Teaching is the action performed by a professor, just as acting is performed by an actor.

13. Performer to Action. For example, AUTHOR:WRITE::chef:cook. An author's profession is to write, just as a chef's profession is to cook.

14. Place. For example, SPACE NEEDLE:SEATTLE::Lincoln Memorial:Washington, D.C. The space needle is in Seattle, just as the Lincoln Memorial is in Washington, D. C.

Here is a strategy to help you arrive at the correct answer in an analogy question.

LEMON:SOUR::

A. rose:fragrant

B. sweet:sugar

C. vinegar:acidity

D. pie:hot

E. pear:sweet

Using Strategy

To solve this analogy, find the relationship between a pair of words as in LEMON:SOUR. The relationship between these words may be characteristic, size, cause, effect, etc. Try each pair of terms to see if it has the same relationship as the capitalized words. For example, lemons taste sour. Then, substitute each pair of choices in your sentence. For example, "Rose taste fragrant."

You know this isn't the correct answer because you don't taste roses; you smell them.

Check for grammatical patterns. If the given pair is a noun/adjective or verb/verb relationship, then the answer must be a noun/adjective or verb/verb pair. Eliminate word pairs that have different relationships. This will allow you to select the answer that most closely matches the given pair.

We have already determined that in the example the relationship is characteristic: lemons have the characteristic of tasting sour. Test that relationship with the other choices. We have already eliminated Choice A. We can eliminate Choice B because of the order of the pair: sweet does not have the characteristic of tasting sugar. Choice C is also wrong because acidity is a noun, not an adjective. Eliminate Choice D because hot is a sense of touch or feeling, not taste. Choice E, then, is correct: pears have the characteristic of tasting sweet.

The correct analogy would then look like this:

LEMON:SOUR :: pear:sweet

Some Additional Analogies

Instructions: Select the correct analogy for each of these pairs. Circle the correct letter.

1. HOE:GARDENER::

a. cow:farmer

b. carpenter:level

c. shovel:plow

d. song:chorus

e. wrench:mechanic

2. FURNACE:HEAT::

a. fan:blasts

b. refrigerator:cold

c. car:speed

d. stove:food

e. cleaning:vacuum

3. APPETIZER:DESSERT::

a. A:Z

b. facts:specifics

c. furry:jagged

d. sky:mountains

e. floor:ceiling

4. SHIRT:CLOTH::

a. wood:desk

b. boat:sailing

c. coat:parka

d. shoe:leather

e. warmth:heat