Cool MateAbout vs That's about that much
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
About
Top 1,000 (very common)A1preposition
That's about that much
InformalBeyond 10,000 (less common)
Most formal: AboutMost common: About
| About | That's about that much | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/əˈbaʊt/"]/🇺🇸 /["/əˈbaʊt/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ðæts əˈbaʊt ðæt mʌtʃ//🇺🇸 //ðæts əˈbaʊt ðæt mʌtʃ// |
| Meaning | Concerning or in relation to something. | It refers to a specific amount or level. |
| Example | I read a book about nature. | I need that much money to buy the new phone. |
| Register | Neutral | Informal |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Beyond 10,000 (less common) |
| CEFR level | A1 | - |
| Part of speech | preposition | |
| Collocations | talk about, think about, worry about, know about, care about | that much money, that much time, that much effort |
| Antonyms | away, beyond | - |
| Common mistakes | Confusing 'about' with 'around' in certain contexts., Using 'about' when 'regarding' would be more formal., Using 'about' in place of 'approximately' for numerical values. | Confused with 'That's about that many' when talking about countable nouns., Used in overly formal contexts where a simpler expression would suffice. |
| Usage notes | Use 'about' when discussing topics or subjects. It's versatile in both spoken and written English, but informal expressions may avoid it in academic texts. | Use this phrase to indicate a particular quantity or extent, usually in casual conversation. It may not be suitable for formal settings. |
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Frequently asked questions: About vs That's about that much
What's the difference between About and That's about that much?
About: Concerning or in relation to something. That's about that much: It refers to a specific amount or level.
Which is more formal: About and That's about that much?
About is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: About and That's about that much?
About is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
About: I read a book about nature. That's about that much: I need that much money to buy the new phone.
Can I use About and That's about that much interchangeably?
Not always. About and That's about that much are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.