Understanding Word Pair Relationships

The question asks us to identify the pair of words that has a different relationship compared to the other pairs. This type of question tests your ability to recognize patterns and relationships between words. We need to look at each pair and determine the connection between the two words.

Let's examine the relationship in each given pair to find the unlike pair.

Analyzing Each Pair of Words

We will break down each pair and describe the relationship between the two words:

• Pair 1: tomcat : queen cat
• A tomcat is a male cat. A queen cat is a female cat, typically one used for breeding purposes. The relationship here is based on gender or reproductive role (male to female breeding cat).
• Pair 2: chick : hen
• A chick is a young chicken. A hen is an adult female chicken. The relationship here is based on age or life stage (young one to adult).
• Pair 3: ant : queen ant
• An ant (in this context, likely a worker or male ant) is distinct from a queen ant. The queen ant is the fertile female responsible for reproduction in the colony. This relationship is based on status or reproductive role (non-reproductive ant vs. reproductive female ant). It can be seen as a type of male/worker vs. female leader/reproducer distinction.
• Pair 4: stag : doe
• A stag is a male deer. A doe is a female deer. The relationship here is based on gender (male to female).

Comparing the Relationships to Find the Unlike Pair

Let's compare the relationships we identified for each pair:

Three of the pairs (tomcat : queen cat, ant : queen ant, stag : doe) describe a relationship primarily based on gender or reproductive role within the species or group. The pair 'chick : hen', however, describes a relationship based on age or life stage: young (chick) versus adult (hen).

Conclusion: Identifying the Unlike Pair of Words

Because the relationship in the pair 'chick : hen' (young to adult) is different from the relationships in the other pairs (which relate to gender or reproductive role), 'chick : hen' is the unlike pair of words.

Revision Table: Analysing Word Pairs

Additional Information: Practicing Word Analogies

To improve your ability to solve "find the unlike pair" or other analogy questions, practice identifying various types of relationships between words. Some common types include:

• Synonym/Antonym
• Part/Whole
• Cause/Effect
• Worker/Tool
• Action/Object
• Category/Example
• Young/Adult
• Male/Female
• Location/Inhabitant

When analyzing a pair, try to state the relationship clearly in a short phrase. Then, check if the same phrase can describe the relationship in the other pairs or if one pair's relationship is fundamentally different.