Determining Meaning or Part of Speech from Context - SSAT Elementary Level Verbal

One uses a typewriter to type, so we need to pick out an answer choice that isa verb that describes what one uses a mouse to do. While “mouse” can mean “a small rodent,” it can also mean “a small handheld device used to move the cursor on a computer screen.” Given the potential answer choices, one can infer that “mouse” is being used to describe the device, not the animal. While “click” and “print” might each look like a potentially correct answer choice, one does not use a mouse to print things, so “print” cannot be the correct answer; however, one does use a mouse to click things, just as one uses a typewriter to type, so “click” is the correct answer.

What does "bill" mean? It can mean a suggestion for a law that has not yet been signed into law, one piece of paper money, a part of a hat, or the beak of certain types of birds. Pick the meaning that fits best with the other word, "duck," which is a bird's beak. Then choose the answer that best matches this relationship: part of something is to the whole thing. The best fit is "hoof is to cow," because "hoof" refers to a part of a cow. "Tree is to apple" might work, but it would have to be switched around: "apple is to tree."

"Alter" and "altar" mean different things, but they sound the same, so they're homophones. Look for an answer that has two words that sound the same but have different meanings. Since "cannon" sounds like "canon" but means something completely different, "cannon is to canon" is the best choice. "Ale" and "mail" rhyme, but they don't sound exactly the same when spoken.

A “police” “precinct” is where the police are located and where they deal with members of the public. Similarly in “banking” the place where a bank locally deals with customers is called a branch. Your local bank is your “branch.” There you will find the offices of the local bank manager. The banks “headquarters” are where all of the branches refer to and are at the centre of the branches.

The phrase in question relates to a homograph and plays on its different meanings. Recognize that the word "tutor" has two meanings; it can be used as a noun meaning a personal teacher, or as a verb meaning to act as a tutor for someone. "Teacher is to teach" is similar to "tutor is to tutor" because a "teacher" is similar to a "tutor," but "teacher" and "teach" are not a single word with multiple meanings like "tutor." "Driver is to drive" is similar in almost the same fashion, but is also incorrect. "Sun is to son" is tempting, but it is a homophone (two words that sound alike but are spelled differently and mean different things) rather than a homograph like "tutor." The correct answer is "phone" because it also has two meanings, one which is a noun (telephone or cellular communication device) and one that is a verb (to use a phone to call someone).

“Ruby” is a noun that can mean a red gem or a deep red color, so we need to pick out an answer choice in which the first noun is an object that is the color that the second word, an adjective, describes, or an answer choice in which the two words are synonyms. None of the answer choices consist of a pair of synonyms, so we will need to look for an answer choice that consists of an object and the color of that object. While “grass is to green” and “sun is to blue” may each look like a potentially correct answer, the sun is not blue, so “sun is to blue” cannot be the correct answer. However, grass is often green just like rubies are red, so “grass is to green” is the correct answer.

"Sail" can be used as either a noun or a verb, so we need to figure out in which word form it is being used. As a noun, "sail" means a part of a boat which catches the wind and propels the boat through the water. However, "drive" is a verb, not a noun, so it cannot represent a part of any of the answer choices. So, "sail" must be being used as a verb that means to travel in a boat. When you sail, you travel by boat. So, to solve this analogy, you have to figure out what vehicle you use when you go driving. The answer is a “car.”

One definition of "cardinal" is a type of bird of which the male birds are bright red. Since a cardinal is a bird, look for an answer that consists of a word and a category into that word fits. The best match is "poodle is to dog," as a poodle is a type of dog. "Cat is to tiger" would work if it was in the other order - "tiger is to cat."

"Wind" has a few meanings, including the movement of air and tighten a spring. Only the last meaning has something to do with a "clock" - some clocks are wound so they keep running. So look for an answer that has the relationship of something done to something it's done to. The best match is "spin is to top", as tops, the toys, can be spun.

The word "object"has two different meanings: it can mean thing or item when used as a noun, or it can mean be against or disagree with when used as a verb. "Object" and "disagree" are synonyms because they mean the same thing, so to solve this analogy, you need to pick out the answer choice that is a synonym of "trick." "Trick" can be used as a noun ("a trick") or as a verb ("to trick"), but because all of the answer choices are verbs, we will need to pick out a verb that means the same thing as "to trick." While someone may be surprised to learn that they have been tricked, "trick" does not mean the same thing as "surprise," so "surprise" cannot be the correct answer. To "trick" someone means to mislead or deceive that person, so "deceive" is the correct answer!

"Happiness" and "cheer" are synonyms, which means that they mean the same thing. So, to solve the analogy, you need to pick out an answer choice which means the same thing as "might. While "might" can be used to express that someone may or may not do something in sentences like "She might go to the movies tonight," it can also mean strength when used as a noun. So, "strength" is the correct answer.

"Dangerous" and "harmful" are synonyms because they both mean the same thing. So, to solve this analogy, you need to pick out an answer choice that means the same thing as "crucial." "Crucial" means very important. When none of the answer choices may initially look correct, you should see if you can consider any secondary meanings the answer choices might have. While "key" can mean a device used to open a lock when used as a noun, it can also mean most important when used as an adjective. So, "key" is the correct answer because it is closest in meaning to "crucial."

"Finish” can mean the final coating on a surface or the appearance produced by such a coating. So, a “finish” is a “coating.” “Finish” is more commonly used to mean end or complete, but for this analogy, you need to know one of the secondary meanings of the word. “Draw,” like “finish,” can mean a lot of different things. Commonly “draw” means leave (a contest) undecided; a "draw" can also be called a “tie.” If you chose "gun," "painting," or "close," you were probably thinking of the different meanings of “draw,” but they do not fit the analogy perfectly.

"Mean"is another word for "average_."_ Both words mean the same thing. Therefore, the correct answer will be an answer choice in which the two words also mean the same thing. "Canine"means the same thing as "dog_."_ Therefore, that is the correct answer.

While the word "pound"has multiple meanings; here, it refers to an animal shelter. Thus, the relationship between the words in this example is such that a pound is a place where one can find a dog. The correct answer choice parallels this relationship: "bank is to money." A bank is a place where one can find money.

A tempting wrong answer is "animal is to wilderness." This is incorrect because an animal is not a place where one can find "wilderness."

This analogy relates a word used to evaluate performance in an activity to a word referring to the specific activity. Someone's "score" is used to evaluate his or her performance in a "game," just as someone's "grade" is used to evaluate his or her performance in a "class." Therefore "grade is to class" is the correct answer. "Soccer is to goal" may look like a potentially correct answer, because the way you score in soccer is by scoring goals, but the word used to evaluate performance in an activity ("goal") is listed second, not first, so this cannot be the correct answer.

One uses a typewriter to type, so we need to pick out an answer choice that isa verb that describes what one uses a mouse to do. While “mouse” can mean “a small rodent,” it can also mean “a small handheld device used to move the cursor on a computer screen.” Given the potential answer choices, one can infer that “mouse” is being used to describe the device, not the animal. While “click” and “print” might each look like a potentially correct answer choice, one does not use a mouse to print things, so “print” cannot be the correct answer; however, one does use a mouse to click things, just as one uses a typewriter to type, so “click” is the correct answer.

What does "bill" mean? It can mean a suggestion for a law that has not yet been signed into law, one piece of paper money, a part of a hat, or the beak of certain types of birds. Pick the meaning that fits best with the other word, "duck," which is a bird's beak. Then choose the answer that best matches this relationship: part of something is to the whole thing. The best fit is "hoof is to cow," because "hoof" refers to a part of a cow. "Tree is to apple" might work, but it would have to be switched around: "apple is to tree."

"Alter" and "altar" mean different things, but they sound the same, so they're homophones. Look for an answer that has two words that sound the same but have different meanings. Since "cannon" sounds like "canon" but means something completely different, "cannon is to canon" is the best choice. "Ale" and "mail" rhyme, but they don't sound exactly the same when spoken.

A “police” “precinct” is where the police are located and where they deal with members of the public. Similarly in “banking” the place where a bank locally deals with customers is called a branch. Your local bank is your “branch.” There you will find the offices of the local bank manager. The banks “headquarters” are where all of the branches refer to and are at the centre of the branches.