Cool MateShe had those same marks vs Similar
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
She had those same marks
Top 5,000 (fairly common)
Similar
Top 2,000 (common)A1adjective
Most common: Similar
| She had those same marks | Similar | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //ʃiː həd ðəʊz seɪm mɑːks//🇺🇸 //ʃi hæd ðoʊz seɪm mɑrks// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈsɪmələ(r)/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈsɪmələr/"]/ |
| Meaning | She had the same patterns or signs. | Almost the same as something else. |
| Example | She had those same marks from last year’s exam. | These two paintings look very similar to each other. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 5,000 (fairly common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | - | A1 |
| Part of speech | adjective | |
| Collocations | same feeling, same style, same colors, same pattern, same score | be, feel, look, extremely, fairly, very, in, to |
| Antonyms | - | different, dissimilar |
| Common mistakes | Mixing up 'same' with 'different'., Confusing 'marks' with 'marksmen'. | Confused with 'same' — 'similar' means not exactly the same., Incorrectly used for unrelated things., Using 'similar' with more than two items without clarification. |
| Usage notes | Use this phrase when referring to identical features or signs in different objects. It's generally informal and can vary in context. | Use 'similar' when comparing two or more things that share characteristics. Avoid using it for things that are not closely related. |
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Frequently asked questions: She had those same marks vs Similar
What's the difference between She had those same marks and Similar?
She had those same marks: She had the same patterns or signs. Similar: Almost the same as something else.
Which is more common: She had those same marks and Similar?
Similar is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
She had those same marks: She had those same marks from last year’s exam. Similar: These two paintings look very similar to each other.
Can I use She had those same marks and Similar interchangeably?
Not always. She had those same marks and Similar 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.