EQV-03-05

Analogies — Degree & Intensity

Same idea, different strength: warm→hot, like→adore. Match the size of the jump, and keep its direction.

~5 min read•Difficulty 3/5

A degree analogy links two words on the same scale that differ in strength. The bridge names the size and direction of the jump.

The bridge: "a stronger / weaker form of"

WARM : HOT $\to$ "Hot is a much stronger form of warm."
LIKE : ADORE $\to$ "Adore is a much stronger form of like."
DAMP : SOAKED $\to$ "Soaked is a far wetter form of damp."

Two things must match in your answer:

Direction — weak $\to$ strong, or strong $\to$ weak.
Size of the gap — a small step (warm $\to$ hot) is not the same as an extreme leap (cool $\to$ freezing).

Degree vs. plain synonym

This is the key distinction from EQV-03-02. A synonym pair has equal strength (tidy : neat). A degree pair has a clear gap (messy : filthy). If the two words feel like "the same, but one is way more", it is degree, not synonym.

Pair	Type
BIG : HUGE	degree (stronger)
BIG : LARGE	synonym (equal)
ANGRY : FURIOUS	degree (stronger)

Decide weak $\to$ strong vs strong $\to$ weak, then check the gap is the same size. A tiny step cannot match a giant leap.

Worked examples

Example 1 (difficulty 3/5)

Choose the pair whose words relate in the same way as: HUNGRY : STARVING

◎ Predict the answer first:

Tips

State direction (weak→strong or strong→weak) and gap size; both must match.
A degree pair has a clear strength gap — equal-strength pairs are synonyms, a different category.
Beware a pair that climbs the scale the wrong way (cold→chilly is downhill, not uphill).

Common mistakes

Accepting a synonym pair for a degree question

Why: Both pairs "mean about the same thing".

Fix: A degree pair must show a real jump in strength; equal-strength pairs do not qualify.

Ignoring direction

Why: WARM : HOT and HOT : WARM use the same words.

Fix: Keep weak→strong as weak→strong; a reversed pair is wrong even on the right scale.

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