Cool MateAdvance vs To have come so far
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Advance
Top 1,000 (very common)B2noun
To have come so far
Top 5,000 (fairly common)
Most common: Advance
| Advance | To have come so far | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ədˈvɑːns/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ədˈvæns/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //tə hæv kʌm səʊ fɑː//🇺🇸 //tə hæv kʌm soʊ fɑr// |
| Meaning | To move forward or make progress. | To achieve a lot or make great progress. |
| Example | She received an advance on her salary this month. | I can't believe how much we have come so far in our project this year. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 5,000 (fairly common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | - |
| Part of speech | noun | |
| Collocations | big, considerable, dramatic, make, advance in, advance on, advance towards/toward, rapid, Allied, British, make, order, halt, advance on, advance to, advance towards/toward, large, cash, give, pay, get, advance of, advance on, amorous, sexual, make, advance to | have come so far together, to have come so far in life, how we have come so far, we have come so far from, to have come so far in progress |
| Antonyms | retreat, halt, decline | - |
| Common mistakes | 'Advance' is sometimes confused with 'advancement', which means progress in a job or career., Learners may misuse 'advance' when they mean 'wait' instead of moving forward., Some may think 'advance' only applies to physical movement, excluding abstract uses like 'advancing knowledge'. | Confused with 'to come so far', Inappropriate use in very formal settings, Used without reflecting context or achievement |
| Usage notes | Use 'advance' in both formal and informal contexts, often when discussing progress or improvement. Not typically used in casual conversation without context. | Often used to express pride or surprise about progress. Common in conversations reflecting on achievements. Avoid in very formal writing. |
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Frequently asked questions: Advance vs To have come so far
What's the difference between Advance and To have come so far?
Advance: To move forward or make progress. To have come so far: To achieve a lot or make great progress.
Which is more common: Advance and To have come so far?
Advance is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Advance: She received an advance on her salary this month. To have come so far: I can't believe how much we have come so far in our project this year.
Can I use Advance and To have come so far interchangeably?
Not always. Advance and To have come so far 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.