Verbal - "Word Rules"

Example 1

(sand and) (said aid) (sink [ ? ] )
On the answer sheet you are given five words to choose from.
A sin
B kiss
C ink
D kin
E nice

You need to ask yourself the question, “Where did the letters in the second word come from?” You can use this information to work out which letters to use to make the missing word.
Where did the “a” in “and” and the “a” in “aid” come from?
The second letter of the first words.
So the first letter of the missing word must be “i”.
There is only one answer option that begins with “i”, answer option “C”, “ink”.
As there is only one correct answer you do not need to go any further with this question.

Example 2

(awesome same) (elitist test) (hassled [ ? ] )
On the answer sheet you are given five words to choose from.
A sled
B sash
C shed
D less
E lass

For this question you are going to look at just the first set of brackets.
Where did the “s” in “same” come from?
The fourth letter of “awesome”. So the first letter of the missing word must be “s”.
You can eliminate answer options “D” and “E” because they do not begin with “s”.
Where did the “a” in “same” come from? The first letter of “awesome”.
So the second letter of the missing word must be “h”.
There is only one answer option that begins “sh”, that is answer option
“C”, shed. So the correct answer is answer option “C”.
You do not need to check any other answer options because there is only one correct answer.