OLSAT key terms

A word that means the opposite of another word, such as hot and cold. Antonym questions ask you to pick the answer choice most nearly opposite in meaning to the given word.

A word that means nearly the same as another word, such as begin and start. Recognizing synonyms helps you eliminate wrong answer choices and confirm correct ones in verbal items.

The idea or concept a word expresses, including shades of intensity and tone. Many verbal items test whether you can choose the answer closest in meaning rather than merely related in topic.

Information in the surrounding sentence that hints at the meaning of an unfamiliar word. Use the rest of the sentence to infer the missing or tested word before looking at the answer choices.

A task in which one or more words are missing from a sentence and you choose the option that makes the sentence grammatically correct and logically sensible from beginning to end.

A task in which scrambled words or phrases must be reordered into a sentence that reads smoothly and makes sense, usually testing grammar, word order, and logical flow.

The order in which ideas naturally follow one another, such as cause before effect or subject before action. In arrangement items, choose the order that sounds natural to a fluent reader.

The position of a describing word or phrase relative to the word it describes. Misplaced modifiers create confusing or unintentionally funny sentences, so placement is often the deciding clue.

A comparison stating that two pairs of items share the same relationship, written as A is to B as C is to D. The task is to identify the relationship and apply it to a new pair.

A short sentence you write to name the relationship between the first pair, such as a puppy is a young dog. Applying the same sentence to the second pair reveals the missing term.

The category of link between paired items, such as part to whole, cause to effect, category to member, worker to tool, or degree of intensity. Naming the type narrows the answer choices quickly.

A task in which several items share a common feature and one item does not, or in which you choose the item belonging to the same group as the given examples.

The item in a set that fails to share the rule satisfied by all the others. Test each candidate rule against every item before deciding which one breaks the pattern.

A feature shared by every member of a group, such as all being tools, all having four legs, or all being vehicles. The attribute must fit all given members, not just most of them.

Items that give a set of ordered instructions, such as crossing out, circling, or numbering items, and ask what the result would be. Read every step in order and track changes carefully.

Working through multi-step instructions one action at a time, updating the state of the items after each step instead of trying to hold everything in memory at once.

A pictorial version of an analogy in which two pictures share a relationship and you choose the picture that completes a second pair in the same way, such as a whole matched to its part.

A pictorial task asking which picture belongs with a group or does not belong, based on visible features such as shape, function, category, or number of parts.

A row of pictures that changes according to a rule, and you choose the picture that comes next. Look for repeating cycles, growing or shrinking elements, rotation, or added details.

The consistent change linking consecutive items in a series, such as adding one element each time or alternating two colors. State the rule in words before choosing the next item.

An analogy using abstract shapes rather than objects, where the transformation between the first pair, such as rotation, shading, or size change, must be applied to the second pair.

A shape-based task asking which figure belongs with a group or is the odd one out, decided by features such as number of sides, symmetry, fill, or orientation.

A sequence of shapes that changes by a rule, and you select the next shape. Common rules include rotating a fixed amount, adding a side, or alternating two transformations.

A specific change applied to a figure, such as rotation, reflection, enlargement, shrinking, shading, or moving an internal element. Identify exactly one transformation per pair unless the items show more.

Turning a figure around a point by a set angle, such as a quarter turn clockwise. Track the direction and amount of turn across a series to predict the next orientation.

Flipping a figure across a line to produce a mirror image. A reflected figure is not the same as a rotated one, so check whether left and right have swapped.

The property of a figure that looks unchanged when folded along a line or turned partway around. Symmetry is a frequent basis for grouping and classifying shapes.

A numeric version of an analogy, such as 3 is to 9 as 5 is to what, where the same arithmetic operation links each pair. Find the operation on the complete pair, then apply it.

A sequence of numbers that changes by a consistent rule, and you supply the next number. Check differences, ratios, alternating rules, and squares or cubes before choosing.

A task asking which number does not belong with the others, or which number fits a stated property such as being even, prime, a multiple, or a perfect square.

Reasoning to a conclusion from given number facts, such as working out a total, a remaining amount, or a value implied by a stated relationship, without being told the answer directly.

A fixed amount added or subtracted from one term to the next, producing an arithmetic sequence such as 4, 7, 10, 13. Subtract neighbors to test for it.

A fixed multiplier linking consecutive terms, producing a geometric sequence such as 2, 6, 18, 54. Divide neighbors to test for it when differences are not constant.

The arithmetic action or combination of actions relating numbers in a pair or series, such as multiply by two then add one. State it precisely, then verify it on a second pair.

An ordered list of items following a rule, whether words, pictures, shapes, or numbers. Order matters, so check the rule between each neighboring pair, not just the first and last.

An answer choice designed to look appealing but wrong, often correct for a different rule or only partly matching. Eliminating distractors is often faster than proving one answer right.

The strategy of crossing out answer choices that clearly violate the rule, narrowing the field until one option remains. It is especially useful when the full rule is hard to state.