Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Grow
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This verbal reasoning question tests your understanding of basic vocabulary related to plants and their types. You are asked to find the odd word that does not belong to the same category as the others. Such questions are common in aptitude tests and help evaluate how quickly you can classify words by meaning rather than by spelling or length.
Given Data / Assumptions:
The four given words are Shrub, Tree, Grow and Creeper.
Three of these words name categories or types of plants.
One word describes an action or process rather than a plant category.
We are required to select the word that does not fit into the same category as the rest.
Concept / Approach:
The key idea in odd one out vocabulary questions is to group words by their basic meaning and grammatical role. Shrub, Tree and Creeper are all nouns denoting types of plants with specific growth forms. In contrast, Grow is a verb that describes the action of increasing in size, height or development. Because the part of speech and meaning are different, Grow stands out as the odd word in the group. This type of classification by meaning and function is central to many verbal reasoning items.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Consider Shrub. A shrub is a woody plant that is smaller than a tree and usually has multiple stems near the ground.
Step 2: Consider Tree. A tree is a tall woody plant with a single main stem or trunk and a distinct crown of branches.
Step 3: Consider Creeper. A creeper is a plant that grows along the ground or climbs by clinging to a support, such as a wall or another plant.
Step 4: Now consider Grow. Grow is a verb that describes the process by which plants or living things increase in size or develop over time.
Step 5: The first three words clearly refer to plant categories, while Grow denotes an action, not a category of plant.
Step 6: Therefore Grow is the word that does not belong to the same semantic group as the others.
Verification / Alternative check:
You can check by asking whether each word can be used after articles like a or the to name a type of plant, for example a shrub, a tree, a creeper.
Grow cannot be used in the same way, since you do not say a grow in standard English, which confirms that it functions differently.
The meaning test also works: shrub, tree and creeper answer the question what kind of plant, while grow answers what action takes place.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Shrub is not the odd word because it is a clearly defined type of plant.
Tree is not the odd word because it also names a specific kind of plant.
Creeper is not the odd word because it again refers to a category of plant based on its growth habit.
Grow is different from all three because it describes an action rather than a plant type.
Common Pitfalls:
Some learners may become distracted by word length or spelling similarity instead of focusing on meaning.
Another pitfall is to overthink the question and search for complex scientific classifications when only basic vocabulary is required.
To avoid such mistakes, always start by asking whether the words represent things of the same type, for example all plants, all actions or all tools.
Final Answer:
The word that is not a type of plant and is therefore the odd one out is Grow.
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