Act differently from normal

Question

Dear teachers,Is it ok if I saylike this?The child seems to act differently from/than  normalThank you in advance

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

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Both different from and different than are acceptable.

Here's a Canadian perspective (University of Victoria):

"Different from" is the more accurate and acceptable form: "Apples are different from oranges," "He was different from what I expected."
However, "different than" is becoming acceptable before clauses ("He was different than I expected") because the "what" can be conveniently omitted. Take note of the audience and tone of the essay before deciding.

And here is the American Heritage Dictionary:
Usage Note: Different from and different than are both common in British and American English. The construction different to is chiefly British. Since the 18th century, language critics have singled out different than as incorrect, though it is well attested in the works of reputable writers. According to traditional guidelines, from is used when the comparison is between two persons or things: My book is different from (not than) yours. Different than is more acceptably used, particularly in American usage, where the object of comparison is expressed by a full clause: The campus is different than it was 20 years ago. Different from may be used with a clause if the clause starts with a conjunction and so functions as a noun: The campus is different from how it was 20 years ago. · Sometimes people interpret a simple noun phrase following different than as elliptical for a clause, which allows for a subtle distinction in meaning between the two constructions. How different this seems from Paris suggests that the object of comparison is the city of Paris itself, whereas How different this seems than Paris suggests that the object of comparison is something like "the way things were in Paris" or "what happened in Paris."
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Act differently from normal

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