Both different from and different than compare two things, and both appear in good writing. Different from is the safe choice everywhere, and the one most editors expect before a noun or a pronoun. Different than is common, especially in American English, when a whole clause follows it.
You have probably read and heard both phrases many times. So is one more correct than the other, and how do they differ?
The word different is an adjective that means "not the same". Adding from or than turns it into a phrase that compares two things or more.
Different than vs. different from
Your English teacher may have said that the two are interchangeable. They often are, but they are built differently, and that tells you when to use each one.
Different than
Than is usually followed by a clause: a subject and a verb. So use different than when a subject and a verb come after it.
Examples:
- This chicken pie tastes different than I remember.
- The expensive cruise is different than the tour guide promised.
- My new bike is different than I expected.
In formal writing, you can say the same thing with different from what: "My new bike is different from what I expected."
Different from
Different from separates one thing from another. It is followed directly by a noun or a pronoun, because from is a preposition, and a preposition needs an object.
Examples:
- This hot dog is different from your sandwich.
- Why is my lunch different from yours?
- Your Batman costume is somehow different from mine.
What about different to?
In British English you will also hear and read different to: "Your costume is different to mine." It is correct in British usage but rare in American English. If you write for readers in many countries, different from works everywhere.
Which one should you use?
To play it safe, use different from, whether you write an essay, a business memo, or a short story. It draws the least criticism from readers, and in formal writing, especially before a noun or a pronoun, it is the form that most teachers and editors expect.
When a clause follows and different from what sounds heavy, different than is a good choice in everyday writing, especially in American English. Just make sure you can back up your choice if someone questions it. And do not confuse than with then: than vs. then explains the difference.
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