SSAT Middle Level Verbal : Determining Part of Speech

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

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Example Questions

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

Complete this analogy.

Carp is to complain as __________.

Possible Answers:

rose is to petal

passive is to active

speak is to utter

trout is to fish

forget is to remember

Correct answer:

speak is to utter

Explanation:

Since one meaning of "carp" is complain in an annoying way, "carp" and "complain" are synonyms. We thus need to pick out another answer choice in which the two words are synonyms. While "trout is to fish" may look like a potentially correct answer choice because "carp" as a noun refers to a type of fish and "trout" is also a type of fish, "trout is to fisherman" cannot be the correct answer because "trout" and "fisherman" are not synonyms. "Speak" and "utter" are synonyms, though, so the correct answer is "speak is to utter."

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

Complete this analogy.

Tango is to dance as __________.

Possible Answers:

painting is to impressionism

poem is to sonnet

paint is to painting

jazz is to music

building is to architecture

Correct answer:

jazz is to music

Explanation:

Since tango is a style or form of dance, we need to pick out an answer in which the first word is a style or form of the second word. While "painting is to impressionism" and "poem is to sonnet" may both look like correct answers, the words in these answers appear in the wrong order; instead of having the style come first and the category come second, they have the category come first and the style come second. "Jazz is to music," however, has its words in the correct order (style is to category), and since jazz is a style or kind of music, "jazz is to music" is the correct answer.

Example Question #4 : Determining Meaning Or Part Of Speech From Context

Complete this analogy.

Whisper is to quiet as __________.

Possible Answers:

holler is to loud

yell is to shout

sleepwalk is to asleep

chat is to converse

murmur is to blaring

Correct answer:

holler is to loud

Explanation:

“Whisper” is a word that as a verb means speak very softly and as a noun means a very quiet act of speaking. So, if one whispers, one is being quiet, and we need to pick out an answer choice in which the first word is a manner of speaking and the second word an adjective describing that manner of speaking. While “holler is to loud” and “murmur is to blaring” might each look like a potentially correct answer, “murmur” is a word that when used as a verb means say something in a quiet, almost indistinct voice while “blaring” is an adjective that means loud. So, because “murmur” is not accurately described by “blaring,” “murmur is to blaring” cannot be the correct answer. “Holler,” however, when used as a verb, is used of a person and means shout, so “loud” is an accurate descriptor of “holler” just like “quiet” is an accurate descriptor of “whisper.” So, “holler is to loud” is the correct answer.

Example Question #5 : Determining Meaning Or Part Of Speech From Context

Complete this analogy.

Weather is to storm as champion is to __________.

Possible Answers:

undermine

football 

discord 

cause 

sports 

Correct answer:

cause 

Explanation:

In this analogy, you need to know two secondary definitions of words. If "weather" is read as a noun meaning atmospheric phenomena like rain and snow, a storm is a type of weather, but none of the answer choices present a type of champion. "Weather" is here being used as a verb instead; to "weather" something means to endure it, as in the phrase "weather a storm." Similarly, "champion" is being used as a verb meaning promote. Just as you "weather" (endure) a storm, you promote a cause, so the correct answer is “cause.”

Example Question #6 : Determining Meaning Or Part Of Speech From Context

Complete this analogy.

Bottle is to cork as jar is to __________.

Possible Answers:

jam

cupboard

lid

ajar

glass

Correct answer:

lid

Explanation:

One could read "cork" as a verb, as one can "cork a bottle," to shut it, but in that case, none of the answer choices would work as verbs meaning close a jar. "Cork" can also be read as a noun meaning the small stopper that closes up a bottle. Using this definition, we need to pick out an answer choice that describes what closes up a jar. While "jam" might look like a good answer choice because a jar may be filled with jam, jam does not close up a jar, but instead represents potential contents of a jar. Since a lid closes up a jar just like a cork closes up a bottle, "lid" is the correct answer.

Example Question #7 : Determining Meaning Or Part Of Speech From Context

Complete this analogy.

Bestow is to award as __________.

Possible Answers:

forget is to remember

climb is to mountain

seed is to tree

type is to keyboard

wood is to carve

Correct answer:

climb is to mountain

Explanation:

"Bestow" is a verb that means confer, and "award" is either the thing bestowed on something, or a synonym of "bestow" if it is used as a verb meaning give an award. We need to pick out an answer choice in which the first word either describes what one typically does with the second word, a noun, or is a synonym of the second word, a verb. Since none of the potential answer choices are pairs of synonyms, we will need to look for an answer choice in which the first word describes what one typically does with the second, a noun. While "type is to keyboard" might look like a potentially correct answer, one uses a keyboard to type—one does not "type a keyboard." So, "type is to keyboard" cannot be the correct answer. One does climb a mountain just like one bestows an award, however, so the correct answer is "climb is to mountain."

Example Question #8 : Determining Meaning Or Part Of Speech From Context

Complete this analogy.

Pincushion is to pin as quiver is to __________.

Possible Answers:

hair

arrow

berry

leaf

shake

Correct answer:

arrow

Explanation:

Pins are stored in pincushions, so we need to pick out an answer choice that describes what objects are stored in a quiver. “Quiver” can be used as a verb that means tremble, so “shake” might look like a potentially correct answer, but because “pincushion” and “pin” are not synonyms, we are not looking for an answer choice that is a synonym of “quiver,” so “shake” cannot be the correct answer. When “quiver” is used as a noun, as in this case, it means the storage case for arrows used by archers, so because a quiver holds arrows just like a pincushion holds pins, “arrow” is the correct answer.

Example Question #1 : Determining Part Of Speech

Complete this analogy.

Tournament is to compete as play is to __________.

Possible Answers:

act

drive

insist

game

surpass

Correct answer:

act

Explanation:

One might participate in a tournament by competing in it, so we need to pick out an answer choice that is a verb describing what one might do in a play. While “game” might look like a potentially correct answer because one might play in a game, we need to consider “play” as the noun, because it is the first word in the sequence, like “tournament,” a noun. So, “game” cannot be the correct answer, because one does not “game” in a play. “Play” as a noun can mean a drama and one might “act” (perform a role) in a play, just as one might compete in a tournament, so “act” is the correct answer.

Example Question #9 : Determining Part Of Speech

Complete this analogy.

Die is to dice as fish is to __________.

Possible Answers:

fish

catch

slice

live

chop

Correct answer:

fish

Explanation:

A "die" is the singular form of a six-sided cube with a different number of dots on each side used in games. The plural of "die" is "dice." "Fish" is the plural form of "fish," so "fish" is the right answer. This is confusing though, because "die" and "dice" both have multiple meanings. "Die" could mean stop being alive, and dice could mean chop or slice. Hopefully, you figured out that "die" is also the singular form of "dice."

Example Question #11 : Determining Meaning Or Part Of Speech From Context

Complete this analogy.

Write is to pen as prohibit is to __________.

Possible Answers:

deploy 

forbid 

declare 

explain 

attend 

Correct answer:

forbid 

Explanation:

While at first glance you might assume that "pen" is being used in the sense of a writing instrument that uses ink, that would mean that the model relationship is one of action to object you use to do that action. However, none of the answer choices are objects that one might use to "prohibit," something, so that can't be the correct model relationship. "Pen" can also be used as a verb that means write, so "write" and "pen" are synonyms. That means that to solve this analogy, you have to find the best synonym of "prohibit." "Prohibit" means ban or forbid, so "forbid" is the correct answer.

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