The Analogies task asks you to match relationships between word pairs
The task presents two words and asks you to choose a word pair with the same relationship from the options.
For example, if the pair is “hammer : nail”, the matching answer could be “screwdriver : screw”. Both pairs express the relationship between a tool and the object it is used on.
The relationship changes from question to question. You need to identify the type of relationship and apply it in a different context, rather than choosing words that merely seem similar or closely associated.
What the Analogies task measures
Analogies is one of the BrainTypeIQ tasks used to measure Gc, or crystallized intelligence. It draws on Gc for the meanings and uses of words, while relational processing associated with Gf, or fluid reasoning, helps identify a relationship and transfer it to another pair.
The other Gc task, Vocabulary (Antonyms), deals directly with word meanings. Analogies instead measures reasoning about relationships through words.
Crystallized intelligence (Gc) explains the broader ability.
What a higher Analogies score can show
A higher Analogies score indicates that the same underlying relationship is easier to recognize across different word pairs.
For example, it may be easier to apply a principle learned in one field to another, find a comparison with something familiar when explaining a complex concept, or notice what a new problem has in common with one encountered before.
This ability is useful when knowledge must be applied by connecting one idea to another, rather than simply remembered.
Why an Analogies score may be lower
Several demands can make the Analogies task more difficult.
- The necessary vocabulary is unfamiliar — the reasoning may be sound, but an unfamiliar meaning or usage makes the relationship harder to identify
- Surface similarity attracts attention — an option containing closely associated words may stand out before the underlying relationship has been checked
- Holding several words at once is demanding — working memory is used to keep the original pair and several options available while comparing them
The Analogies result alone cannot clearly separate the influence of vocabulary knowledge from the influence of reasoning. Nonverbal reasoning is more visible in Matrix Reasoning and Figure Weights, while direct word knowledge is also reflected in Vocabulary (Antonyms).
BrainTypeIQ uses nine online tasks, including Analogies, to show overall IQ and a five-domain cognitive profile. How to read the report explains how the task and domain scores fit together.