After discussing similes and metaphors, this week let’s take a look at their sibling — analogy. An analogy is a bit more complicated than the other two. At the most basic level, it shows a similarity between things that might seem different — much like an extended metaphor or simile.

However, an analogy isn’t just a form of speech. It can be a logical argument: if two things are different in some ways, they are can be alike in some other ways. For example: puppy: dog :: kitten: _____. No marks for guessing the right answer — cat — as many of the analogies you will get in tests won’t be that easy.

The fundamental here is that you are expected to find a word, which correctly completes the second pair. At first, the words may seem to have nothing to do with one another, but they are always related in some way. To solve the problem, you need to figure out what the relationship is. Once done with a pair, you can match the other pair correctly.

Talking of an analogy’s advantages, it is often used to help provide an insight by comparing an unknown subject to one that is more familiar. It can also show the relationship between pairs of things. This form of analogy is often used in standardised tests in the form “A is to B as C is to D.” Like the metaphor and simile, an analogy also helps in poetic or funny usages. Besides, the word itself can be handy for prolific writers to express themselves. Example: Most espionage fiction of recent years bears a conscious analogy to a chess game.