CogAT Form 7 key terms

A comparison stating that two pairs of items relate in the same way, as in 'hand is to glove as foot is to shoe.' The task is to identify the relationship in the first pair and apply it to complete the second.

A test item in the verbal battery presented as 'A is to B as C is to ___', answered by choosing the word that makes the second pair match the first pair's relationship.

A short sentence a solver writes linking two words to name their relationship, such as 'A glove is worn on a hand.' It turns a vague hunch into a testable rule for choosing the answer.

The specific connection between two words or pictures, such as part-to-whole, cause and effect, category and member, or function. Naming the relationship precisely is what makes an analogy answer checkable.

A verbal item type in which three words share a category or property and the fourth does not; the solver selects the word that does not belong with the others.

The answer in a classification item: the word or picture that lacks the shared feature the other three have. Solvers must state the common rule before eliminating it.

A group whose members share defining features, such as tools, mammals, or vehicles. Classification and analogy items often depend on recognizing which category a word belongs to.

A broader term that contains a narrower one, such as 'fruit' for 'apple' or 'furniture' for 'chair.' Recognizing these levels helps solve category and part-to-whole items.

A narrower term that falls under a broader one, such as 'apple' under 'fruit.' Analogy pairs often move between these levels, and the direction of the move must stay consistent.

A relationship in which one item is a component of the other, as a wheel is part of a car. The reverse, whole-to-part, appears too, and mixing the two directions is a common error.

A relationship moving from a complete object to one of its components, as a car to its wheel. It is the mirror of part-to-whole and must not be confused with it when choosing an answer.

A relationship of intensity or size between related words, such as warm to hot or drizzle to downpour. The answer must match both the direction and the approximate size of the jump.

A word with an opposite meaning, such as 'tall' and 'short.' Antonym pairs are a common analogy relationship and a frequent trap when a synonym is the correct answer.

A word with nearly the same meaning as another, such as 'begin' and 'start.' Recognizing synonyms helps in both classification items and analogy pairs built on sameness.

A verbal item type in which one or two words are missing from a sentence and the solver picks the option that makes the sentence meaningful and grammatically correct.

Wording elsewhere in a sentence that hints at a missing word's meaning, such as a contrast word like 'but' or an example. Using these clues narrows the options before guessing.

An answer choice designed to look appealing but fail a rule, such as a near-synonym that reverses the analogy's direction. Good solvers eliminate distractors by checking each rule.

A quantitative item showing a sequence of numbers with a hidden rule, where the solver supplies the next or missing term. Rules may involve adding, multiplying, alternating, or combining two patterns.

A series in which each term changes by a fixed amount, such as adding 3 each time. Finding that constant difference is often the first step in solving a number series.

The constant amount added or subtracted between consecutive terms of an arithmetic sequence. Confirming it holds for every pair guards against assuming a rule from only two terms.

A number pattern that switches between two rules or directions, such as adding then subtracting, or two interleaved sequences. Solvers often separate odd and even positions to see each rule.

A repeatable rule governing how items change from one position to the next. In quantitative and nonverbal items, the solver states the rule and checks it against every given step.

A quantitative item in the form 'a is to b as c is to ___' using numbers, where the operation linking the first pair must be applied to the second. Operations include adding, doubling, or squaring.

A quantitative item presenting numbers arranged in a grid or figure with one missing, where rows, columns, or surrounding numbers combine by a fixed rule to produce a target value.

A mathematical action such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division. In number analogies the same operation, or a consistent pair of operations, must connect both pairs.

An operation that undoes another, such as subtraction undoing addition or division undoing multiplication. Recognizing inverses helps when a series or analogy runs in the reverse direction.

Approximating a value to judge quickly whether an answer is plausible. In timed quantitative sections, estimating can rule out options without exact computation.

A nonverbal item showing two related figures and a third, where the solver picks a fourth figure related to the third in the same way. Changes may involve size, shading, rotation, or added parts.

A nonverbal item in which several figures share a feature and one does not; the solver identifies the figure that fails the shared rule. The rule may concern shape, count, shading, or symmetry.

A nonverbal item showing a sheet folded, sometimes punched, then unfolded; the solver chooses the pattern of holes that would result. Tracking layers and mirror positions is the core skill.

A change applied to a figure, such as rotation, reflection, resizing, or moving a part. Naming the exact transformation keeps analogy and series answers checkable.

Turning a figure around a point by a certain angle, without flipping it. Direction and amount of turn matter, and a rotated figure is not the same as its mirror image.

Flipping a figure across a line so it becomes a mirror image. Reflections reverse orientation, which distinguishes them from rotations that preserve it.

Sliding a figure to a new position without turning or flipping it. Recognizing pure translation helps separate it from rotation and reflection in figure series.

A property in which a figure looks unchanged when folded along a line or turned partway around. Symmetry is a frequent shared rule in classification and paper-folding items.

A nonverbal item showing figures that change step by step, where the solver picks the figure that continues the sequence. Changes may add, remove, rotate, or shade elements in a repeating order.

A stated condition that every given item satisfies and that the correct answer must also satisfy. Testing a rule against all examples, not just one, prevents premature conclusions.

The ability to mentally picture shapes, positions, and movements, such as imagining a folded sheet reopened. It underlies paper folding, figure rotation, and many nonverbal item types.