ANALOGIES
1. Synonym Analogies
Funny : Humorous :: Hardworking : Diligent
Lead : Guide :: Drawing : Illustration
Mom : Mother :: Dog : _______
Beginner : Novice :: Law : ______
2. Antonym Analogies
Night : Day :: Right : Left
Wet : Dry : Hot : Cold
Open: Closed :: Free : ______
3. Part/Whole Analogies
Electron: Molecule :: Country : Continent
Toe : Foot :: Finger : Hand
Stars : Galaxy :: Molecules : Object
4. Cause/Effect Analogies
Spin : Dizzy :: Jump : Elevate
Honesty: Trust :: Light : Plant Growth
Itch : Scratch :: Virus : Cold
Read : Learn :: Try : Improve
Rise of Social Messaging : Demise of Email :: __________: French Revolution
Writing Process : Idea Organization :: Eye Contact : ______
5. Thing/Function Analogies
Broom : Sweep :: Paintbrush : Paint
Freezer: Freeze :: Paper Towel : Wipe
Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” : Civil Rights :: ________ : LBGTQ
rights
Gravity : Pull :: Conflict : ______
6. Thing/Characteristic Analogies
Democracy : Equality :: Monarchy : One Ruler
Water : Wet :: Concrete : Hard
Mountain : Tall :: Desert : Dry
Sugar : Sweet :: Cheetah : Fast
Water : Wet :: Circles : ______
Wall : Bricks :: Sonnet : Lines
Mountain : Tall :: Globalization : _____
7. Thing/Context Analogies (similar to Part/Whole and other categories of
analogies)
Cello : Symphony :: Creek : Forest
Plane : Hangar :: Surfboard : Beach
Field : Farm :: Audience : Arena
Conflict : Story :: Emoji : Texting
8. Example/Type Analogies
Orange : Fruit :: Hydrogen : Element
Kangaroo : Marsupial : Dog :: Mammal
Ford Mustang : Muscle Car :: Subaru BRZ : Sports Car
Deontology : Ethics: Cubism : Art
______ : Immigration Policy :: iPhone : Smartphone
9. Category/Subcategory Analogies
Phylum : Kingdom :: Aisle : Department
Sonnet: Petrarchan Sonnet :: Rose : Red Rose
Shape : Quadrilateral :: _______ : Orbit
10. Object/Classification Analogies
Bowl : Dish :: Sword : Weapon
Cat : Feline :: Dog : Canine
Porsche 911 : Sports Car :: Alligator : Reptile
Rain : Precipitation :: ______ : Rhyme Scheme
12. Fact/Opinion Analogies
Wet : Soaked :: 7 Seconds : Fast
6′ 4″ : Tall :: Awake : Smart
It’s 93 degrees : It’s Hot :: ________ :
13. Step/Process Analogies
Evaporation : Water Cycle :: ______ : Evolution
Test Theory : Scientific Process :: Stir : Make Chocolate Milk
Revision : Writing Process :: ______ :
______ : Sentence Diagramming
14. Problem/Solution Analogies
Tape : Paper Tear :: Knee Scrape : Bandaid
Alliteracy : Habits :: Lack of Cardiovascular Endurance : Lack of Exercise
Climate Change : Reduce Greenhouse Gases :: ________ : Poverty
15. Symbol/Referent Analogies
Peace Sign : Hippies :: Red Cross: Medical Professional
To make that a bit more complex, consider Peace Sign : Vietnam :: _____ :
______ where it could be seen that rather just “The Peace Sign characterized
Hippies as…” you instead of “The Peace Sign was seen as a counter-symbol
to Vietnam as…”, and so on. The following example is equally complex:
Guillotine: French Revolution :: Faulkner’s use of setting in A Rose for Emily :
________
To answer that, you’d have to know whether or not it was commonly
considered for the guillotine to ‘represent’ the Fresh Revolution and then
further, exactly how Faulkner used setting in ‘A Rose for Emily.’
16. Producer/Product Analogies
Sheep : Wool :: Milk : Cow
As with others, the first analogy is simple:
Cow : Milk :: Beehive : Honey
The second sets up at simple (Producer/Product) but the second part asks the
student to think (and know) more:
Cow: Milk :: Industrialism : _____
Clearly, these can be subjective but if you use this to your advantage (in a
debate or discussion, or by asking the student to defend their choices, for
example) that’s a good thing. You can also use a multiple-choice format to
reduce some of this subjectivity if you need thinks nice and tidy in a lesson or
assessment.
17. Noun/Adjective Analogies
Lemon : Yellow :: Snow : White
Flamingo : Pink :: Rhinoceros : Grey
Cardinal : Red :: Irony : ______
18. Task/Subtask Analogies
Kick : Soccer :: Dribble : Basketball
Plan : Prioritize :: Lead : Communicate
Drive : Steer :: Live : Breathe
19. Kinds Of Measurement Analogies
Vegetable Harvest : Bushels :: Liquid : Gallon
Geometric Shape : Degrees :: Marine Distance : Nautical Miles
City : Blocks :: Farms : Acres
20. Finish the Set or Sequence Analogies
Salt : Pepper :: Peas : Carrots
2 : 8 :: 5 : 20
21. Strength & Weakness Analogies
Lighthouse : Brightness :: Flashlight : Portability
Abundant Supply : Solar Energy :: Low Cost : Coal
Potential Profits : Capitalism :: ______ : Artificial Intelligence
Plastic : Pollution :: Greed : ______
22. Spatial Relationship (e.g., Geography) Analogies
South America : North America :: Ireland : ______
Floor : Ceiling :: Conclusion : Introduction
Peanut Butter : Bread :: Chapters : Book Covers
23. Increasing or Decreasing Intensity Analogies
Cool : Cold :: Warm : Hot
Aggressive : Fierce :: Amused : Elated
Instability : Turmoil :: Change : Revolution
Speed of Sound : Speed of Light :: ______ : Gammar Ray Bursts
24. Thing/Group Analogies (similar to Part/Whole Analogies)
Fish : School :: Lion : Pride
Flock : Birds :: Pack : Wolves
People : Community :: Tree : Forest
25. Rhyme Analogies
Jump : Bump :: Wire : Fire
Ship : Blip :: Stop : Lop
Solve the analogies below.
0. Hand is to touch as eye is to __see__.
1. Small is to little as big is to _____________.
2. Water is to drink as food is to ____________.
3. Blood is to red as ___________ is to yellow.
4. Daughter is to female as ___________ is to male.
5. Ice-cream is to sweet as chilli is to _____________.
6. Car is to drive as _____________ is to cycle.