Analogies

What is an analogy? An analogy is a comparison of two pairs of words. It points out the similarities or likenesses between things that might be different in all other respects.

In an analogy, the relationship between the first pair of words is the same as the relationship between the second pair of words.

For Example: Cow : Milk :: Chicken : Eggs This analogy reads: a cow is to milk like a chicken is to eggs. The colon (:) between the cow and milk is read as “is to” and the two colons (::) between the two sets of words is read as “like”. So what is the relationship? A cow produces milk, just like a chicken produces eggs. **Remember, the relationship between the first pair of words should always be the same as the relationship between the second pair of words.

Can you read this analogy? Write out the relationship in sentence form. Dog : Animal :: Oak : Tree **A dog is a kind of animal, like a oak is a kind of tree.

Try to write this one out on your own in a sentence. Teacher : Classroom :: Scientist : Lab

A teacher works in a classroom, like a scientist works in a lab. Answer: A teacher works in a classroom, like a scientist works in a lab.

To Complete an Analogy: Identify how the two elements in the first pair are related. State their relationship in a general way. Identify another pair of elements that share a similar relationship. Become familiar with common types of relationships.

There are 7 types of common relationships for analogies. Similar Concepts: words in relationships are synonyms Example: Hungry : Starving :: Tired : Exhausted Complete this one on your own: Infant : Baby :: Adult : _____________

2. Dissimilar Concepts : words in the relationships are antonyms Example: Sad : Cheerful :: Hilly : Flat Complete this one on your own. Long: Short:: Big: _______________

3. Same Category: The words in each pair belong to the same class/category. Example: Carrot : Green Bean :: Red : Yellow Carrots and Green Beans are vegetables, like Red and Yellow are colors. Complete on your own. Basketball: Football :: Apple : ____________

4. Category/Category Member : One Word in the pair is a category name, the other word is a member of the category. Example: Red : Color :: Knife : Silverware Red is a type of color, like a knife is a type of silverware. Complete on your own. Crest : Toothpaste :: Sprite : ________________

5. Part to Whole: One word in the pair is a part of the other word in the pair Example: Seed : Apple :: Elbow : Arm A seed is part of an apple, like an elbow is part of your arm. Complete on your own. Lead : Pencil :: Inch : ___________________

6. Change : One word in the pair turns into the other word in the pair. Example: Tadpole : Frog :: Caterpillar : Butterfly A tadpole turns into a frog, like a caterpillar turns into a butterfly. Complete on your own. Kitten : Cat :: Puppy : ___________

7. Function : One word in the pair performs a function on or for another word in the pair. Example: Engineer : Train :: Principal : School An engineer runs the train, like a principal runs the school. Complete on your own: Eye : See :: Ear : ____________