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CogAT (Grades K-2) • Verbal Battery

Identify the relationship shown by a pair of pictures

Learn how two pictures can go together and find the same connection in new pictures.

Explore the lesson 9 min read
Inside this lesson 10 sections 5 questions 4 figures

SECTION 1

Why Do We Look at How Pictures Go Together?

People have always loved finding how things go together. Think about when you sort your toys. You might put all the animals in one box and all the cars in another box. You are finding connections! For a very long time, teachers have used pictures to help kids think about how things are connected.

Long Ago • People Sort Things

Early people sorted plants, animals, and tools into groups. They noticed that some things go together!

In School • Teachers Use Pictures

Teachers started showing kids pairs of pictures to help them think about how things connect.

Today • CogAT Tests This Skill

The CogAT test asks you to look at picture pairs and find the same kind of connection in new pictures.

So here is the big question: When you see two pictures together, how do you figure out why they go together? That is exactly what we will learn today!

SECTION 2

What Is a Picture Relationship?

A picture relationship is the reason two pictures go together. It is like a secret rule that connects them. When you find that rule, you can use it to pick the right answer!

1

Part & Whole

One picture is a piece of something, and the other is the whole thing. Like a wheel and a bike!
2

Use Together

The two things are used together. Like a hammer and a nail!
3

Same Group

Both things belong to the same group or category. Like a cat and a dog are both pets!
4

Opposites

The two pictures show things that are opposite. Like hot and cold, or big and small!
5

Action Connection

One thing does something to the other. Like a person and the food they eat!
✦

KEY TAKEAWAY

Think of picture pairs like puzzle pieces. Each pair has a secret rule that makes them fit together. Your job is to be a detective and find that rule! It is just like figuring out why your favorite shoes go with your favorite socks.

SECTION 3

See the Connection!

Let us look at a picture to see how this works. In the diagram below, you will see pairs of pictures with arrows showing how they connect. Look at each pair and think about why they go together.

Types of Picture RelationshipsPart & Whole🛞→🚲wheel is part of bikeUse Together🔨→🪵hammer hits nailSame Group🐱→🐶both are petsOpposites☀️→🌙day is opposite of nightAction🐝→🌸bee visits flowerAsk Yourself: WHY do these two pictures go together?Find the secret rule. Then use it to pick the right answer!
This diagram shows five types of picture relationships: Part & Whole, Use Together, Same Group, Opposites, and Action. Each pair has a secret rule!

Look at the diagram above. The wheel and the bike go together because a wheel is a part of a bike. The cat and dog go together because they are both pets. Each pair has its own special rule!

SECTION 4

How to Find the Connection

Finding the connection between two pictures is like being a detective. You need to follow some steps. Let us learn the three magic steps that will help you every time!

1

Step 1: Name It

Look at each picture and say what it is. Name both pictures in your head.
2

Step 2: Link It

Ask yourself: How do these two things go together? Say a sentence that uses both names.
3

Step 3: Match It

Look at the answer choices. Find the pair that goes together in the SAME way.
💡

Try This Trick!

Make a short sentence about the first pair. For example: "A wheel is part of a bike." Then check if the same kind of sentence works for each answer choice. The one that fits is your answer!

Let us try it! You see a picture of a bird and a picture of a nest. Step 1: Name them. Bird and nest. Step 2: Link them. A bird lives in a nest. Step 3: Match it! Look for another pair where one thing lives in the other, like a dog and a doghouse.

SECTION 5

Different Kinds of Connections

There are many ways that pictures can go together. Let us look at all the types you might see on a test. Knowing these types will make you a super detective!

How to Think About Picture Pairs🏠 Where It LivesBird → Nest | Fish → Water🧩 Part of SomethingPetal → Flower | Finger → Hand👫 Same Group / CategoryApple → Banana | Car → Truck↔️ OppositesHot → Cold | Big → Small🔧 Tool and What It DoesScissors → Paper | Broom → Floor🍎 Thing and What It MakesCow → Milk | Chicken → Egg📏 Big and Small VersionTree → Leaf | Mountain → Rock👤 Who Uses ItDoctor → Stethoscope | Chef → Spoon🔍 Always ask: What is the SECRET RULE?
This chart shows eight different kinds of connections you might see on the test. Study each one so you can spot them quickly!

You do not need to memorize all these names. Just remember to always ask yourself: What is the secret rule that makes these two pictures go together? Once you find it, use that same rule to pick your answer.

SECTION 6

Let's Solve One Together!

Now let us walk through a problem step by step. Imagine you see a test question like this:

ℹ

The Question

The first pair shows a picture of a foot and a picture of a shoe. The second pair shows a picture of a hand and then a question mark. The answer choices are: (A) a hat, (B) a glove, (C) a ring.

Solving Step by Step

  1. 1

    Step 1 — Name the First Pair

    Look at the first pair. What are they? A foot and a shoe. Good!
    First pair: foot → shoe
  2. 2

    Step 2 — Find the Connection

    How do a foot and a shoe go together? Think about it. A shoe is something you wear on your foot. The shoe covers and protects the foot!
    Rule: Something you wear on that body part
  3. 3

    Step 3 — Look at the Second Pair

    The second pair starts with a hand. We need to find what you wear on a hand, the same way you wear a shoe on a foot.
    We need: something you wear on a hand
  4. 4

    Step 4 — Check Each Answer

    (A) A hat? No, you wear a hat on your head, not your hand. (B) A glove? Yes! You wear a glove on your hand, just like you wear a shoe on your foot! (C) A ring? A ring goes on a finger, but it does not cover the whole hand the way a shoe covers a foot.
    The answer is (B) a glove!

SECTION 7

Helpful Tips and Tricky Traps

Some picture pairs can be tricky! Let us look at what helps and what can trip you up.

Helpful Tips ✅Tricky Traps ⚠️
Always say a sentence about the first pair before looking at the answers.Do not just pick two things that look similar. Look for the SAME kind of rule.
Check every answer choice. Do not stop at the first one that seems okay.Watch out for answers that are related but have a different connection.
Think about what type of connection it is: part/whole, same group, opposites, and so on.Do not just pick something because it reminds you of the first picture.
If you are stuck, try making a sentence for each answer choice and see which one matches.Sometimes two answers seem right. Pick the one with the SAME type of connection.

Tips vs. Traps

⭐

REMEMBER THIS

Think of it like matching socks. You do not just pick any two socks. You look for the same pattern. Picture pairs work the same way. The answer pair must have the same kind of connection as the first pair, not just any connection!

SECTION 8

Getting Ready for Harder Questions

As you get better at this, the questions will get a little harder. Let us see what kinds of harder questions you might see and how they are different from the easier ones.

Easier QuestionsHarder Questions
The connection is very clear, like a dog and a bone.The connection is less obvious. You need to think more carefully.
Only one answer choice makes sense.Two or three answers might seem right. You need to find the BEST match.
Pictures are everyday things you know well.Pictures might be things you have to think about more.

How questions get harder

Do not worry about harder questions. The same three magic steps work every time: Name It, Link It, Match It. The more you practice, the faster you will get. Soon you will spot picture connections right away!

💡

Fun Practice Idea

Play a game at home! Point to two things in your room and say how they go together. Then find a new pair that goes together in the same way. You can do this with toys, food, or anything around you!

SECTION 9

Practice Problems

Now it is your turn! Try these five problems. For each one, use the three magic steps: Name It, Link It, Match It. Think carefully before you look at the answer!

Question 1: CONCEPTUAL

You see a picture of a rain cloud and a picture of an umbrella. What kind of connection is this? Is it (A) same group, (B) opposites, or (C) use together?
Show answer
The answer is (C) use together. When it rains, you use an umbrella. The rain cloud and umbrella are connected because you use one when the other appears. They are not in the same group, and they are not opposites. They go together because the umbrella helps you when it rains.

Question 2: BASIC CALCULATION

The first pair shows a pen and paper. Which pair goes together in the same way? (A) brush and paint, (B) table and chair, (C) book and bag.
Show answer
The answer is (A) brush and paint. A pen writes on paper. A brush paints on a surface using paint. They go together because one is a tool that works with the other. A table and chair are used together but are furniture, not a tool-and-material pair. A book and bag are not connected the same way.

Question 3: INTERMEDIATE

The first pair shows a kitten and a cat. Which pair goes together in the same way? (A) puppy and bone, (B) puppy and dog, (C) fish and water.
Show answer
The answer is (B) puppy and dog. A kitten is a baby cat. A puppy is a baby dog. The connection is baby animal to grown-up animal. A puppy and a bone are connected, but the connection is what a puppy chews, not baby and adult. A fish and water is about where a fish lives. So the best match is puppy and dog.

Question 4: APPLIED

The first pair shows a key and a lock. Which pair goes together in the same way? (A) button and shirt, (B) light switch and lamp, (C) window and curtain.
Show answer
The answer is (B) light switch and lamp. A key opens a lock. A light switch turns on a lamp. The secret rule is that the first thing controls or operates the second thing. A button is part of a shirt, which is a different kind of connection. A window and curtain go together, but a curtain covers a window, which is not the same as operating it.

Question 5: CRITICAL THINKING

The first pair shows a caterpillar and a butterfly. Which pair goes together in the same way? (A) egg and chicken, (B) bird and nest, (C) worm and dirt.
Show answer
The answer is (A) egg and chicken. A caterpillar grows up and changes into a butterfly. An egg grows and becomes a chicken. The connection is that the first thing turns into or grows into the second thing. A bird and nest are connected because a bird lives in a nest, which is a different rule. A worm and dirt are connected because a worm lives in dirt. The best match is egg and chicken because both pairs show something changing and growing.

SUMMARY

Let's Review!

Summary

Great job learning about picture relationships! Remember, every pair of pictures has a secret rule that connects them. The main types of connections are part and whole, use together, same group, opposites, and action connections.

Use the three magic steps every time: Name It (say what each picture is), Link It (find how they go together), and Match It (find the answer with the same kind of connection). Make a sentence about the first pair, then check if the same sentence works for each answer. The more you practice, the better you will get!

Varsity Tutors • CogAT (Grades K-2) • Identify the relationship shown by a pair of pictures