Analogy and classification questions test how quickly you can see a relationship. In an analogy you find a pair that is linked in the same way as a given pair. In classification (odd one out) you find the one item that does not belong to the group. Both appear regularly in the mental ability section of Lok Sewa exams, and both become easy once you know the common relationship types and follow a fixed method.
1. What an analogy question asks
An analogy is written as A : B :: C : ? and is read as “A is to B as C is to what?”. The first pair shows a relationship. Your job is to find the word, number or letter group that has the same relationship with C.
Example: Doctor : Hospital :: Teacher : ? A doctor works in a hospital, so the answer is the place where a teacher works: School.
2. Common relationship types
Most word analogies in exams use one of the relationships below. Learn to name the relationship in one short phrase.
| Relationship | Example pair | Matching pair |
|---|---|---|
| Worker and workplace | Doctor : Hospital | Farmer : Field |
| Worker and tool | Carpenter : Saw | Tailor : Needle |
| Animal and young one | Cow : Calf | Dog : Puppy, Cat : Kitten |
| Animal and home | Bee : Hive | Spider : Web, Lion : Den |
| Animal and sound | Lion : Roar | Dog : Bark |
| Country and capital | Nepal : Kathmandu | Japan : Tokyo |
| Country and currency | Nepal : Rupee | Japan : Yen |
| Instrument and what it measures | Thermometer : Temperature | Barometer : Atmospheric pressure |
| Quantity and SI unit | Length : Metre | Electric current : Ampere |
| Part and whole | Petal : Flower | Page : Book |
| Product and raw material | Cloth : Cotton | Paper : Wood pulp |
| Word and opposite | Hot : Cold | Rich : Poor |
| Word and similar meaning | Big : Large | Quick : Fast |
| Cause and effect | Fire : Smoke | Rain : Flood |
3. Step-by-step method for analogies
- Read the first pair and say the relationship in a short sentence, for example “A doctor works in a hospital”.
- Make the sentence exact. “A bee lives in a hive” is better than “a bee is related to a hive”.
- Put the third word into the same sentence: “A spider lives in a …”.
- Check every option against the sentence and choose the one that fits exactly.
- If two options seem to fit, make the relationship more specific and test again.
4. Number analogies
In number analogies the second number is made from the first by a fixed operation. Test the common operations in this order: square, cube, square plus or minus one, multiply or add a number.
| Analogy | Rule | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 4 : 16 :: 7 : ? | second = first squared | 49 |
| 3 : 27 :: 5 : ? | second = first cubed | 125 |
| 5 : 24 :: 9 : ? | second = first squared minus 1 | 80 |
| 6 : 42 :: 8 : ? | second = first × (first + 1) | 72 |
| 12 : 36 :: 15 : ? | second = first × 3 | 45 |
Always check the rule on the first pair before using it. For 5 : 24, squaring gives 25, and 25 − 1 = 24, so the rule is “square minus 1”. Then 9² − 1 = 81 − 1 = 80.
5. Letter analogies
Write the alphabet positions (A = 1, B = 2 … Z = 26) when the pattern is not obvious. The common patterns are a fixed shift, reverse order and opposite letters.
- Fixed shift: ACE : BDF. Each letter moves forward by 1. So KMO : LNP.
- Opposite letters: AZ : BY. A and Z are opposites (1 and 26), as are B and Y. So CX : DW.
- Reverse: PQR : RQP. The group is written backwards. So LMN : NML.
- Skip pattern: AC : EG. Each pair skips one letter, and the second pair starts after another skip. Check the gap carefully.
Remember: a letter and its opposite always add up to 27 (A 1 + Z 26 = 27, M 13 + N 14 = 27).
6. Classification (odd one out)
In classification questions, all items except one share a common property. Find the property first, then the item that breaks it. Common grouping properties are:
- Category: Apple, Mango, Potato, Banana. Potato is a vegetable; the others are fruits.
- Planets and other bodies: Mercury, Venus, Moon, Mars. The Moon is a satellite, not a planet.
- Wild and domestic: Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Cow. The cow is a domestic animal.
- Currency and city: Rupee, Dollar, Euro, Tokyo. Tokyo is a city, not a currency.
7. Odd one out with numbers and letters
| Group | Common property | Odd one |
|---|---|---|
| 2, 3, 5, 9, 11 | prime numbers | 9 (= 3 × 3) |
| 16, 25, 36, 48, 64 | perfect squares | 48 |
| 27, 64, 125, 144, 216 | perfect cubes | 144 (= 12²) |
| BCD, FGH, JKL, MNP | three consecutive letters | MNP |
| AZ, BY, CX, DV | opposite letter pairs | DV (D pairs with W) |
8. Common traps
- Two possible rules: choose the rule that fits all items exactly and is more specific.
- Reversed order: in Hospital : Doctor the place comes first, so the answer must also put the place first.
- Near-miss options: Tailor : ? may show Needle and Cloth. Cloth is the material, not the tool.
- Do not stop early: check every option, because a later option may fit better.
📌 Key points to remember
- Say the relationship of the first pair in one exact sentence.
- Keep the same order in the answer pair.
- For numbers, try square, cube, square ± 1 and simple multiplication.
- For letters, write the positions; opposite letters add up to 27.
- In odd one out, find the shared property first, then the item that breaks it.
- Learn the common pairs: animal and young, worker and tool, instrument and what it measures.
- Check every option before choosing.
Test yourself: Analogy and Classification (Odd One Out)
50 questions on What an analogy question asks, Letter analogies and Common traps. Each attempt picks 25 at random.