Compared to or with the past

Question

Compared to the past, birth rates are much lower now.
Compared with the past, birth rates are much lower now.

Are both sentences correct? I usually come across "Compared to the past" but isn't compared with preferred when we use compare to point out differences and/or similarities? so why is compared to used more often?

Thanks,
Shimo

JohnParis · Accepted Answer

Hello Shimo Diaz

Use "compared with" when a difference is to be seen or results indicate a difference (or not) between two comparators.
The analysis revealed that when drug x was compared with drug y, neither showed a statistical difference in efficacy.

Use "compared to" when describing similarities.
Your heart can be compared to a pump.
Shakespeare said it best: "Shall I compare thee to a Summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate..."

Shimo diaz · Answer

Thanks for the reply but you didn't answer my questions you just gave me a brief explanation of what I already knew.

Mister Micawber · Answer

How about doing a little bit of thinking yourself, Shimo, about what John has taught you, instead of complaining about his help?  To which definition does your sentence context belong?  Which one do you think you should use, based on what John has explained to you?

JohnParis · Answer

Sorry - I thought you could figure it out yourself.

Are both sentences correct? No, only one is correct.

So, why is compared to used more often?
Is it used more often?
Certainly not among good writers. It's a common mistake, and most sloppy writers don't care about the correct use. I do, because I happen to believe that sloppy writing leads to sloppy thinking. And sloppy thinking leads nowhere.

Shimo diaz · Answer

Thanks, John. Sorry if I sounded rude in my previous post but you get really frustrated after reading the material tens of times and still find the exact opposite of what you're reading.
So, here we are supposed to use "Compared with" in this sentence as we're comparing birth rates in the past with the ones in the present, right?

@Mister Micawber
After re-reading my previous post, I found that it was quite rude. So, sorry again John.

Compared to or with the past

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