compare to when

USAGE SUMMARY

"compare to when" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to compare two different time periods or two different scenarios. For example, "The stock market looks much different now compared to when it started in 2008."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

How did it compare to when he ran on drugs: had he slept the night before?

The Guardian - Sport

How does his play now compare to when he was younger?

The Guardian - Sport

Basically, to have something to compare to when we suspect that signals we detect on Mars could be microbes' remnants.

Huffington Post

Keep track of this and you will have numbers to compare to when your dog appears to be sick.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

People behave differently when they rent a room compared to when they own a house.

The Guardian - Money

This vulnerability pays off by tripling the likelihood of trustworthiness compared to when insurance is chosen.

Harvard University

"It can effectively be compared to when your ports are shut to the sea".

The New York Times - Tech

Writing is a serious and sober activity for me now compared to when I was younger.

The New York Times - Books

"Compared to when you're adding guys, it's obviously a different feel.

The New York Times - Sports

It is different playing the Catalans here compared to when you play them in England".

The Guardian - Sport

"What a massive change compared to when we started 15 years ago," founder Kanya King said.

The Guardian - Music

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "compare to when" to highlight differences or changes between past and present situations. This is effective when illustrating progress, decline, or shifts in perception or behavior.

Common error

Ensure that the tense used after "when" accurately reflects the time frame being discussed. Mixing tenses can create confusion about the sequence of events being compared.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "compare to when" functions as a prepositional phrase introducing a subordinate clause. It sets up a comparison between a current state and a previous one. Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

25%

Academia

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "compare to when" is a grammatically correct prepositional phrase used to establish comparisons between past and present situations. While considered relatively rare in frequency, as noted by Ludwig, it is appropriate for neutral contexts and is found across various sources, including news, wikis, and academic publications. Key considerations include ensuring accurate tense usage and choosing semantically similar alternatives like "compared with when" or "in comparison to when" depending on the specific nuance you aim to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

compared with when

Uses "compared with" instead of "compare to", providing a slightly more formal tone.

in comparison to when

Adds "in comparison to" for emphasis, making the comparison more explicit.

relative to when

Employs "relative to" to indicate a comparison against a specific point in time.

as opposed to when

Highlights a contrast between two points in time, using "as opposed to".

in contrast to when

Similar to "as opposed to", but with a stronger emphasis on the difference.

versus when

Uses "versus" as a concise way to compare two distinct periods.

assessed against when

Frames the comparison as an assessment or evaluation relative to a past time.

evaluated with when

Uses "evaluated with" indicates the use of the specified time in the evaluation process.

in relation to when

Emphasizes the relationship between the current situation and a previous time.

juxtaposed with when

Implies a direct comparison placing two different moments side by side.

FAQs

How can I use "compare to when" in a sentence?

Use "compare to when" to juxtapose a current state with a past one, highlighting differences or similarities. For example, "The city feels different now "compared to when" I was a child".

What are some alternatives to "compare to when"?

You can use phrases like "compared with when", "in comparison to when", or "relative to when" depending on the context.

Is it more accurate to say "compare to when" or "compared to when"?

Both "compare to when" and "compared to when" are acceptable, but "compared to when" is more common as it includes the past participle, making it grammatically complete.

How does "compare to when" differ from "than when"?

"Compare to when" is used to draw a parallel between two periods, while "than when" typically introduces a clause that specifies a different circumstance or condition. For example, "It's easier now "than when" I started" indicates a change in difficulty.