All SSAT Elementary Level Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1 : User To Tool Or Tool To User
Complete this analogy.
Mechanic is to wrench as farmer is to __________.
agriculture
drought
plow
hammer
crops
plow
A “wrench” is a tool used by a “mechanic,” so to solve this analogy, you need to determine which of these answer choices is a tool often used by a farmer. The correct answer is a “plow”; a “farmer” uses a “plow” to break up soil and allow seeds to be planted. It might be reasonable to assume that a farmer uses a “hammer” as well, but it is not anywhere near as closely associated with the profession of farming as a “plow” is. Other professions, like carpenters, might use hammers, but only farmers are associated with plows. To provide further help, another name for the profession of farming is “agriculture.”
Example Question #2 : User To Tool Or Tool To User
Complete this analogy.
Airplane is to pilot as ship is to __________.
ocean
principal
helm
teacher
captain
captain
Just as a pilot flies a plane, a captain steers a ship, so "captain" is the correct answer.
Example Question #3 : User To Tool Or Tool To User
Complete this analogy.
Hose is to firefighter as __________.
blueprint is to curator
stethoscope is to meteorologist
plunger is to electrician
frying pan is to doctor
easel is to artist
easel is to artist
Since firefighters often use hoses while doing their job, we are looking for an answer in which the first word is an item that the occupation in the second word uses while working. The best answer choice is "easel is to artist," because artists often paint or sketch their creations on easels.
Example Question #4 : User To Tool Or Tool To User
Complete this analogy.
Artist is to brush as __________.
surgeon is to scalpel
soldier is to comb
dancer is to phone
lawyer is to ball
chef is to drum
surgeon is to scalpel
The analogy in question relates a profession to a tool associated with that profession. "Lawyer is to ball," "soldier is to comb," "dancer is to phone," and "chef is to drum" do not represent the given relationship. Artists often uses paintbrushes just as surgeons use scalpels, so "surgeon is to scalpel" is the correct answer.
Example Question #5 : User To Tool Or Tool To User
Complete the analogy.
Wood is to carpenter as _____________.
swimmer is to diver
banker is to teacher
stone is to mason
shoe is to businessman
book is to magazine
stone is to mason
A "carpenter" works with "wood," by definition, so the answer be a tool followed by its user. A mason similarly works with stone.
Example Question #6 : User To Tool Or Tool To User
Complete the analogy.
Electrician is to light bulb as _____________.
book is to author
plumber is to toilet
doctor is to nurse
taxi is to limousine
cup is to water
plumber is to toilet
The key here is determining how the kind of person given relates to the given object. An "electrician" works with "light bulbs," or user to tool, so the answer must be a user and his tool. A "plumber" works with "toilets," so that must be the correct answer. None of the other answers describe a user-tool relationship. A "book" is a product made by an "author." A "cup" is a vessel for "water." "Nurses" are people, and thus cannot be a part of a user tool relationship.