SSAT Elementary Level Verbal : Determining Meaning or Part of Speech from Context

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SSAT Elementary Level Verbal

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store

Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Policing is to precinct as banking is to  __________.

Possible Answers:

Branch 

Building 

Office 

Hotel

Headquarters

Correct answer:

Branch 

Explanation:

A “police” “precinct” is where the police are located and where they deal with members of the public. Similarly in “banking” the place where a bank locally deals with customers is called a branch. Your local bank is your “branch.” There you will find the offices of the local bank manager. The banks “headquarters” are where all of the branches refer to and are at the centre of the branches.

Example Question #1 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Alter is to altar as __________.

Possible Answers:

cannon is to canon

ale is to mail

hole is to fill

buy is to bought

paper is to stack

Correct answer:

cannon is to canon

Explanation:

"Alter" and "altar" mean different things, but they sound the same, so they're homophones. Look for an answer that has two words that sound the same but have different meanings. Since "cannon" sounds like "canon" but means something completely different, "cannon is to canon" is the best choice. "Ale" and "mail" rhyme, but they don't sound exactly the same when spoken.

Example Question #2 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Typewriter is to type as mouse is to __________.

Possible Answers:

print

store

click

withdraw

chop

Correct answer:

click

Explanation:

One uses a typewriter to type, so we need to pick out an answer choice that isa verb that describes what one uses a mouse to do. While “mouse” can mean “a small rodent,” it can also mean “a small handheld device used to move the cursor on a computer screen.” Given the potential answer choices, one can infer that “mouse” is being used to describe the device, not the animal. While “click” and “print” might each look like a potentially correct answer choice, one does not use a mouse to print things, so “print” cannot be the correct answer; however, one does use a mouse to click things, just as one uses a typewriter to type, so “click” is the correct answer.

Example Question #1 : Determining Meaning Or Part Of Speech From Context

Complete this analogy.

Bill is to duck as __________.

Possible Answers:

paper is to seal

easy is to difficult

tree is to apple

hoof is to cow

swan is to office

Correct answer:

hoof is to cow

Explanation:

What does "bill" mean? It can mean a suggestion for a law that has not yet been signed into law, one piece of paper money, a part of a hat, or the beak of certain types of birds. Pick the meaning that fits best with the other word, "duck," which is a bird's beak. Then choose the answer that best matches this relationship: part of something is to the whole thing. The best fit is "hoof is to cow," because "hoof" refers to a part of a cow. "Tree is to apple" might work, but it would have to be switched around: "apple is to tree."

Example Question #4 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Tutor is to tutor as __________.

Possible Answers:

teacher is to teach

flog is to fog

driver is to drive

phone is to phone

sun is to son

Correct answer:

phone is to phone

Explanation:

The phrase in question relates to a homograph and plays on its different meanings. Recognize that the word "tutor" has two meanings; it can be used as a noun meaning a personal teacher, or as a verb meaning to act as a tutor for someone. "Teacher is to teach" is similar to "tutor is to tutor" because a "teacher" is similar to a "tutor," but "teacher" and "teach" are not a single word with multiple meanings like "tutor." "Driver is to drive" is similar in almost the same fashion, but is also incorrect. "Sun is to son" is tempting, but it is a homophone (two words that sound alike but are spelled differently and mean different things) rather than a homograph like "tutor." The correct answer is "phone" because it also has two meanings, one which is a noun (telephone or cellular communication device) and one that is a verb (to use a phone to call someone).

Example Question #2 : Determining Meaning Or Part Of Speech From Context

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Happiness is to cheer as might is to __________.

Possible Answers:

weakness

strength

want

uncertain

certain 

Correct answer:

strength

Explanation:

"Happiness" and "cheer" are synonyms, which means that they mean the same thing. So, to solve the analogy, you need to pick out an answer choice which means the same thing as "might. While "might" can be used to express that someone may or may not do something in sentences like "She might go to the movies tonight," it can also mean strength when used as a noun. So, "strength" is the correct answer.

Example Question #1 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Dangerous is to harmful as crucial is to __________.

Possible Answers:

damaging

sad

punch

official

key

Correct answer:

key

Explanation:

"Dangerous" and "harmful" are synonyms because they both mean the same thing. So, to solve this analogy, you need to pick out an answer choice that means the same thing as "crucial." "Crucial" means very important. When none of the answer choices may initially look correct, you should see if you can consider any secondary meanings the answer choices might have. While "key" can mean a device used to open a lock when used as a noun, it can also mean most important when used as an adjective. So, "key" is the correct answer because it is closest in meaning to "crucial."

Example Question #4 : Analogies

Analogies: Complete this analogy.

Finish is to coating as draw is to __________.

Possible Answers:

gun 

painting 

tie

slide 

close

Correct answer:

tie

Explanation:

"Finish” can mean the final coating on a surface or the appearance produced by such a coating. So, a “finish” is a “coating.” “Finish” is more commonly used to mean end or complete, but for this analogy, you need to know one of the secondary meanings of the word. “Draw,” like “finish,” can mean a lot of different things. Commonly “draw” means leave (a contest) undecided; a "draw" can also be called a “tie.” If you chose "gun," "painting," or "close," you were probably thinking of the different meanings of “draw,” but they do not fit the analogy perfectly.

Example Question #3 : Determining Meaning Or Part Of Speech From Context

Complete this analogy.

Ruby is to red as __________.

Possible Answers:

dream is to asleep

grass is to green

sun is to blue

fur is to soft

fence is to wooden

Correct answer:

grass is to green

Explanation:

“Ruby” is a noun that can mean a red gem or a deep red color, so we need to pick out an answer choice in which the first noun is an object that is the color that the second word, an adjective, describes, or an answer choice in which the two words are synonyms. None of the answer choices consist of a pair of synonyms, so we will need to look for an answer choice that consists of an object and the color of that object. While “grass is to green” and “sun is to blue” may each look like a potentially correct answer, the sun is not blue, so “sun is to blue” cannot be the correct answer. However, grass is often green just like rubies are red, so “grass is to green” is the correct answer.

Example Question #5 : Analogies

Complete this analogy.

Wind is to clock as __________.

Possible Answers:

student is to teacher

sewer is to trash

desk is to paper

spin is to top

old is to young

Correct answer:

spin is to top

Explanation:

"Wind" has a few meanings, including the movement of air and tighten a spring. Only the last meaning has something to do with a "clock" - some clocks are wound so they keep running. So look for an answer that has the relationship of something done to something it's done to. The best match is "spin is to top", as tops, the toys, can be spun.

Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors