Analogy Questions for SSC GD

What Is Analogy

Analogy means similarity in relationship. You are given a pair like Pen : Write, and then asked to complete a second pair like Knife : ? The logic is — Pen is used to Write, so Knife is used to Cut. Your job is not to find similar words, but to find the same TYPE of relationship in the second pair. Think of it like a key and a lock — the relationship is the key, and you must find the matching lock.

• Always identify the relationship in the first pair before looking at options.
• The relationship must hold exactly the same way in the second pair.
• Do not go by superficial similarity of words — focus on the logic.
• Both word analogy and number analogy follow this same rule.
• If first pair is A:B, second pair must also follow A:B in the same way.

Types of Word Analogy

SSC GD mostly tests 6 to 8 common relationship types in word analogy. Memorise these categories and you can crack most questions. The most common ones are tool-action (Pen:Write), part-whole (Wheel:Car), category-member (Rose:Flower), cause-effect (Fire:Smoke), worker-workplace (Doctor:Hospital), and antonym or synonym pairs.

• Tool to Action: Scissors : Cut — Needle : Stitch
• Part to Whole: Page : Book — Brick : Wall
• Category to Member: Fruit : Mango — Sport : Cricket
• Worker to Workplace: Judge : Court — Soldier : Barracks
• Cause to Effect: Virus : Disease — Rain : Flood
• Animal to Young One: Cow : Calf — Lion : Cub

Types of Number Analogy

In number analogy, you see a pair like 4 : 16 and must complete 7 : ? The relationship here is squaring (4 squared is 16, so 7 squared is 49). SSC GD tests simple operations — square, cube, double, half, adding a fixed number, or a combination. Always check the simplest operation first before trying complex ones. If the numbers are close together, it is likely addition or subtraction. If one number is much larger, think squares or cubes.

• Check squaring first when the second number is much larger: 5:25, 6:36.
• Check doubling or halving: 8:16, 20:10.
• Check adding or subtracting a fixed number: 13:19 means plus 6.
• Sometimes it is square plus or minus something: 5:27 means 5 cubed minus 98 — no, check again — 3:28 means 3 cubed plus 1.
• Always verify your rule with the given pair before applying to the unknown.

Letter Analogy

Letter analogy uses the position of alphabets. You must know A=1, B=2 ... Z=26 by heart. A common trick is finding the gap between letters or reversing the alphabet (Z=1, Y=2 etc). For example, AC:EG — both pairs skip one letter in between. So if asked BD:FH, same logic applies. SSC GD also gives mixed pairs like AB:YZ meaning first two and last two letters of the alphabet — these are reverse alphabet questions.

• Memorise A=1 to Z=26 and also reverse: Z=1, Y=2, X=3.
• Check the gap between letters in the first pair, apply same gap to second pair.
• Watch for mirror pairs: A and Z are mirrors (1 and 26), B and Y (2 and 25).
• Sometimes only one letter changes — find which position changed and by how much.
• Practice alphabet position quickly — this saves 10 seconds per question.

• Rushing to the answer without first clearly identifying the relationship in the given pair — always define the relationship in words before checking options.
• In number analogy, stopping at addition when the actual rule is multiplication or squaring — always verify by plugging back into the original pair.
• Choosing an option based on word similarity instead of relationship similarity — for example choosing Tiger for Lion:Jungle :: Tiger:? just because Tiger is similar to Lion, not because the relationship is animal to habitat.
• Confusing category-to-member with member-to-category — Rose:Flower (member to category) is opposite of Flower:Rose (category to member). The order matters.
• In letter analogy, forgetting that letters can follow reverse alphabet order — not all gaps go forward, some go backwards from Z.

• TWP-CAW trick for word analogy types: Tool-action, Worker-place, Part-whole, Cause-effect, Animal-young, Worker-product. TWP CAW like a crow calling — caw caw.
• For number analogy, use the SDAM check: Square, Double, Add, Multiply — try in this order, stop when one works.
• Alphabet position trick: A to M is 1 to 13 (first half), N to Z is 14 to 26 (second half). Memorise midpoint M=13 as anchor.
• Think of analogy like a family recipe — if the first dish uses the same steps, the second dish must also use the exact same steps, not just similar ingredients.

• SSC GD 2024 and 2023 papers had 3 to 4 analogy questions each — mostly word analogy with 1 number analogy. Spend no more than 30 seconds per question.
• Word analogy questions in SSC GD are usually direct and based on everyday knowledge — army, government, nature, animals. No rare vocabulary.
• Number analogy is typically easy — squares, cubes, or simple multiplication. Avoid over-thinking with complex formulas.
• If you are stuck between two options, ask yourself — does this relationship work both ways or only one way in the original pair? That often eliminates the wrong option.
• Letter analogy appears less often than word and number analogy in SSC GD — but when it does, it is usually gap-based (skip one letter, skip two letters). Practice alphabet positions for 5 minutes daily this week.