Sample Word Relationship Questions
   
 

These questions assess your ability to identify the relationship between words and to then apply this verbal analogy. For example, you may be given a group of words and asked to identify the relationship between the words in this group. You can then select the word from the answer option which best fits with the group.

1)

capital, arch, column

 

 

 

A

B

C

D

 

 

 

pilaster

edifice

bridge

temple

 

   

In the example above, capital, arch, column are all architectural features which can be found on buildings. Answer A is obviously the only word in the answer group which shares these characteristics.

Sample Word Relationship Questions

These types of question appear in nearly all levels of verbal ability tests.

Sample Word Relationship Questions

1)

medicine is to illness as law is to -------

 

 

 

A

B

C

D

 

 

 

anarchy

discipline

treason

etiquette

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)

square is to cube as circle is to -------

 

 

 

A

B

C

D

 

 

 

round

ball

pi

sphere

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)

king is to throne as judge is to -------

 

 

 

A

B

C

D

 

 

 

lawyer

bench

court

trial

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)

nib is to pen as lens is to -------

 

 

 

A

B

C

D

 

 

 

seeing

glass

focus

telescope

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)

settlement is to injury as pension is to -------

 

 

 

A

B

C

D

 

 

 

pensioner

maturity

retirement

age

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Instruction: Identify the relationship between the word pair in the question.
Circle the answer where the word pair shown has the most similar relationship.

 

6)

levee : flood

 

 

 

A

B

C

D

 

 

 

dam : lake

armour : helmet

helmet : injury

water : tide

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)

color : spectrum

 

 

 

A

B

C

D

 

 

 

verse : rhyme

tone : scale

noise : waves

waves : sound

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)

extort : obtain

 

 

 

A

B

C

D

 

 

 

purify : strain

steal : borrow

explode : ignite

pilfer : steal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)

heel : foot

 

 

 

A

B

C

D

 

 

 

beam : ship

hand : palm

stern : boat

cruiser : vessel

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10)

slight : hurt

 

 

 

A

B

C

D

 

 

 

lag : tardiness

sound : noise

time : lateness

blind : light

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Instruction: Identify the relationship between the word group in the question.
Circle the answer which fits best with the group.

 

11)

barber, florist, draper

 

 

 

A

B

C

D

 

 

 

flower

cloth

milliner

hair

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12)

alps, pennines, pyrenees

 

 

 

A

B

C

D

 

 

 

rockies

dolomites

urals

himalayas

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13)

throw, volley, sling

 

 

 

A

B

C

D

 

 

 

hurl

grab

seize

catch

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14)

pine, fir, cypress

 

 

 

A

B

C

D

 

 

 

mahogany

oak

spruce

teak

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15)

wool, silk, leather

 

 

 

A

B

C

D

 

 

 

cotton

nylon

linen

fur

 

   

Answers to sample word relationship questions.

To answer these questions you need to understand the meaning of the words in the question and establish what exactly the relationship is between them. You should then look at the answer options and decide which answer is the most appropriate. These questions test your reasoning ability as well as your vocabulary.

Download sample word relationship questions.

 
 

 
   
   
   
 
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