What does analogy refer to in reading?

• A. A metaphor in a text
• B. Recognizing patterns of letters & word families
• C. A strategy for summarizing
• D. A type of spelling rule

Answer: (B)

Analogy in reading means spotting how two words relate to each other in the same way that another two words relate. That kind of thinking relies on patterns in how words are formed and how word families link together. When you recognize patterns in letters and know word families, you can see the relationships between unfamiliar words based on roots, prefixes, suffixes, or common spellings, and use that to infer meaning or pronunciation.

So, recognizing patterns of letters and word families is the best description because it captures how analogy relies on the connections between word forms and their relationships, not on figurative language, summarizing, or spelling rules. The other options describe separate reading skills: figurative language like metaphors, strategies for condensing ideas, and rules for spelling.