Verbal & Number Analogy
Verbal & Number Analogy is a frequently tested area in CUET General Test. Work through these free NTA-style sample questions with full answers and explanations, then attempt all 40 in a timed practice test to build exam-day speed.
Snapshot
- Analogy asks you to complete "A is to B as C is to ?". The skill is to name the exact relationship in the first pair, then apply that same relationship, in the same direction, to the second pair.
- CUET uses three flavours: word analogies (a relationship of meaning or function), number analogies (an arithmetic rule such as square, cube or n²+1) and letter analogies (a shift or mirror on alphabet positions).
- The one idea that cracks it: say the first pair as a full sentence, then test every option with the same sentence. The option that fits word for word is the answer.
- Exam reality: +5 for a correct answer and −1 for a wrong one, so a vague link that fits two options is worth fixing before you mark anything.
Part 1 — The method: name the link, test the link
Written and reviewed by Devendra Dubey, Mathematics & Commerce faculty at UniDrill (M.Sc. Mathematics, Osmania University · 10 years teaching). Prepared for the CUET UG General Test.
An analogy is a small machine. The first pair shows you what the machine does; the second pair is the machine running on new input. Your job is to describe the machine exactly, not roughly. "Doctor : Hospital" is not "both are medical" (too loose, and it lets in Nurse : Syringe). It is "a professional : the place where the professional works". That sentence is precise enough to reject every wrong option.
Here is the routine to run on every analogy question:
| Step | What you do | Example: Surgeon : Scalpel :: Farmer : ? |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Read the first pair | Decide which word comes first and what it is | Surgeon is a worker; Scalpel is a thing |
| 2. Build the sentence | Join the pair with a verb that is as narrow as possible | A surgeon cuts with a scalpel: worker : tool |
| 3. Check direction | The first word of pair two must play the same role as the first word of pair one | Farmer is a worker, so the answer must be a tool |
| 4. Test the options | Plug each option into the same sentence | Field? Not a tool. Crop? Not a tool. Plough? A farmer tills with a plough |
| 5. Run a second test | If two options still fit, tighten the sentence until only one survives | Only one tool is offered, so we are done |
The direction rule. "Carpenter : Saw" is worker : tool. "Saw : Carpenter" would be tool : worker. The two are not the same analogy even though the same words appear. When you test an option, always check that it sits in the same slot as the original. This single habit removes a large share of careless errors.
The three-test rule. A good relationship passes three tests: (1) it is true of pair one, (2) it is true of the option you pick, and (3) it is not equally true of any other option. If you cannot satisfy test (3), your sentence is too loose.
Pause and predict: In "Bird : Nest :: Bee : ?" the options are Honey, Sting, Hive, Wasp. Which relationship do you name, and which option fits?
Check your answer: A bird lives in a nest, so the link is creature : its home. A bee lives in a hive. Honey is a product, a sting is a weapon and a wasp is another insect, so each of these fits a different relationship. The answer is Hive.
Part 2 — The full menu of analogy questions
CUET can present an analogy in several layouts. Recognise the layout first, because it tells you how much work the options need.
| Layout | What you see | How to attack it |
|---|---|---|
| Classic word analogy | Pen : Write :: Knife : ? | Name the link, pick the word that completes it |
| Pair-choice analogy | Doctor : Hospital. Which pair is similar? (a) Teacher : School (b) Pilot : Aeroplane ... | Name the link of the given pair, then test each full pair |
| Number analogy | 6 : 36 :: 7 : ? | Find the arithmetic rule from pair one, apply to pair two |
| Number pair with a missing first term | ? : 64 :: 3 : 27 | Reverse the rule: if the rule is "cube", the missing number is the cube root of 64 |
| Letter analogy | ACE : BDF :: LNP : ? | Convert to positions, find the shift, apply it |
| Word to code analogy | CAT : ECV :: DOG : ? | Treat each letter as a shift problem, same as coding-decoding |
| Mixed letter and number | A : 1 :: Z : ? | Link letter to position, then apply to the new letter |
| Odd analogy | Which pair does not share the relationship of the others? | This is the classification skill applied to pairs |
The most common word relationships. Learn this table until you can name the relationship from the first pair in about five seconds. Every row is a sentence you can reuse.
| Relationship | Sentence to build | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Synonym | means the same as | Happy : Glad |
| Antonym | is the opposite of | Hot : Cold |
| Part : whole | is a part of | Petal : Flower |
| Worker : tool | uses | Carpenter : Saw |
| Worker : workplace | works in | Doctor : Hospital |
| Worker : product | makes | Potter : Pot |
| Cause : effect | leads to | Rain : Flood |
| Object : function | is used to | Pen : Write |
| Category : member | is a kind of | Fruit : Mango |
| Degree (intensity) | is a stronger form of | Warm : Hot |
| Creature : home | lives in | Bee : Hive |
| Adult : young | has as its young one | Cow : Calf |
| Male : female | is the male of | Lion : Lioness |
| Group name | a collection of this is | Fish : School |
| Unit : quantity | is the unit of | Kilometre : Distance |
| Instrument : quantity | measures | Thermometer : Temperature |
| Raw material : product | is made into | Wheat : Flour |
| Study : subject | is the study of | Botany : Plants |
| Sound or action | makes this sound | Dog : Bark |
| Need : satisfier | is satisfied by | Thirst : Water |
Number and letter relationships have their own list in Part 4 and Part 5.
Part 3 — Verbal analogies in depth
Word analogies fail in three predictable ways, and each has a cure.
| Failure | What it looks like | Cure |
|---|---|---|
| Link too loose | "Both are animals" for Lion : Tiger, then picking Cow : Horse | Name the link narrowly: both are big cats. Test options against that |
| Wrong direction | Pair one is whole : part, but you pick part : whole | Write "first word is the ... of the second" and keep the same blanks |
| Right words, wrong theme | Options that belong to the topic but not the relationship | Ignore topic closeness; test the sentence only |
A word on distractors. The writer of a good analogy question adds options that are "thematic neighbours" of the correct answer. For Doctor : Patient, the option "Medicine" is close in theme, but it is not a person served. For Doctor : Hospital, the option "Stethoscope" is close in theme but is a tool. Your sentence is your filter. If the sentence does not fit, the option is out, however natural it feels.
When two relationships fit pair one. Sometimes pair one is genuinely ambiguous. "Bird : Fly" is creature : action, but it is also living thing : its natural ability. If the options include "Fish : Swim" the two readings agree and you are safe. If they disagree, pick the reading that is simplest, most standard and used in textbooks, such as "creature : home" before "creature : colour".
Words with more than one meaning. Use the meaning that makes the first pair work. "Bat" in "Bat : Ball" is the equipment for a game, not the flying mammal.
Part 4 — Number analogies
A number analogy hides one arithmetic rule. Test these in the order shown, because the earlier ones are the commonest.
| Rule | Test | Example pair | Rule applied to the next number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Square | Is the second number the first multiplied by itself? | 5 : 25 | 7 gives 49 |
| Cube | Is it first × first × first? | 3 : 27 | 7 gives 343 |
| n² + 1 | Is it a square plus one? | 5 : 26 | 7 gives 50 |
| n² − 1 | Is it a square minus one? | 5 : 24 | 7 gives 48 |
| n³ + 1 or n³ − 1 | Is it a cube plus or minus one? | 4 : 65 (4³+1) | 7 gives 344 |
| n(n + 1) | Product of the number and the next number | 6 : 42 | 7 gives 56 |
| Multiple | Second = first × k | 4 : 20 (×5) | 7 gives 35 |
| Add or subtract | Second = first ± k | 9 : 14 (+5) | 7 gives 12 |
| 2n + 1 or 2n − 1 | Double then adjust | 5 : 11 | 7 gives 15 |
| Digit sum | Add the digits | 48 : 12 | 56 gives 11 |
| Digit product | Multiply the digits | 34 : 12 | 23 gives 6 |
| Reverse the digits | Write the number backwards | 25 : 52 | 63 gives 36 |
Check the rule on both pairs when you can. In the pair-choice layout, one pair is given and each option is a full pair. Apply the rule from the given pair to every option; exactly one should obey it. If the question is a classic layout with a "::" you only have one test pair, so be careful that your rule does not break on obvious variants (for example, 4 : 16 could be "square" or "×4", and the two rules give different answers for 5).
Square or ×n? If the first pair is 4 : 16 and the next number is 5, "square" gives 25 and "×4" gives 20. A single pair can fit more than one rule, so the options (or a second given pair) decide. When both rules appear among the options, prefer the standard rule: square, cube, n²±1, n(n+1). When a second pair is given, such as "4 : 16 :: 5 : 25 :: 6 : ?", test your rule on it before you trust it.
Part 5 — Letter analogies
Always convert to positions: A = 1, B = 2 ... Z = 26. The anchors A1, E5, J10, O15, T20, Y25 let you read any letter quickly.
| Pattern | Sign | Example | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Constant shift | Every letter moves the same amount | AB : CD :: PQ : RS | Each letter +2 |
| Different shifts for each place | First letter +a, second letter +b | AC : BE :: MO : NQ | +1 then +2 |
| Mirror (opposite letter) | Position + position = 27 | ROSE : ILHV | R↔I, O↔L, S↔H, E↔V |
| Reverse the order | The group is read backwards | ABC : CBA | Reverse |
| Opposite directions | First letter forward, second backward | CX : DW :: EV : FU | +1 and −1 |
| Block shift | A whole group slides along | ACE : CEG :: PRT : RTV | Each letter +2 |
| Word to code | Same shift on every letter | CAT : ECV :: DOG : FQI | +2 on each |
The wrap-around rule. After Z, count again from A. Y + 3 = B, because 25 + 3 = 28 and 28 − 26 = 2. Subtracting works the same way: B − 3 = Y.
The mirror shortcut. The opposite of a letter with position p is the letter with position 27 − p. So the opposite of D (4) is 23, which is W. The opposite of M (13) is 14, which is N, so M and N mirror each other.
Part 6 — Worked examples with full reasoning
1. Pen : Write :: Knife : ? Sentence: a pen is used to write. A knife is used to cut. The relationship is object : function, so the answer is Cut.
2. Author : Novel :: Sculptor : ? (Chisel, Statue, Marble, Museum) An author makes a novel, so this is worker : product. A sculptor makes a Statue. Chisel is the tool, Marble is the material and Museum is a place, so each fits a different relationship.
3. Cow : Calf :: Horse : ? Pair one is adult : young one. The young one of a horse is a Foal.
4. Thermometer : Temperature :: Ammeter : ? A thermometer measures temperature, so this is instrument : quantity measured. An ammeter measures electric Current.
5. Breeze : Gale :: Drizzle : ? A gale is an extreme form of a breeze, so this is a degree relationship (mild : extreme). Drizzle is light rain, and its extreme form is a Downpour.
6. Doctor : Hospital. Which pair has the same relationship? (a) Teacher : School (b) Pilot : Aeroplane (c) Judge : Law (d) Chef : Food. Pair one is professional : place of work. Option (a) matches: a teacher works in a school. Option (b) is operator : vehicle, (c) is professional : subject, (d) is professional : product. The answer is (a).
7. 5 : 26 :: 7 : ? Test square: 5² = 25 and 25 + 1 = 26, so the rule is n² + 1. For 7: 49 + 1 = 50.
8. 4 : 63 :: 5 : ? Test: 4³ = 64 and 64 − 1 = 63, so the rule is n³ − 1. For 5: 125 − 1 = 124.
9. 6 : 42 :: 9 : ? 42 = 6 × 7 = n(n + 1). For 9: 9 × 10 = 90.
10. 48 : 12 :: 63 : ? Digit sum: 4 + 8 = 12. For 63: 6 + 3 = 9. (Division by 4 gives 12 for 48 but a fraction for 63, so it fails, which confirms the digit-sum rule.)
11. CAT : ECV :: DOG : ? Convert: C (3) → E (5), A (1) → C (3), T (20) → V (22). Every letter moves +2. For DOG: D (4) → F, O (15) → Q, G (7) → I. The answer is FQI.
12. BAD : YZW :: CAB : ? B (2) → Y (25): 2 + 25 = 27, so it is the mirror rule. A (1) → Z (26) and D (4) → W (23) also add to 27. For CAB: C (3) → X (24), A (1) → Z (26), B (2) → Y (25). The answer is XZY.
13. ? : 64 :: 3 : 27. The right-hand pair gives 3 : 27, which is cube. So the missing number cubed gives 64. Since 4³ = 64, the missing number is 4.
Part 7 — Common traps
| Trap | Why it is tempting | The truth |
|---|---|---|
| Loose link ("both are animals") | It feels quick and mostly right | Narrow the link until only one option fits |
| Reversing the direction | The words look the same | Check that each option is in the same slot (whole first, part second, or the reverse) |
| Thematic neighbours | The option belongs to the same field | Test the sentence, not the theme |
| Square versus multiply | Both rules fit one pair | Use the more natural rule or a second pair to confirm |
| Letters beyond Z | Counting stops at 26 | After Z, continue from A (wrap-around) |
| Mixing the shift and the mirror | Both change letters | Mirror pairs add to 27; a shift keeps the same difference |
| Forcing a verbal link on numbers | You look for a story | Numbers have arithmetic rules only |
| Ignoring the second part of the question | You solve pair one and stop | The answer must obey the rule you named, applied to the new input |
| Picking a synonym when an antonym is needed | Similar-looking words | Read pair one slowly: is it "same" or "opposite"? |
Part 8 — Rapid-fire practice
Do these in about 90 seconds each set of five, writing the relationship sentence first. Answers and the link are in the table.
| No. | Question | Answer | Relationship |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Teacher : School :: Doctor : ? | Hospital | Professional : workplace |
| 2 | Page : Book :: Petal : ? | Flower | Part : whole |
| 3 | Sugarcane : Sugar :: Wheat : ? | Flour | Raw material : product |
| 4 | Hot : Cold :: Day : ? | Night | Opposites |
| 5 | Eye : See :: Ear : ? | Hear | Organ : function |
| 6 | 2 : 8 :: 3 : 27 :: 4 : ? | 64 | Cube |
| 7 | 2 : 5 :: 3 : 10 :: 4 : ? | 17 | n² + 1 |
| 8 | 25 : 5 :: 49 : ? | 7 | Square root |
| 9 | 5 : 25 :: 11 : 121 :: 13 : ? | 169 | Square |
| 10 | ABC : CBA :: XYZ : ? | ZYX | Reverse |
| 11 | BE : CF :: DG : ? | EH | Each letter +1 |
| 12 | A : Z :: C : ? | X | Mirror (3 + 24 = 27) |
| 13 | Litre : Volume :: Kilometre : ? | Distance | Unit : quantity |
| 14 | Fish : School :: Sheep : ? | Flock | Group name |
| 15 | CAR : DBS :: BUS : ? | CVT | Each letter +1 |
Part 9 — A timed-practice routine
Accuracy first, then speed. Run this over a week.
| Day | Task | Target |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Learn the relationship table in Part 2 by covering the right column and naming each example | All 20 rows correct |
| 2 | 15 word analogies, writing the sentence for each | 90 percent correct, no time limit |
| 3 | Number and letter analogies: 15 questions with the rule written beside each | Every rule named before you calculate |
| 4 | Mixed set of 20 questions | 15 minutes, about 45 seconds each |
| 5 | Re-do every question you got wrong, and write why the wrong option tempted you | Zero repeated mistakes |
| 6 | Timed mixed set of 20 | 12 minutes, about 35 seconds each |
| 7 | Review traps, then attempt the 30 practice questions attached to this page | Accuracy over speed |
In the real test, skip a question that stays ambiguous after 30 seconds. With −1 for a wrong answer you lose less by skipping and returning than by guessing blind.
One-line revision: state the relationship as a precise sentence, keep its direction, and for numbers and letters test square, cube, n²±1, shift and mirror before you pick.
Part 10 — Where this connects
Analogy shares its thinking with Classification (odd one out), because both start with naming a hidden relationship. Number and letter analogies use the same tools as Number & Letter Series and Coding-Decoding, and figure-based versions appear in Non-Verbal Reasoning. If you want practice on squares and cubes in other settings, try Arithmetic.
Practice questions
Now test yourself. 8 free sample questions with explanations. 32 more in the timed practice test.
Q1. Oasis is to Desert as Island is to ?
▸ Show answer & explanation
Answer: B
An oasis is a patch of contrasting land surrounded by desert; an island is land surrounded by ocean. Beach and sand are features and bridge is a connector, so the surrounded-by match is ocean.
Q2. Lion is to Den as Bee is to ?
▸ Show answer & explanation
Answer: B
A den is the dwelling place of a lion; a hive is the dwelling place of bees. Honey is the product, flower is the food source and sting is a feature, so the dwelling match is hive.
Q3. Bird is to Wing as Fish is to ?
▸ Show answer & explanation
Answer: C
A wing is the organ of locomotion for a bird; the corresponding organ of locomotion for a fish is its fin. A gill is for breathing and a scale is body covering, so the locomotion match is fin.
Q4. In the analogy $3:27::5:?$, find the missing number.
▸ Show answer & explanation
Answer: A
The rule is cube the number: $3^3=27$ and $5^3=125$. Hence the missing number is 125.
Q5. Spider is to Web as Silkworm is to ?
▸ Show answer & explanation
Answer: B
A spider spins a web around itself; a silkworm spins a cocoon around itself. Silk and thread are the material, and leaf is its food, so the self-built structure match is cocoon.
Q6. Ignorance is to Knowledge as Poverty is to ?
▸ Show answer & explanation
Answer: B
Ignorance is the absence of knowledge; poverty is the absence of wealth (antonym pairing). Money is a narrower term, beggar is a person and hunger is a consequence, so the antonym match is wealth.
Q7. Carpenter is to Chisel as Sculptor is to ?
▸ Show answer & explanation
Answer: B
A carpenter uses a chisel as a working tool; likewise a sculptor uses a mallet as a working tool. Clay and statue are material/product, and studio is a place, so the tool relationship gives mallet.
Q8. In the analogy $12:144::15:?$, find the missing number.
▸ Show answer & explanation
Answer: B
The rule is square the number: $12^2=144$ and $15^2=225$. Hence the missing number is 225.
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