Is it "compared to" or "compared with"?

I am sure this question has been bugging many people and not many know exactly when to use which. Perhaps only the GP tutors will know when to use "compared to" and when to use "compared with". I was taught this by my GP tutor and I still remember it till this day.

So when do I use "compared to" and when do I use "compared with"?
Can they be used interchangeably?

The answer is "NO". They are used in different scenarios and should not be used interchangeably.

Compared to is used mainly to point out the similarities between A and B.

Example: Your dwindling grades can be compared to the stock market during a recession.

Compared with is used mainly to point out the differences between A and B.

Example: The Prime Minister now earns up to 50 times the GDP, compared with 20 times the GDP 20 years ago.

Now that you have learned the difference between "compared to" and "compared with", please make sure that the correct one is being used in the correct context.



Tags: compared to, compared with, english, similarities, differences