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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com
be comparative to
Grammar usage guide and real-world examplesUSAGE SUMMARY
"be comparative to" is not correct and should not be used in place of "is comparable to" or "is similar to" in written English.
It is grammatically incorrect and does not convey the intended meaning. Correct sentence: "Their prices are comparable to those of other luxury brands." Example using "be comparative to": "Their prices be comparative to those of other luxury brands." (incorrect).
⚠ May contain grammatical issues
Science
News & Media
Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Human-verified examples from authoritative sources
Exact Expressions
3 human-written examples
Especially, the as-prepared NSC-3.5 can be comparative to Pt/C, exhibiting a promising application in the acidic environment of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell.
Science
And his contributions can at least be comparative to Dr. Sanger, who made great contributions on determining both protein and DNA sequencing and is deserving of a title of "the emperor of sequencing".
Science
In terms of expecting instant payment, I think it could be comparative to the amount of people you can bring, your social media game, how long you've been DJing, whether your sound is niche and getting popular or if it's an already established sound.
News & Media
Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources
Similar Expressions
57 human-written examples
"Six months is comparative to five years in a traditional venture market".
News & Media
Baseline food frequency data was comparative to patterns in the New Zealand National Youth Nutrition Survey Clinical Trials Research Unitt Synovate 2010).
The void function obtained from the drag coefficient for multiparticle system was comparative to the experimental data.
Science
The fatigue strengths of the welds are comparative to or lower than those of the parent materials.
We also found that the sequential method with appropriately selected time domains is comparative to the whole time-domain method.
has shown that there exist some unsupervised methods, which are comparative to supervised methods in effort-aware JIT-SDP.
We have been studying the solar wind whose speed is comparative to or a little slower than that measured in the heliospheric plasma sheet.
Science
Consequently, the coal burnout under the oxy-coal lance injection is comparative to that under the double air-cooled lance injection.
Science
Expert writing Tips
Best practice
Always use "is comparable to" or "is similar to" instead of "be comparative to" to ensure grammatical correctness.
Common error
Avoid using "be" verbs (is, are, was, were) directly before "comparative". Instead, use a form of "to be" (is, are, was, were) followed by "comparable" or "similar".
Source & Trust
85%
Authority and reliability
1.8/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested
Linguistic Context
The phrase "be comparative to" is intended to function as a comparative adjective phrase, aiming to describe a resemblance or similarity between two entities. However, it's grammatically flawed, as noted by Ludwig AI, requiring correction to "be comparable to" or "be similar to".
Frequent in
Science
67%
News & Media
33%
Formal & Business
0%
Less common in
Wiki
0%
Encyclopedias
0%
Reference
0%
Ludwig's WRAP-UP
The phrase "be comparative to" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided in formal writing. As Ludwig AI points out, the correct alternatives are "be comparable to" or "be similar to". While the intended purpose is to draw comparisons, its incorrect usage undermines effective communication. The contexts in Ludwig's examples range from science to news, but the grammatical error limits its appropriateness in any setting. Always opt for the grammatically sound alternatives to ensure clarity and credibility in your writing.
More alternative expressions(10)
Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:
be comparable to
Replaces "comparative" with "comparable", correcting the grammatical error.
be similar to
Uses "similar" instead of "comparative", offering a more common and grammatically sound way to express resemblance.
be akin to
Replaces the entire phrase with a more formal and concise expression of similarity.
be analogous to
Emphasizes a similarity based on analogy, suitable for more technical or abstract comparisons.
be equivalent to
Indicates a state of being equal or virtually equal, which is a stronger assertion of similarity.
be commensurate with
Suggests a proportional or corresponding relationship, often used in formal contexts.
be in line with
Implies agreement or correspondence, suitable for aligning with standards or expectations.
bear comparison with
Highlights the act of comparing and finding similarities, rather than stating a direct similarity.
parallel
Uses a single word to convey a similar relationship or direction.
resemble
Uses a verb that means to look or be like someone or something.
FAQs
How to correct the phrase "be comparative to"?
The phrase "be comparative to" is grammatically incorrect. You should use "be comparable to" or "be similar to" instead.
Is "comparative to" grammatically correct?
No, "comparative to" is not grammatically correct when used with a "be" verb. The correct forms are "comparable to" or "similar to".
What does it mean when something is "comparable to" something else?
When something is "comparable to" something else, it means that the two things have similar qualities or characteristics, allowing them to be compared.
What are some alternatives to "be comparative to"?
Better alternatives include "be comparable to", "be similar to", or "resemble", depending on the nuance you want to convey.
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Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Source & Trust
85%
Authority and reliability
1.8/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested