What is Classification? “Classification” means ‘to assort the items of a given group on the basis of a certain common quality they possess and then spot the stranger or ‘odd one out’. These questions are based on words, letters and numerals. In these types of questions’ problems, you are given a group of certain items, out of which all except one are similar to one another in some manner. The candidate is required to choose this one item which does not fit into the given group. QUESTIONS ON CLASSIFICATION TYPES These are the types of questions which we shall consider in Classification: Type 1: Choosing the Odd Word In these types of problems, some words are given which belong to real world. They have some common features except the odd one. You are required to find the ‘odd man out’. Directions (EXAMPLES 1 to 11): In each of the following questions, four words have been given out of which four are alike in some manner while the fourth one is different. Choose the odd one. 1. (A) Pear (B) Apple (C) Guava (D) Orange ANSWER: (D) EXPLANATION: Out of given fruits orange is citrus fruit. So, it is different from others. 2. (A) Deck (B) Quay (C) Stern (D) Bow ANSWER: (B) EXPLANATION: All except quay are parts of a ship. 3. (A) Tomato (B) Brinjal (C) Cucumber (D) Potato ANSWER: (D) EXPLANATION: All the vegetables except potato grow above the ground level. 4. (A) Mustard (B) Onion (C) Olive (D) Sesame ANSWER: (B) EXPLANATION: All except onion are used for extracting oil. 5. (A) Curd (B) Butter (C) Oil (D) Cheese ANSWER: (C) EXPLANATION: Here, all except Oil are products obtained from milk. 6. (A) Rose (B) Lotus (C) Marigold (D) Lily ANSWER: (C) EXPLANATION: Here, all except Lotus are flowers, which grow on CLASSIFICATION [5] land while lotus is a water flower. 7. (A) Pistol (B) Sword (C) Gun (D) Rifle ANSWER: (B) EXPLANATION: Here, all except Sword are fire arms. 8. (A) Cathedral (B) Mosque (C) Church (D) Monastery ANSWER: (D) EXPLANATION: All except Monastery are places of worship, while monastery is a place where monks stay. 9. (A) Book (B) Paper (C) Pencil (D) Pen ANSWER: (A) EXPLANATION: Here, all except Book are stationery items. 10. (A) Geometry (B) Algebra (C) Trigonometry (D) Mathematics ANSWER: (D) EXPLANATION: Here, all except Mathematics are branches of Mathematics. 11. (A) Poland (B) Greece (C) Spain (D) Korea ANSWER: (D) EXPLANATION: Here, all except Korea are European countries, while Korea is an Asian country. Directions (EXAMPLES 12 to 14) In each of the following questions, five words have been given out of which four are alike in some manner, while the fourth one is different. Choose the word which is different from the rest. 12. (A) Potassium (B) Silicon (C) Zirconium (D) Germanium ANSWER: (A) EXPLANATION: All except Potassium are metals used in semiconductor devices. 13. (A) Producer (B) Director (C) Investor (D) Financier ANSWER: (B) EXPLANATION: All except Director spend money. 14. Choose the word which is different from the rest. (A) Colt (B) Lamb (C) Farrow (D) Bitch [6] ANSWER: (D) EXPLANATION: All except Bitch are young ones of animals, while bitch is a female dog. Type 2: Choosing the Odd Pair of Words In this type of classification, different pairs are classified on the basis of some common features/ properties like names, places, uses, situations, origin, etc. The candidate is required to decipher this relationship and choose the pair in which the words are differently related, as the answer. Directions (EXAMPLES 15 to 25) In each of the following questions, four pairs of words are given out of which words in three pairs bear a certain common relationship. Choose the pair in which the words are differently related. 15. (A) Gold: Ornaments (B) Cloth: Garments (C) Leather: Footwear (D) Earthen pots: Clay ANSWER: (D) EXPLANATION: Except pair (D), in all other pairs, the first is the raw material used to make the second. 16. (A) Broad: Wide (B) Light: Heavy (C) Tiny: Small (D) Big: Large ANSWER: (B) Light is antonym of heavy. But in other pairs words are synonyms. 17. (A) Petrol: Car (B) Ink: Pen (C) Garbage: Dustbin (D) Lead: Pencil ANSWER: (D) EXPLANATION: Except pair (D) in all other pairs first is required by the second for its functioning. 18. (A) Blacksmith : Anvil (B) Carpenter : Saw (C) Barber : Scissor (D) Goldsmith : Ornaments ANSWER: (D) EXPLANATION: Clearly, the answer is (D). In all other pairs, second is the tool used by the first. 19. (A) Painter : Gallery (B) Mason : Wall (C) Farmer : Field (D) Worker : Factory ANSWER: (B) EXPLANATION: Clearly, the answer is (B). In all other pairs, second is the place where the first works. 20. (A) Cow : Calf (B) Dog : Bitch [7] (C) Lion : Cub (D) Insect : Larva ANSWER: (B) EXPLANATION: Clearly, the answer is (B). In all other pairs, second is the young one of the first while in (B), second is the female of the first. 21. (A) Volume : Liter (B) Time : Seconds (C) Resistance : Ohm (D) Pressure : Barometer ANSWER: (D) EXPLANATION: Clearly, the answer is (D). In all other pairs, second is the unit to measure the first. On the other hand, barometer is an instrument. 22. (A) China : Beijing (B) Russia : Moscow (C) Japan : Singapore (D) Spain : Madrid ANSWER: (C) EXPLANATION: Clearly. The answer is (C). In all other pairs, second is the capital of first. 23. (A) Ornithology : Birds (B) Mycology : Fungi (C) Biology : Botany (D) Phycology : Algae ANSWER: (C) EXPLANATION: In all other pairs, first is the study of second. 24. (A) Principal : School (B) Artist : Troupe (C) Soldier : Barrack (D) Singer : Chorus ANSWER: (A) [8] EXPLANATION: In all other pairs, second is a collective group of the first 25. (A) Crime : Punishment (B) Enterprise : Success (C) Judgment : Advocacy (D) Exercise : Health ANSWER: (C) EXPLANATION: In all other pairs, second is the result of the first. Type 3: Choosing the Odd Letter Group In these types of problems, some groups of letters are given. One out of them is different and this is to be chosen by the candidate as the answer. Directions (EXAMPLES 26 to 28) Choose the group of letters which is different from others. 26. (A) H (B) Q (C) T (D) Z ANSWER: (B) EXPLANATION: All other letters except (B), occupy the even-numbered positions in the English alphabets. 27. (A) GE (B) MK (C) WU (D) QN ANSWER: (D) EXPLANATION: Here, (A) G’s place value = 7 E’s place value = 5 Difference = 2 (B) M’s place value = 13 K’s place value = 11 Difference = 2 (C) W’s place value = 23 U’s place value = 21 Difference = 2 (D) Q’s place value = 17 N’s place value = 14 Difference = 3 28. (A) DG2 (B) EK5 (C) JR6 (D) PY8 ANSWER: (C) EXPLANATION: Taking A=1, B = 2,………..Z = 26, Then, DG2 = G – (D + 2) = 7 – (4 + 2) = 1 EK5 = K – (E + 5) = 11 – (5 + 5) = 1 JR6 = R – (J + 6) = 18 – (10 + 6) = 2 PY8 = Y – (P + 8) = 25 – (16 + 8) = 1 RV3 = V – (R + 3) = 22 – (18 + 3) = 1 Type 4: Choosing the Odd Number / Pair of Numbers Odd Number In these types of questions, certain numbers are given, out of which except one, all have some common characteristics and hence are alike. The ‘different one’ is to be chosen as the answer. ODD NUMERAL PAIR/GROUP In this type of questions, certain pairs/groups of numbers are given out of which all except one are similar in some manner while one is different. The numbers in these similar pairs may have the same property or may be related to each other according to the same rule. The candidate is required to choose the odd pair/group.
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