prepositional phrase (comparative frame) · formal

relative to + noun

Band 6-7task1task2speaking

in comparison with or in relation to something else; used to put figures or situations in context

Examples

“Unemployment fell by 2% relative to the previous year.”

“The city is small relative to the capital.”

“Crime rates remain high relative to neighboring countries.”

Band 8 sentence

“Employment in the service sector rose by 6% relative to manufacturing over the decade.”

Collocations

  • relative to the previous year/other countries/the national average

Common mistakes

relative with→relative to

relative on→relative to

Say it for a higher band

5compared to→6compared with→7+relative to

Synonyms

compared with

Easily confused

compared with / compared to

“Compared with last year, household spending increased modestly.”

Related words

the extent to which + clauseas + adjective + asA + adjective + -er + than Bby contrast, + clausemore + adjective + thannot as/so + adjective + asthe + superlative + (noun)the ratio of + A + to + B

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In Comparatives

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