Identical vs She had those same marks

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Identical

Top 2,000 (common)B2adjective

She had those same marks

Top 5,000 (fairly common)
Most common: Identical
 IdenticalShe had those same marks
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/aɪˈdentɪkl/"]/🇺🇸 /["/aɪˈdentɪkl/"]/🇬🇧 //ʃiː həd ðəʊz seɪm mɑːks//🇺🇸 //ʃi hæd ðoʊz seɪm mɑrks//
MeaningExactly the same as something else.She had the same patterns or signs.
Examplea row of identical housesShe had those same marks from last year’s exam.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 2,000 (common)Top 5,000 (fairly common)
CEFR levelB2-
Part of speechadjective
Collocationsappear, be, look, absolutely, completely, exactly, in, to, withsame feeling, same style, same colors, same pattern, same score
Antonymsdifferent, diverse, distinct-
Common mistakesUsing 'identical' when comparing things that are similar but not the same., Confusing 'identical' with 'similar'., Incorrectly using 'identical' in non-comparative contexts.Mixing up 'same' with 'different'., Confusing 'marks' with 'marksmen'.
Usage notesUse 'identical' when comparing two or more things that have no differences. It's appropriate in both casual and formal contexts, but avoid using it with subjective descriptions that don't show clear similarity.Use this phrase when referring to identical features or signs in different objects. It's generally informal and can vary in context.

See it in real clips

Identical
She had those same marks

Frequently asked questions: Identical vs She had those same marks

What's the difference between Identical and She had those same marks?

Identical: Exactly the same as something else. She had those same marks: She had the same patterns or signs.

Which is more common: Identical and She had those same marks?

Identical is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Identical: a row of identical houses She had those same marks: She had those same marks from last year’s exam.

Can I use Identical and She had those same marks interchangeably?

Not always. Identical and She had those same marks 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.

Related comparisons