Important vs That's gold to Professor Brand

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

Important

Top 1,000 (very common)A1adjective

That's gold to Professor Brand

Beyond 10,000 (less common)
Most common: Important
 ImportantThat's gold to Professor Brand
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/ɪmˈpɔːtnt/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɪmˈpɔːrtnt/"]/🇬🇧 //ðæts ɡoʊld tə prəˈfɛsər brænd//🇺🇸 //ðæts ɡoʊld tə prəˈfɛsər brænd//
MeaningSomething that matters a lot.This saying means something is very valuable or important.
ExampleIt's important to drink enough water every day.When she presented her findings, it was clear that this idea was gold to Professor Brand.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 1,000 (very common)Beyond 10,000 (less common)
CEFR levelA1-
Part of speechadjective
Collocationsbe, seem, sound, extremely, fairly, very, for, to, be, seem, sound, extremely, fairly, very, for, toconsider it gold, worth its weight in gold, gold standard, goldmine of information, golden opportunity
Antonymsunimportant, trivial, insignificant-
Common mistakesConfusing with 'unimportant'—'not important' is the opposite., Using with nouns incorrectly—'important' only describes nouns, not verbs., Overusing—try varying language with synonyms to improve vocabulary.Using it in a casual context where more informal language is preferred., Confusing 'gold' with 'silver' in similar phrases., Misunderstanding the phrase's meaning as literal instead of metaphorical.
Usage notesUse 'important' for things that have significance or impact. It's appropriate in formal and informal contexts, but in very casual conversation, words like 'big deal' might be more appropriate.Use this phrase when you want to emphasize the importance of something. It's often used in discussions of ideas or concepts, especially in academic or serious conversations.

See it in real clips

Important
That's gold to Professor Brand

Frequently asked questions: Important vs That's gold to Professor Brand

What's the difference between Important and That's gold to Professor Brand?

Important: Something that matters a lot. That's gold to Professor Brand: This saying means something is very valuable or important.

Which is more common: Important and That's gold to Professor Brand?

Important is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Important: It's important to drink enough water every day. That's gold to Professor Brand: When she presented her findings, it was clear that this idea was gold to Professor Brand.

Can I use Important and That's gold to Professor Brand interchangeably?

Not always. Important and That's gold to Professor Brand 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.

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