When we compare people, places, experiences or ideas, we often start with simple structures such as bigger than, more interesting than or the same as. These are perfectly correct, but at B2–C1 level, it is useful to have a wider range of collocations for making comparisons in English.
Compare:
- The two proposals are very different.
- There is a striking difference between the two proposals.
Or:
- The new system is much better than the old one.
- The new system is far superior to the old one.
The second versions allow you to express the same ideas more precisely and naturally.
These expressions are particularly useful for learners preparing for B2 First and C1 Advanced, as well as anyone who wants to improve their essay writing, reports, reviews, discussions and everyday English.
Learning collocations for making comparisons in English will help you describe similarities, differences and contrasts more precisely in both speaking and writing.
Fixed AS…AS Expressions
One common way of making comparisons in English is the structure:
as + adjective/adverb + as
We can use it literally:
My new office is as large as my old one.
However, English also has many fixed as…as expressions that create a more vivid comparison.
Here are some useful examples:
| as good as gold | very well-behaved | The children were as good as gold during the ceremony. |
| as clear as crystal | extremely clear | Her explanation was as clear as crystal. |
| as light as a feather | extremely light | The bag felt as light as a feather. |
| as blind as a bat | unable to see very well | Without my glasses, I’m as blind as a bat. |
| as tough as old boots | very strong and resilient | She’s as tough as old boots and never gives up. |
| as sharp as a razor | very intelligent or quick-thinking | His mind is as sharp as a razor. |
| as flat as a pancake | completely flat | The countryside is as flat as a pancake. |
| as busy as a bee | extremely busy | I’ve been as busy as a bee all morning. |
| as quiet as a mouse | extremely quiet | The children were as quiet as mice during the test. |
| as white as a sheet | extremely pale, often because of fear or shock | When he heard the news, he went as white as a sheet. |
Many of these expressions are idiomatic and informal, so they are more likely to appear in conversation, stories, informal articles and reviews than in formal essays or reports.
Collocations with COMPARISON
The noun comparison appears in several useful expressions.
| by comparison | when compared with something else | The first task was difficult. By comparison, the second was quite straightforward. |
| in comparison with/to | compared with | In comparison with last year, sales have increased considerably. |
| make a comparison between | compare two things | It is useful to make a comparison between the two approaches. |
| draw a comparison between | point out similarities between things | The writer draws a comparison between city life and village life. |
| bear comparison with | be similar in quality to something, especially something good | Her latest novel bears comparison with her best work. |
| invite comparison with | naturally encourage people to compare | The new design inevitably invites comparison with the previous model. |
| a point of comparison | a feature that can be used to compare things | Price is only one point of comparison between the two products. |
| pale in comparison with | seem much less impressive when compared with something else | The original building pales in comparison with the new one. |
Collocations for Expressing Contrast
Some of the most useful collocations for making comparisons in English are expressions that highlight a clear contrast between two people, ideas or situations.
| in contrast to/with | showing a difference | In contrast to his brother, Liam is very outgoing. |
| in stark contrast to | showing an extremely obvious difference | Her calm reaction was in stark contrast to his panic. |
| in marked contrast to | noticeably different | The second proposal was in marked contrast to the first. |
| a sharp contrast between | a very clear difference | There is a sharp contrast between life in the two neighbourhoods. |
| a striking contrast between | a noticeable and impressive difference | The photographs show a striking contrast between old and modern architecture. |
| contrast sharply with | be very different from | His relaxed attitude contrasts sharply with his colleague’s seriousness. |
Collocations with DIFFERENCE
The word difference forms several very useful collocations.
| a striking difference | a very noticeable difference | There was a striking difference between their results. |
| a significant difference | an important or noticeable difference | Researchers found a significant difference between the two groups. |
| a considerable difference | a fairly large difference | There is a considerable difference in price. |
| a slight difference | a small difference | There is only a slight difference between the two versions. |
| a subtle difference | a small difference that may be difficult to notice | There is a subtle difference in meaning between the two expressions. |
| a world of difference | an enormous difference | A few months of regular practice can make a world of difference. |
| tell the difference between | recognise that two things are different | Can you tell the difference between the two accents? |
| make a distinction between | recognise or explain an important difference | We need to make a distinction between formal and informal language. |
Collocations for Expressing Similarity
Comparisons are not always about differences. We also need language for describing things that are similar.
| bear a resemblance to | look or seem similar to | The boy bears a strong resemblance to his grandfather. |
| a strong resemblance to | a clear similarity | The building bears a strong resemblance to a medieval castle. |
| a striking similarity between | a very noticeable similarity | There is a striking similarity between the two stories. |
| a strong similarity between | an important or clear similarity | Researchers noticed a strong similarity between the two patterns. |
| remarkably similar to | surprisingly alike | The two designs are remarkably similar. |
| broadly similar to | similar in most important respects | The new system is broadly similar to the previous one. |
| share similarities with | have features in common | The two novels share several similarities. |
| have a great deal in common | be similar in many ways | The two cultures have a great deal in common. |
Talking about the Degree of Difference
At B2–C1 level, it is useful to show how great or small a difference is, rather than simply saying that two things are different.
Large differences
| far superior to | much better than | The new system is far superior to the old one. |
| considerably better/worse than | noticeably better or worse | Public transport is considerably better than it was ten years ago. |
| vastly different from | extremely different | Life in a large city is vastly different from life in a small village. |
| entirely different from | completely different | Her approach is entirely different from mine. |
| a great deal more/less than | much more or less | The course was a great deal more demanding than I expected. |
| nowhere near as…as | much less | The second film was nowhere near as entertaining as the first. |
| not nearly as…as | much less | The journey was not nearly as difficult as we had expected. |
| nothing like as…as | much less | The exam was nothing like as difficult as I had feared. |
Notice that nothing like as…as is particularly common in British English.
Small differences
We can also describe differences that are relatively small.
| slightly better/worse than | a little better or worse | The second option is slightly cheaper than the first. |
| marginally better/worse than | only a little better or worse | Her second result was marginally better than her first. |
| slightly more/less than | a small difference in amount | The journey took slightly more than two hours. |
| much the same as | almost identical | The two plans are much the same in terms of cost. |
| roughly the same as | approximately equal | The population is roughly the same as it was ten years ago. |
| broadly comparable to | similar enough to be compared | The results are broadly comparable to those of the previous study. |
Idiomatic Comparisons
Some comparison expressions are more idiomatic and are particularly useful in spoken English, articles and reviews.
| head and shoulders above | much better than everyone or everything else | Her performance was head and shoulders above the rest. |
| a cut above | better than the usual standard | The restaurant is a cut above most places in the area. |
| worlds apart | completely different | Their attitudes towards money are worlds apart. |
| like chalk and cheese | completely different from each other | The two brothers are like chalk and cheese. |
| on a par with | at approximately the same level or standard | The new model is on a par with its main competitors. |
| second to none | as good as or better than anything else | The quality of their customer service is second to none. |
These expressions can make English sound more natural, but they should be used selectively. An informal idiom such as like chalk and cheese would not usually be appropriate in a formal academic essay.
Useful Comparison Language for B2 First and C1 Advanced
When writing an essay, report or review, try to vary the language you use for comparison. These collocations for making comparisons in English are particularly useful when discussing advantages, disadvantages, similarities and differences in B2 First and C1 Advanced tasks.
Instead of repeatedly writing:
X is better than Y.
you could use:
| X is much better than Y. | X is far superior to Y. |
| X is very different from Y. | X is vastly different from Y. |
| X and Y are very similar. | X and Y are remarkably similar. |
| There is a big difference. | There is a considerable difference. |
| X is different from Y. | X contrasts sharply with Y. |
| X and Y have similar features. | X and Y have a great deal in common. |
| X is almost the same as Y. | X is much the same as Y. |
The aim is not to replace every simple comparison with an elaborate expression. Good English combines simple, accurate language with more precise vocabulary where appropriate.
Preparing for C1 Advanced?
Collocations and fixed expressions are an important part of C1-level English. If you are preparing for the C1 Advanced Reading and Use of English paper, you can get more focused practice with the C1 Advanced Use of English Complete Collection.
The collection includes practice with Multiple-Choice Cloze, Open Cloze and Key Word Transformations, helping you develop the vocabulary, grammar, collocations and fixed expressions you need for the exam.
Common Mistakes
Here are some common problems to watch out for.
| similar with something | similar to something |
| a difference of A and B | a difference between A and B |
| superior than | superior to |
| in contrast of | in contrast to/with |
| compare A with B (when discussing similarities and differences) | compare A with/to B |
| a resemblance with | a resemblance to |
Remember
We say:
superior to
- This version is superior to the previous one.
Not:
superior than
And:
different from
- The new system is different from the old one.
In British English, different to is also used, particularly in less formal contexts.
Final Tip
When learning collocations for making comparisons in English, try not to memorise individual words in isolation.
Learning expressions as complete units will make it much easier to use them naturally when you speak or write.
And remember: advanced English does not mean using the most complicated expression possible. It means choosing language that expresses your meaning accurately, naturally and appropriately.
Related posts:
- Comparison of Adjectives and Adverbs in English
- Comparison of Adjectives in English with as … as, not as … as, etc.
- Linking Words for Contrasting Ideas
- Linking Words and Phrases to Express Difference and Contrast
- Collocations for C1 Advanced (CAE)
- C1 Advanced Use of English
- C1 Advanced Vocabulary
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3 Comments
generousdaebb02d55 · 22 Sep 2025 at 6:58 am
Thank you, teacher, for your teaching strategies
My Lingua Academy · 22 Sep 2025 at 8:59 am
You’re most welcome!
Comparing and Contrasting in English - My Lingua Academy · 23 Mar 2026 at 6:08 am
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