Cool MateAbout vs To do with
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
About
Top 1,000 (very common)A1preposition
To do with
Top 2,000 (common)
Most common: About
| About | To do with | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/əˈbaʊt/"]/🇺🇸 /["/əˈbaʊt/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //tə duː wɪð//🇺🇸 //tə du wɪð// |
| Meaning | Concerning or in relation to something. | related to or about something |
| Example | I read a book about nature. | This project has a lot to do with environmental protection. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | A1 | - |
| Part of speech | preposition | |
| Collocations | talk about, think about, worry about, know about, care about | have to do with, related to, nothing to do with, to do with something, to do with someone |
| 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. | Using 'do with' without 'to' as in 'I have something do with this.', Confusing 'to do with' and 'dealing with' in context., Inserting unnecessary words, e.g., 'to do with it' instead of 'to do with'. |
| 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 'to do with' in casual conversation. Avoid in formal writing. It often indicates relevance or connection. |
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Frequently asked questions: About vs To do with
What's the difference between About and To do with?
About: Concerning or in relation to something. To do with: related to or about something
Which is more common: About and To do with?
About is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
About: I read a book about nature. To do with: This project has a lot to do with environmental protection.
Can I use About and To do with interchangeably?
Not always. About and To do with 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.