Verbal classification test which is popularly known as “odd man out” test requires assorting of the items of a given group on the basis of a certain common quality they possess and then spotting the odd one in the group—the stranger out. These questions test the abilities of the candidates to observe the differences and similarities among objects or things. In this type of questions out of 5-6 objects (may be letters, words, numbers or figures) all but one are similar in some respect.
A. ALPHABET/LETTER CLASSIFICATION
I. Relationship based on position of letters/alphabets
1. (A) KL (B) OP (C) AC (D) NO (E) WX
2. (A) EV (B) ZA (C) CX (D) DU (E) YB
3. (A) KMN (B) BCD (C) WXY (D) PQR (E) FGH
4. (A) PU (B) AO (C) IZ (D) KI (E) LE
Answers and Explanations:
1. (C) Consecutive letters are there in all the other groups except ‘C’ where one letter has been skipped A(B)C.
2. (D) Here except ‘D’ all the other pairs consist of one letter from the beginning and one
letter from the end of the alphabet series.
3. (A) Here except ‘A’ all the other groups consist of three consecutive letters. In ‘A’ one letter has been skipped K(L)MN.
4. (B) Here each pair consists of one consonant and one vowel, except in ‘B’ where both the letters are vowels.
II. Relationship based on small and capital letters
5. (A) Bde (B) Klm (C) nOP (D) Rst (E) Cbk
6. (A) AbC (B) dEF (C) GhI (D) KlM (E) PqR
7. (A) ABcd (B) EFgh (C) ijKL (D) MNop (E) QRst
8. (A) pQrS (B) dEfG (C) bCdE (D) kLmN (E) uvWX
Answers and Explanations:
5. (C) In each pair except ‘C’ consists of a capital letter in the beginning followed by two
small letters; but in ‘C’ one small letter in the beginning followed by two capital letters.
6. (B) Here except ‘B’ all the other groups consist of a small letter in between two capital
letters. In ‘B’ the small letter is in the beginning.
7. (C) All the other groups consist of two capital letters in the beginning followed by two
small letters.
8. (E) In all the other groups every alternate letter is either small or capital. But in ‘E’ two
consecutive letters in the beginning are small.
III. Relationship based on vowel and consonant
9. (A) KLMN (B) ABCD (C) EFGH (D) IJKL (E) UVWX
10. (A) PiQR (B) DoCK (C) AtCD (D) BuLK (E) CePT
11. (A) Bond (B) Ball (C) Pick (D) Talk (E) Boil
12. (A) TPDC (B) ONGC (C) KBFM (D) SMPK (E) TDMB
Answers and Explanations:
9. (A) In all the other groups there are vowels in the beginning. But in ‘A’ there is no vowel.
10. (C) In each group except ‘C’ every second letter is a vowel, but in ‘C’ the letters begin with a vowel.
11. (E) In each group except ‘E’ there is only one vowel but in ‘E’ there are two vowels, ‘o’ and ‘i’.
12. (B) In each group except ‘B’ all the letters are consonant, but in ‘B’ there is one vowel (o).
IV. Relationship based on repetition and skipping pattern
13. (A) DDEEFF (B) KKLLMM (C) AABCDD (D) PPQQRR (E) MMNNOO
14. (A) BdFh (B) CeGi (C) NpRt (D) LnPr (E) IkLn
15. (A) RsuR (B) MnpR (C) BceG (D) KlnP (E) PqsU
16. (A) PaaD (B) TbbE (C) KmmP (D) LttE (E) BkkN
Answers and Explanations:
13. (C) In all the other groups letters are repeated except in (C), where the letter ‘B’ is not
repeated.
14. (E) In each group except ‘E’, one letter has been skipped between each letter, e.g.
B(c)d(e)F(g)h., C(d)e(f)G(h)i, etc. But in ‘E’ it is not so—I(j)KL(m)n, i.e., no skipping
between K and L
15. (A) In all the other groups no letter has been repeated but in (A), the letter ‘R’ has been repeated.
16. (D) In all the other groups except (D), only two letters have been skipped between the 3rd and 4th letters, e.g., Paa(bc)D, Tbb(cd)E, etc., but in (D) ten letters have been skipped,— Ltt(uvwxyzabcd)E.
V. Miscellaneous relationship
17. (A) A (B) F (C) H (D) M (E) K
18. (A) P12Q (B) C35D (C) K23L (D) M45N (E) H78I
19. (A) O (B) S (C) G (D) C (E) T
20. (A) 4A6C (B) 2D4F (C) 5K6M (D) 7P9R (E) 1B3D
Answers and Explanations:
17. (D) Here the factor is the form of the letter. Except M all the letters are formed by 3 straight lines. Whereas ‘M’ is formed by 4 lines.
18. (B) Here letter-number combinations are given, where all the four groups except (B) consist of two consecutive letters and numbers, but in ‘B’ letters are consecutive but the
numbers are not.
19. (E) Here also the form of the letters are concerned. Except ‘T’ all are curved letters.
20. (C) All the other groups, except ‘C’ consist of letters and numbers and both are skipped,
e.g. 4A(5)6(B)C, 2(3)D4(E)F, etc. But in (C) letters are skipped while numbers are not.
B. WORD CLASSIFICATION
I. Relationship based on meaning
21. (A) Abase (B) Lower (C) Humiliate (D) Degrade (E) Elope
22. (A) Weaken (B) Curtail (C) Separate (D) Mitigate (E) Subside
23. (A) Hiss (B) Extol (C) Praise (D) Cheer (E) Applaud
24. (A) Discover (B) Determine (C) Learn (D) Ignorant (E) Ascertain.
Answers and Explanations:
21. (E) All the other words are synonyms or similar in meaning.
22. (C) All the other words are synonyms.
23. (A) All the other words are similar in meaning.
24. (D) All the other words are similar in meaning.
II. Relationship based on consistency of words
25. (A) Course (B) Bless (C) Murder (D) Answer (E) Letter
26. (A) Best (B) Better (C) Good (D) Bigger (E) Volley
27. (A) Dear (B) Tear (C) Fear (D) Care (E) Sear
28. (A) Eye (B) Atom (C) Blast (D) Occur (E) Ugly
Answers and Explanations:
25. (B) Except ‘B’ all the other words have 6 letters.
26. (A) Except ‘A’ all the other words have double letters.
27. (D) All the other words have—‘ear ’ in common.
28. (C) Except ‘C’ all the other words begin with a vowel.
III. Interrelationship of words
29. (A) Tiger (B) Leopard (C) Cat (D) Fox (E) Cougar
30. (A) Venus (B) Mercury (C) Earth (D) Mars (E) Moon
31. (A) Gold (B) Iron (C) Diamond (D) Copper (E) Silver
32. (A) Cow (B) Fish (C) Goat (D) Cat (E) Tiger
Answers and Explanations:
29. (B) Except ‘B’ all the others are of the cat family.
30. (E) Moon is a satellite, others are planets.
31. Here (C) is the answer, as all the other four i.e., Gold, Iron, Copper and Silver are all metals and only diamond is a gem and not metal.
32. Here though all the five are animals, but only four of them i.e. Cow, Goat, Cat and Tiger belong to the mammals group. Hence the correct answer is (B) i.e. Fish is not mammal.
