OLSAT® Question Type:Verbal Analogies

In this post, we start with an overview of "Verbal Analogies" question types. We also provide a sample question, accompanied by tips and strategies that every student can use to perform successfully on "Verbal Analogies" questions during the official OLSAT® exam.

Verbal Analogies: What To Expect?

These questions ask students to consider the relationship between a pair of words, then apply this relationship to another pair of words. Students’ ability to correctly uncover these relationships is key to answering these type of questions.

The amount of Verbal Analogies questions on the test depends on the age of the student and the test level.For example, 4th and 5th grade students taking the OLSAT®Level E (for admission into 5th and 6th grade) are asked approximately four of these types of questions.

Verbal Analogies: Sample Question

Light is to dark as near is to:

A. beyond

B. far

C. close

D. present

E. distance

Correct Answer: B

In this analogy light and dark are opposites. To arrive at the answer, we must figure out the opposite of near, which is far. E is a close answer, but not the best answer because near is an adjective, while distance is a noun.

Verbal Analogies:Tips and Strategies

As often as possible, incorporate discussions about similarities, differences, and relationships between words into your everyday conversation with your student. Help her begin thinking about how different words and concepts are connected to one another.

When answering practice questions, teach your student to determine the relationship between the first pair of words before reading the answer choices. Relationships can include synonyms and antonyms, part and whole, or other more specific connections. Once your student determines the relationship between the first pair, she will then read the answer choices to find the pair with the exact same relationship.

Instruct your student to narrow down the answer choices by crossing out answers that are clearly wrong. Tell your student not to panic if she absolutely can’t find the correct answer. Instead, narrow the choices down as much as possible, make an educated guess, take a deep breath, and move on.

What's Next?

Learn more about other verbal reasoning question types on the OLSAT, including Aural Reasoning, Word/Letter Matrix, Verbal Classifications, Logical Selection, Inference and Arithmetic Reasoning

Also try some sample questions and see critical teaching tips that cover other areas of the OLSAT, including the sections on verbal comprehension, pictoral reasoning, figural reasoning, and quantitative reasoning.

If you think you need more information and guidance about the OLSAT, check out our in-depth article on the test, as well as our posts on the verbal and non-verbal section.

Also, learn everything you need to know about other tests that measure a child’s potential to learn in school, like the NNAT or the COGAT.