All SSAT Elementary Level Verbal Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #13 : Determining Meaning From Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots
Complete this analogy.
Herbologist is to plants as __________.
zoologist is to animals
teacher is to pupil
vigorous is to fast
happy is to well
science is to biology
zoologist is to animals
A “herbologist” is a person who studies plants. The suffix "-ology" means the study of something and "-ologist" means a person who studies something. Similarly, a "zoologist" is a person who studies animals. To further help you, "biology” is a branch of science that studies life; “vigorous” and “fast” are synonyms; “happy” and “well" are also synonyms.
Example Question #14 : Determining Meaning From Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots
Complete this analogy.
Manage is to manageable as defend is to __________.
defensible
defender
attack
protect
defensive
defensible
The suffixes "-able" and "-ible" generally mean able to be or able to do, as in the the word “manageable,” which means able to be managed. To solve this analogy, you need to determine which of these answer choices means able to be defended. The correct answer is “defensible."
Example Question #15 : Determining Meaning From Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots
Complete this analogy.
Lengthen is to longer as moisten is to __________.
hotter
milder
wetter
colder
drier
wetter
The suffix "-ten" means to make, so “lengthen” means to make longer and “moisten” means to make wetter.
Example Question #16 : Determining Meaning From Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots
Complete this analogy.
Magic is to magician as history is to __________.
warlock
historian
historiography
humanities
scientist
historian
A “magician” is someone who practices magic, so to solve this analogy, you have to find the word that means someone who studies history, or “historian.” “Magician” and “historian” both have the suffix "-ian," which means type of person. To provide further help, “historiography” is the study of historical practice; a “scientist” is someone who studies science; “humanities” is a broad subject group including history, art, and literature; a “warlock” is a male witch, a wizard.
Example Question #17 : Determining Meaning From Prefixes, Suffixes, And Roots
Complete this analogy.
Forward is to backward as up is to __________.
movement
behind
straight
down
direction
down
The suffix "-ward" means having to do with the direction of [adjective or preposition]. Moving "forward" is the opposite of moving "backward," so you need to pick out an answer choice which represents the opposite of "up." "Down" is the opposite of "up," so "down" is the correct answer.
Example Question #1 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Prefixes
Analogies: Complete this analogy.
Separate is to pull apart as combine is to __________.
clean up
put together
break away
agree with
set free
put together
"Separate" means to divide things or set things or people apart. So, "separate" and "pull apart" are synonyms because they mean the same thing. That means that to solve the analogy, you need to pick out an answer choice that means the same thing as "combine." To "combine" means to put different things together into a single thing. (The prefix "com-" means together.) So, "put together" is the correct answer.
Example Question #1 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Prefixes
Complete this analogy.
Sense is to nonsense as friendly is to __________.
nonfriendly
amiable
awesome
unfriendly
sociable
unfriendly
The prefix non- negates the meaning of the word that comes after it, so “nonsense” is opposite in meaning to “sense.” Likewise the prefix un- serves a similar purpose, so someone who is “friendly” is opposite to someone who is “unfriendly.” The key to answering this question is to know which prefix is appropriate to use in this individual case. To provide further help, amiable means friendly and sociable.
Example Question #1 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Prefixes
Complete this analogy.
Submarine is to water as subway is to __________.
train
carriage
metro
ground
sky
ground
The prefix sub- means going under, beneath so a “submarine” is something that travels under water and a “subway” is something that travels underground. The suffix -marine often suggests at a relationship with water.
Example Question #2 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Prefixes
Complete this analogy.
Nonagon is to nine as hexagon is to __________.
six
sides
seven
shapes
angles
six
The prefix non- means related to the number nine. A “nonagon” is a nine-sided shape. To solve this analogy you have to determine which number is related to the prefix hex-, the correct answer is “six.” A “hexagon” has six sides.
Example Question #3 : Analogies: Determining Meaning From Prefixes
Complete this analogy.
Three is to triplets as five is to __________.
quadruplets
quintuplets
twins
children
fifth
quintuplets
“Triplets” are three children born at the same time, of the same mother. The prefix tri- means related to the number three. To solve this analogy, you have to determine what word is used to describe five children born at the same time, of the same mother. The prefix -quin means related to the number five, as does the prefix pent-; in this instance, the correct answer is “quintuplets.”