Tips and Tricks for Analogy for RBI Grade B Exam

Analogy is one of the question types you might face in the reasoning section of the RBI Grade B Phase 1 exam. Analogy questions will test your ability to find relationships between pairs of words, numbers, or ideas. And then, you’ll have to apply the same relationship to another pair. These questions look simple. But if you don’t practice solving them, you might waste some of your precious minutes solving during the real exam. In RBI Grade B Phase 1, reasoning questions carry a total of 60 marks. The analogy questions may take up 1 to 3 marks based on past years’ analysis. This number may look small to you. But every single mark counts in such a competitive exam. Also, analogy questions are easy or moderately difficult. So, if you master a few smart methods, you can solve analogy questions in less than 20 seconds each. This will give you more time for tough reasoning questions. In this blog, you will learn the common types of analogy questions that appear in the RBI Grade B exam and time-saving formulas and shortcuts to answer them quickly. Read on to master this topic!

ALSO READ: How to Score Maximum Marks in Cloze Test

Common Types of Analogy Questions

Analogy questions can be based on words, objects, numbers, or a mix of concepts. The most common types that appear in the RBI Grade B exam are:

1. Word Analogy: Relationship between two words.
   For example: Doctor : Hospital :: Teacher : School
2. Numerical Analogy: Relationship between numbers based on addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, squares, cubes, etc.
   For example: 2 : 8 :: 3 : ? (Here, 2³ = 8, so 3³ = 27)
3. Letter Analogy: Relationship between letters based on alphabetical positions or patterns.
   Example: A : C :: E : ? (A + 2 = C, E + 2 = G)
4. Classification Analogy: Grouping based on category or type.
   For example: Dog : Mammal :: Eagle : Bird
5. Cause and Effect Analogy: One term causes the other.
   For example: Rain : Flood :: Earthquake : Destruction

How to Solve Analogy Questions Quickly

The first 5 to 7 seconds are most important when one solve analogy questions. This is when you should lock down the type and relationship. If you skip this step, you may end up trying multiple relationships at random, which wastes time. Another trick is to speak the relationship out loud in your head. For example, “Aeroplane travels in Air” because turning it into a sentence makes the link much clearer. Also, try not to spend more than 20 seconds on any one analogy question unless it’s your last question and you have time left. These small time boundaries help keep you from overthinking and getting stuck.

The process to solve analogy questions is almost the same, no matter the type.

You can follow the step-by-step instructions given below:

1. Read both terms in the first pair carefully: Understand the connection.
2. Identify the relationship: Is it based on function, category, numbers, letters, or cause-effect?
3. Think of the missing term: Do this before looking at the options to avoid bias.
4. Match your idea with the options given: Select the one that fits the same relationship.
5. If unsure, use trial and error: Test each option with the given pair and see which matches.

ALSO READ: How to Score Maximum Marks in Cloze Test & Ratio & Proportion Concepts

Examples Based on RBI Grade B Pattern

Example 1 – Word Analogy
Aeroplane : Air :: Ship : ?

• Aeroplane travels in Air, so Ship travels in Water.
  Answer: Water

Example 2 – Numerical Analogy
5 : 25 :: 7 : ?

• 5² = 25, so 7² = 49.
  Answer: 49

Example 3 – Letter Analogy
B : E :: C : ?

• B → E is +3 letters, so C → F is also +3 letters.
  Answer: F

Shortcuts and Tricks

Shortcuts, as the name suggests, can help you solve the questions quickly.

Here are some shortcuts that you should implement to skyrocket your

1. Find the type first: In the exam, don’t waste time guessing. Knowing the type will instantly guide you to the right solving method.
2. For numerical analogy: Quickly check for squares, cubes, multiplication, or addition patterns. These are the most common in RBI Grade B.
3. For letter analogy: Write down alphabetical positions (A=1, B=2, etc.) to see the shift clearly.
4. For word analogy: Think of the functional or categorical relationship rather than the meaning alone.
5. Avoid overthinking: The exam rarely has trick analogy questions. Most are direct and designed to test basic reasoning speed.

How to Practice?

Practice is essential! And you know this. So, to master analogy questions, practice should be both timed and varied. Here are a few practice methods:

• Daily 10 analogy questions – Mix word, number, and letter types.
• Create your own analogies – This will help you think in terms of relationships.
• Past year papers – Focus on analogy questions from the last 5–7 RBI Grade B exams.
• Mock tests – Set a timer and aim to solve each analogy question in 15–20 seconds.

Sample Questions

Given below are some questions that will give you a fair idea about the types of questions that frequently come from Analogy in the Phase 1 exam:

Q1.Trap’ is to ‘Net’ as Trade’ is to

(a) Earning

(b) Money

(c) Profit

(d) Pursuit

Q2. Cow’ is related to ‘Herbivorous’ in the same way as “Tiger’ is related to

(a) Omnivorous

(c) Herbivorous

(b) Carnivorous

(d) Multivorous

(e) None of these

(CBI (PO) 2011)

Q3. ‘Sink’ is related to ‘Float’ in the same way as ‘Destroy is related to

(a) Enemy

(e) Create

(b) Demolish

(c) Alive

(d) Peace

Q4. ‘Gram’ is related to ‘Mass’ in the same way as ‘Centimetre’ is related to

(a) Area

(e) Energy

(b) Volume

(c) Length

(d) Sound

Q5. A ‘Square’ is related to ‘Cube’ in the same way as a ‘Circle’ is related to

(a) Sphere

(b) Circumference

(c) Diameter

(d) Area

(e) None of these

Q6. Tron’ is related to ‘Solid’ in the same way as ‘Mercury’ is related to

(a) Solid

(b) Gas

(c) Liquid

(d) Vapour

(e) None of these

Q7. ‘Mirror’ is related to ‘Reflection’ in the same way as ‘Water’ is related to

(a) Conduction

(b) Disperson

(c) Immersion

(d) Refraction

Q8. ‘Dream’ is related to ‘Reality’ in the same way as ‘Falsehood’ is related to

(a) Correctness

(c) Truth

(b) Fairness

(d) Untruth

Q9. ‘Face’ is related to ‘Expression’ in the same way as ‘Hand’ is related to

(a) Gesture

(b) Work

(c) Handshake

(d) Pointing

Q10. ‘Wine’ is related to ‘Grapes’ in the same way as ‘Vodka’ is related to

(a) Apples

(b) Potatoes

(c) Oranges

(d) Flour

Answers:

Here are the correct choices:

1. (b) Money
2. (b) Carnivorous
3. (e) Create
4. (c) Length
5. (a) Sphere
6. (c) Liquid
7. (d) Refraction
8. (c) Truth
9. (a) Gesture
10. (b) Potatoes

Mini Task for You

Try these analogy questions without checking the answers first:

1. River : Flow :: Sun : ?
2. 4 : 64 :: 5 : ?
3. M : P :: Q : ?
4. Pen : Write :: Knife : ?

(Time yourself and aim to solve them all in under 40 seconds.)

Takeaway

Analogy for the RBI Grade B exam is one of the easiest scoring areas in the reasoning section if you know the types and the right solving process. With consistent practice, you can spot the relationship almost instantly and answer within seconds. The key is to train your brain to think in terms of relationships and patterns. Make analogy practice a daily habit, and you will not only secure these marks but also improve your overall reasoning speed.

Are you preparing for the RBI Grade B exam 2025? If so, it’s the ideal time to start and accelerate your exam preparation. The notification can be released anytime soon!

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