similar
part of speech
adjective (similar, more similar, most similar)
meaning for a pupil
1) Almost the same as something else, but not exactly. tree →
2) (maths) Of shapes: the same shape but maybe a different size, with all angles equal and sides in the same ratio. tree →
sense in the lessons
In maths, similar shapes are enlargements of each other: every side is multiplied by the same number (scale factor). In science, animals are grouped by similar features, and you compare things by saying what is similar and what is different. In reading, compare similar stories or characters. Phrases: «similar to», «similar in size», «look similar», «similar shapes», «similarities and differences».
examples
- My jumper is similar to yours, but mine has stripes. tree →
- The twins look very similar. tree →
- Frogs and toads are similar but not the same. tree →
- A small square and a big square are similar shapes. tree →
- Write the similarities and differences between the two stories. tree →
- We have similar ideas for the project. tree →
- These two triangles are similar: each side of the big one is twice as long. tree →
- The weather today is similar to yesterday. tree →
note
Say «similar TO», not «similar with» or «similar as». Noun: «similarity» (plural similarities); adverb: «similarly». In maths, similar is not the same as «congruent» (exactly the same shape AND size). Two similar shapes have equal angles; only the lengths change.
In the corpora
- Own-brand food is often made in a similar way to famous brands but costs less because there is no big advertising.
- Bots can mix up two people with similar names.
- Many of these plants make caffeine or similar chemicals to defend themselves from insects.
- Goldfish have a similar story.
- Accurate decoding means reading every sound in order; guessing means saying a word that just looks similar.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «similar» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.