1. Standard memberDeepThought
    Losing the Thread
    Quarantined World
    Joined
    27 Oct '04
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    87415
    26 Sep '16 23:04
    Originally posted by Suzianne
    Compared to whom? You?

    Yeah, I thought so.

    Not exactly.

    Do try to remain calm. (Hint: Four posts in a row? Someone's upset.)
    Sorry, this is a grammar point. In poetry we have things like: "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day.", but for a literal or scientific comparison, which I think you intended, correct usage is 'compared with'. This was pointed out to me a few years ago and now I know it does my head in whenever I see 'compared to' instead of 'compared with'. When I was younger I wanted to change the world, as I get older I discover all I really care about is the difference between less and fewer...
  2. SubscriberSuzianne
    Misfit Queen
    Isle of Misfit Toys
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    08 Aug '03
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    36571
    27 Sep '16 11:301 edit
    Originally posted by DeepThought
    Sorry, this is a grammar point. In poetry we have things like: "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day.", but for a literal or scientific comparison, which I think you intended, correct usage is 'compared with'. This was pointed out to me a few years ago and now I know it does my head in whenever I see 'compared to' instead of 'compared with'. When I ...[text shortened]... d, as I get older I discover all I really care about is the difference between less and fewer...
    When you "compare with" you are comparing similar things.

    When you "compare to" you are comparing dissimilar things.

    "Compare to" is not always automatically wrong, it depends what is being discussed, and as always, what context.
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