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Object and Material Analogy

Introduction

Object-and-material analogies test your ability to recognise the relationship between a finished product and the material from which it is made. This pattern is important because many aptitude items check whether you can map objects to their constituent materials quickly and accurately.

Pattern: Object and Material Analogy

Pattern

The key concept is: identify the material or substance used to make the object in the first pair, then apply the same material→product mapping to the second pair.

Step-by-Step Example

Question

Ring : Gold :: Shirt : ______
(A) Cotton (B) Silk (C) Fabric (D) Cloth

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify the relationship in the first pair.

    A Ring is commonly made of Gold - object → material.

  2. Step 2: Apply the same mapping to the second pair.

    A Shirt is commonly made of Cotton - object → material.

  3. Final Answer:

    Cotton → Option A

  4. Quick Check:

    Ring : Gold (product → material) and Shirt : Cotton (product → material) - relationship matches ✅

Quick Variations

1. Product → Primary material (e.g., Table : Wood).

2. Material → Typical product (e.g., Leather : Shoe).

3. Composite materials: Glass : Bottle :: Plastic : ______ (Container).

4. Manufactured vs natural: Wool : Sweater :: Steel : ______ (Bridge/Tool).

Trick to Always Use

  • Step 1 → Say the relation aloud: "X is made from Y" (product → material).
  • Step 2 → Replace the second product with each option and choose the material that completes "X is made from Y" accurately.

Summary

Summary

  • Translate the first pair into "Product is made from Material" to lock the relation.
  • Apply the same phrase to the second pair and test each option in that sentence.
  • Prefer the most common/traditional material (e.g., cotton for shirts, gold for rings) unless context suggests otherwise.
  • Eliminate options that are products, synonyms of material, or too general (e.g., 'fabric' vs specific 'cotton').

Example to remember:
Ring : Gold :: Shirt : Cotton

Practice

(1/5)
1. Table : Wood :: Bottle : ______
easy
A. Glass
B. Metal
C. Clay
D. Paper

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify the first relationship.

    A Table is made of Wood - product → material.

  2. Step 2: Apply the same logic.

    A Bottle is commonly made of Glass - product → material.

  3. Final Answer:

    Glass → Option A

  4. Quick Check:

    Table : Wood :: Bottle : Glass ✅
Hint: Express each as 'X is made of Y' to test which material fits.
Common Mistakes: Selecting 'Metal' - some bottles are metal, but 'Glass' is the standard material.
2. Shoe : Leather :: Blanket : ______
easy
A. Wool
B. Cotton
C. Silk
D. Polyester

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify the relationship in the first pair.

    A Shoe is made of Leather - object → material.

  2. Step 2: Apply the same logic.

    A Blanket is commonly made of Wool - object → material (Wool is a traditional and widely-recognised blanket material, avoiding ambiguity between multiple modern synthetics).

  3. Final Answer:

    Wool → Option A

  4. Quick Check:

    Shoe : Leather :: Blanket : Wool - product → material relation preserved ✅
Hint: Pick the most widely recognised traditional material for the object when modern choices are multiple.
Common Mistakes: Choosing a modern synthetic (e.g., 'Polyester') without considering traditional, unambiguous materials like 'Wool' for blankets.
3. Pen : Plastic :: Window : ______
easy
A. Glass
B. Wood
C. Steel
D. Iron

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify the first relationship.

    A Pen is made of Plastic - object → material.

  2. Step 2: Apply the same mapping.

    A Window is generally made of Glass - object → material.

  3. Final Answer:

    Glass → Option A

  4. Quick Check:

    Pen : Plastic :: Window : Glass ✅
Hint: Link the most common or typical construction material for the item.
Common Mistakes: Choosing 'Wood' - it’s for window frames, not the window itself.
4. Bridge : Steel :: Road : ______
medium
A. Brick
B. Cement
C. Concrete
D. Tar

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify the relationship.

    A Bridge is mainly built using Steel - object → material.

  2. Step 2: Apply the same logic.

    A Road is commonly constructed using Concrete as a primary material - object → material.

  3. Final Answer:

    Concrete → Option C

  4. Quick Check:

    Bridge : Steel :: Road : Concrete ✅
Hint: Pick the material that forms the structure’s main body.
Common Mistakes: Choosing 'Tar' - tar/asphalt is a surfacing material, while concrete is a primary construction material for many roads.
5. Paper : Wood :: Cloth : ______
medium
A. Silk
B. Cotton
C. Wool
D. Fabric

Solution

  1. Step 1: Identify the first relationship.

    Paper is made from Wood - product → raw material.

  2. Step 2: Apply the same rule.

    Cloth is commonly made from Cotton - product → raw material.

  3. Final Answer:

    Cotton → Option B

  4. Quick Check:

    Paper : Wood :: Cloth : Cotton ✅
Hint: Relate the base raw material with the manufactured product.
Common Mistakes: Choosing 'Fabric' - that’s a product category, not the raw material.

Mock Test

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