How to solve classification questions in verbal reasoning?

Analogy and Classification Questions for SSB

Classification means to assort the items of a given group on the basis of certain common quality they possess and then spot the stranger or the odd one out. The question will consist of four or five terms, out of which one will be different from the rest. You are expected to find the common characteristics of the 4 terms and find the one which does not have this characteristics or not belong to them.

Classification Questions Can be following types:

                                                                                                               i.      Letter Classification

                                                                                                             ii.      Number Classification

                                                                                                            iii.      Word/Item Classification

i.              Letter Classification        

                Letter Classification can be based on any of the following

·         Vowel and Consonant Relationship

Example:     1. a) A            b) Q       c) U        d) E

                Ans: b) Q

                Here A, U, E are Vowels and Q is a Consonant.

                       2. a) I              b) R        c) Z         d) B

                Ans: a) I

                Here R, Z, B are consonants and I is a Vowel.

·         Repetition and Skipping pattern Relationship

Example:     1.  a) EFG      b) IKL     c) QRS   d) MNO

                Ans: b) IKL

                Here All the groups a), c), and d) consist three consecutive letters while b) does not have this characteristics.

                       2.   a) RTV     b) MOQ                       c) UWY     d) LNO

                Ans: d) LNO

·         Relationship based on Position of Letters

Example:  a) Z    b) T        c) H        d) Q

                Ans: d) Q

                Here all other letters occupy even numbered positions in the English Alphabet.

  

PRACTISE EXAMPLES

1. (a) IQ                (b) AE       (c) EI           (d) AI

2. (a) BCD            (b) NPR     (c) KLM     (d) RQP

3. (a) BDI              (b) HKA    (c) PQS      (d) XYU

4. (a) DJFB           (b) IOKG   (c) OUQM  (d) RXTO     

5. (a) SUWY         (b) MOQS (c) CEGI     (d) HJMO

6. (a) PIGS            (b) OUST   (c) XLPA    (d) TEPJ

7. (a) NPM            (b) IJL        (c) QSZ       (d) BHK

8. (a) JMPS            (b) PRTU  (c) BFJM     (d) DEFG

9. (a) VRT             (b) RMP     (c) YUW     (d) FBD              

10. (a) PUT           (b) END      (c) OWL     (d) ARM

ANSWERS

1. a         2. b         3. c         4. d         5. b         6. b         7. b         8. c         9. b         10. a      

ii.             Number Classification

In this type, a group of numbers will be given. In this group all the numbers except one share a common characteristics.

Example:             (a) 5       (b) 17    (c) 21     (d) 19

                                Ans: (c)

                                Here 5, 17, 19 are Prime numbers while 21 is not a prime.

PRACTICE QUESTIONS

1. (a) 21                (b) 49    (c) 56     (d) 36

2. (a) 24                (b) 81    (c) 27     (d) 99

3. (a) 246              (b) 356  (c) 527   (d) 639

4. (a) 25                (b) 441(c) 121  (d) 368    

5. (a) 4836           (b) 6927 (c) 2936   (d) 5814

6. (a) 7                  (b) 9       (c) 18     (d) 6

7. (a) 49                (b) 37    (c) 45     (d) 65

8. (a) 161              (b) 171  (c) 191   (d) 151

9. (a) 82                (b) 84    (c) 98     (d) 101

10. (a) 15              (b) 2520 (c) 368   (d) 440

ANSWERS

1. d         2. b         3. b         4. d         5. c         6.a          7.a          8.a          9.d          10.c

III.           Word Classification

                Here a group of words will be given ( Objects, Names etc.) in which all except one will have some common characteristics. The one which does not have the common characteristics is the odd one.

                Example:             (a) Swallow         (b) Taste              (c) Lick  (d) Chew

                                Ans: (b) Taste . All except Taste are way of eating.

PRACTICE QUESTIONS

1. (a) White        (b) Violet                  (c) Red                  (d) Blue

2. (a) Asia            (b) North America   (c) Europe             (d) South Africa

3. (a) SBI              (b) IDBI                 (c) HSBC              (d) ISRO

4. (a) M.K.Gandhi (b) Bagath Singh     (c) Subash C Bose (d) V.V.Giri

5. (a) Cricket       (b) Caroms               (c) Golf                  (d) Polo

6. (a) Ear              (b) Nose                  (c) Toe                  (d) Eye

7. (a) India           (b) USA                   (c) Canada             (d) Kuwait

8. (a) Yard            (b) Furlong              (c) Acre                 (d) Mile

9. (a) Homicide  (b) Suicide                  (c) Abduction         (d) Infanticide 

10. (a) Chennai  (b) Dispur                   (c) Gangtok            (d) Kohima

ANSWERS

1. a         2. d         3. d         4. d         5. b         6. c         7. d         8. c         9. c         10. a