The question asks us to find the word that best completes the given relationship: Bricklayer : Trowel :: Tailor : ? This type of problem is called a word analogy, where the relationship between the first pair of words must be the same as the relationship between the second pair of words.

Understanding the Analogy Relationship

Let's look at the first pair: Bricklayer : Trowel. A bricklayer is a person who builds walls using bricks. A trowel is a small, hand-held tool with a flat, pointed blade used by bricklayers to spread mortar.

So, the relationship between Bricklayer and Trowel is that the Bricklayer is a professional or worker, and the Trowel is a primary tool they use in their work. It's a User : Tool relationship.

Applying the Relationship to the Second Pair

Now, we need to apply the same User : Tool relationship to the second pair: Tailor : ? A tailor is a person who makes, repairs, or alters clothes. We need to identify the primary tool that a tailor uses in their work from the given options.

Analyzing the Options

Let's examine each option:

• Needle: A needle is a slender piece of metal with a point at one end and a hole (called an eye) at the other, used for sewing. Tailors use needles to sew fabric together to make clothes.
• Plough: A plough (or plow) is a large farming tool used to turn over the soil before planting. It is used by farmers, not tailors.
• Brush: A brush is a tool with bristles, used for cleaning, painting, or grooming. While a tailor might use a small brush to remove lint, it is not their primary tool for making clothes.
• Axe: An axe is a tool used for chopping wood. It is used by woodcutters or lumberjacks, not tailors.

Identifying the Correct Tool for a Tailor

Based on the analysis, the primary tool used by a tailor for their main work (sewing clothes) is a needle.

Therefore, the analogy Bricklayer : Trowel :: Tailor : Needle follows the consistent User : Tool relationship.

The complete analogy is: Bricklayer : Trowel :: Tailor : Needle.

Analogy Problem Solution Summary

The core of solving this analogy was to identify the specific relationship between the first pair of words (Bricklayer and Trowel) and then find the word from the options that has the same relationship with the first word of the second pair (Tailor). The relationship was found to be 'User and their primary Tool'. Among the options, 'Needle' is the primary tool used by a 'Tailor'.

Revision Table: Professionals and Tools

Additional Information on Word Analogies and Reasoning

Word analogies are a common type of question in reasoning tests. They help assess your ability to identify relationships between concepts and apply them to different pairs of words. Here are some common types of relationships found in word analogies:

• Synonym: Words with similar meanings (e.g., Happy : Joyful).
• Antonym: Words with opposite meanings (e.g., Hot : Cold).
• Part to Whole: One word is a part of the other (e.g., Finger : Hand).
• Cause and Effect: One word describes a cause and the other its effect (e.g., Rain : Flood).
• Worker and Tool: As seen in this problem (e.g., Carpenter : Hammer).
• Worker and Product: The worker creates the product (e.g., Baker : Bread).
• Action and Object: The action performed on the object (e.g., Cut : Fabric).
• Location: One is typically found in the other (e.g., Fish : River).

To solve analogies effectively, always try to state the relationship between the first pair of words clearly in a simple sentence before looking at the options for the second pair.