Analogy Questions for SSC CHSL

What is an Analogy

An analogy means a specific relationship between two things. In the exam, you are given a pair with a known relationship, and you must find a second pair that has the exact same relationship. Think of it like a lock and key — the first pair shows you the lock pattern, and you find the matching key in the options. The relationship can be about function, category, degree, part-whole, cause-effect, tool-user, product-raw material, and more.

• Always define the relationship in words before looking at options.
• The relationship direction matters — Worker : Factory is not the same as Factory : Worker.
• If two options seem correct, pick the one where the relationship is more specific and precise.
• Never assume — only use the information given in the pair.
• Eliminate options that match the words but not the relationship.

Common Relationship Types in Word Analogy

SSC CHSL repeats certain relationship types year after year. Memorising these categories saves you time. The most tested ones are: tool and its user, animal and its home, word and its antonym or synonym, raw material and its product, and part to whole. A second layer of relationships involves degree — like Warm is to Hot as Cool is to Cold. Always check if the relationship is one-to-one or involves a category jump.

• Tool-User: Scalpel is to Surgeon as Chisel is to Carpenter.
• Animal-Home: Lion is to Den as Bee is to Hive.
• Raw Material-Product: Cotton is to Fabric as Wood is to Furniture.
• Part-Whole: Chapter is to Book as Verse is to Poem.
• Cause-Effect: Carelessness is to Accident as Practice is to Perfection.
• Degree: Angry is to Furious as Happy is to Ecstatic.

Number Analogy

In number analogy, a mathematical operation links the first pair, and you apply the same operation to find the missing number. Common operations are square, cube, multiplication, addition of digits, or a combination. First write down what connects the given pair — for example 4 and 16 means 4 squared equals 16. Then apply the same to the second pair. Do not jump to the answer without verifying the operation on the given pair first.

• Check square, cube, and double first — these cover 70 percent of SSC number analogy questions.
• Sometimes the rule is: (first number x some constant) plus some constant = second number.
• Verify your rule on the complete given pair before applying it.
• Watch out for digit-sum tricks — sum of digits of first number equals second number.
• If a fraction or decimal appears in options, re-check your operation.

Letter Analogy

Letter analogy questions give you pairs of letter groups and ask you to find the missing group that follows the same pattern. Common patterns are: shift each letter by a fixed number in the alphabet, reverse the order of letters, skip alternate letters, or mirror letters (A becomes Z, B becomes Y). Always write the alphabet positions for the given pair and find the gap or pattern before solving.

• Assign numbers: A=1, B=2 ... Z=26. Write positions and find the difference.
• Common shifts: +1, +2, +3, -1, -2, opposite letter (A+Z=27 trick).
• Check if the pattern applies to each letter individually or to the group as a whole.
• Reversed pair: ACE reversed pattern gives ECA — check order carefully.
• In SSC CHSL, a shift of +3 or -3 appears very frequently in letter analogy.

• Choosing an option that shares the same words or category as the given pair but has a different relationship — always verify the relationship, not just the subject area.
• Reversing the relationship direction — if the pair is Painter : Brush, the answer must also be User : Tool, not Tool : User.
• In number analogy, assuming it is always a square or cube without verifying on the given pair first.
• In letter analogy, mixing up the alphabet position of letters like P, Q, R which are in the middle of the alphabet and easy to miscalculate under time pressure.
• Spending too long on one question — analogy questions are meant to be fast. If you cannot spot the pattern in 30 seconds, mark and move on.

• TARP framework for word analogy — Tool, Animal-home, Raw material-product, Part-whole. These four cover more than half the questions.
• For letter shifts, remember the alphabet in groups of 5: ABCDE, FGHIJ, KLMNO, PQRST, UVWXYZ. Counting within groups is faster than counting from A every time.
• The 27 trick: A+Z=27, B+Y=27, C+X=27. If letters look like opposites, add their positions — if it equals 27, you found a mirror pattern.
• Say the relationship aloud as a sentence before looking at options — for example, say Doctor works in Hospital, so the answer must be a person who works in a specific place. This stops you from picking wrong options by instinct.

• SSC CHSL typically asks 3 to 4 analogy questions per paper. Word analogies dominate — roughly 2 out of 4 will be word-based.
• Recent papers (2022-2024) have heavily tested tool-user and raw material-product relationships in word analogy. Keep a list of 20 common pairs ready.
• Number analogy in SSC CHSL rarely goes beyond squares, cubes, or a simple linear formula. You will almost never need complex series logic here.
• Letter analogy questions in CHSL are usually single-shift (each letter moves by the same fixed number). Do not overthink them.
• Time target: spend no more than 25 to 30 seconds per analogy question. These are gift marks — a slow approach wastes time better spent on harder sections.