Original K-2 visual learning guide
Picture Analogies help young students explain how two pictures are related and apply the same relationship to a new picture. Use this printable guide to learn the format, then try the interactive practice questions.
Editorial review: July 22, 2026
What are CogAT Picture Analogies?
A Picture Analogy presents a relationship between two pictures and asks the student to apply that relationship to another picture. At the primary levels, the task is commonly shown with a two-by-two arrangement: the first pair demonstrates the rule, one picture begins the second pair, and the student selects the picture that completes the same relationship.
Picture Analogies are part of the Verbal Battery for Levels 5/6, 7, and 8, which generally correspond to Kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 2. Although the items are pictorial, students still reason about meaning, categories, uses, and relationships.
A four-step Picture Analogies strategy
- Look at the first pair. Name both pictures and notice what connects them.
- Say the relationship. Use a short sentence such as “a bird lives in a nest.”
- Apply it to the next picture. Keep the relationship the same even though the objects change.
- Check the whole rule. Make sure the answer fits the direction and meaning of the first pair.
Three original K-2 Picture Analogies examples
Animal and home
Bird is to nest as bee is to hive
The relationship is where an animal lives. A bird lives in a nest, so a bee goes with a hive.
Tool and use
Toothbrush is to teeth as key is to lock
The first object is a tool used with the second. A toothbrush is used with teeth, so a key goes with a lock.
Young and adult
Puppy is to dog as kitten is to cat
The first picture shows a young animal and the second shows its adult form. A kitten grows into a cat.
Common relationships children may encounter
- Animal and home: bird and nest, bee and hive.
- Tool and use: toothbrush and teeth, key and lock.
- Part and whole: wheel and car, leaf and tree.
- Young and adult: puppy and dog, kitten and cat.
- Object and purpose: umbrella and rain, cup and drinking.
- Cause and result: watering and plant growth, cold and ice.
How parents and educators can help
Ask, “How do these pictures go together?” before discussing answer choices. Encourage the child to say the relationship in a complete but simple sentence. Short explanations reveal more than guessing, and short, calm sessions are more appropriate for young students than speed drills.
Accept a reasonable wording when it expresses the correct relationship. If a child misses an item, compare the direction of the pairs: a bird lives in a nest is not the same as a nest contains a bird when the pictures are reversed.
Frequently asked questions
Which grades use CogAT Picture Analogies?
Picture Analogies are used at CogAT Levels 5/6 through 8, generally corresponding to Kindergarten through Grade 2. A school’s testing plan determines the level actually administered.
Are Picture Analogies verbal or nonverbal?
They are placed in the Verbal Battery because they involve reasoning about meaningful relationships, even though the primary-level items use pictures rather than written analogies.
Does a child need to read to solve Picture Analogies?
The primary-level task is pictorial, so the student reasons from pictures rather than reading written answer choices. Directions may be presented by the school’s approved administration method.
Are these official CogAT questions?
No. The examples on this page were independently created by CogAT.org to teach general analogy reasoning. Secure or publisher-owned questions are not reproduced.
Can these examples predict a CogAT score or gifted placement?
No. Performance on a few practice-style examples cannot predict an official score, percentile, Ability Profile, eligibility decision, or placement outcome.