The Adverb of Difference: Differently
The adverb of difference is differently.
How differently is formed
Difference is a noun. The adverb comes from the adjective: difference → different → differently.
Nouns ending in -ence and -ance usually have an adjective in -ent or -ant that carries the adverb: patience → patient → patiently, importance → important → importantly.
Differently in a sentence
| She sees the problem differently. | From another point of view. |
| The two systems behave differently under load. | Not in the same way. |
| Things were done differently then. | In another era. |
Where it is actually used
Knowing the form is one thing; knowing the company a word keeps is what makes it sound natural. These are the patterns differently appears in most often.
| think / see / feel differently | A change of view. |
| behave / react / work differently | A change of function. |
| do things differently | A near-fixed phrase in business writing. |
Differently or something else?
Several adverbs sit close to differently, and the difference is usually meaning rather than formality.
| otherwise | Formal, and often means “in other respects” rather than “not the same way”. |
| distinctly | About being clearly separate, not about being unlike. |
| unlike | A preposition, not an adverb: unlike his brother, never he acted unlike. |
The mistake to watch for
| Incorrect | Correct |
| Think different. | Think differently. |
The famous advertising slogan is deliberately ungrammatical, which is why it stood out. In ordinary writing the verb needs the adverb.
Differently from, than or to? All three are used. Differently from is the safest in formal writing and is standard on both sides of the Atlantic. Differently than is common in American English, particularly before a clause. Differently to is British and informal. None is an error, but from attracts no objections.
Related forms
Pronunciation: DIFF-rent-lee, three syllables in speech, though it is written as four.
| Noun | difference |
| Adjective | different |
| Adverb | differently |
| Verb | differ |
Practice
Fill the gap, then check yourself.
- The new engine responds ___ in cold weather.
- He remembers the evening ___ from everyone else.
- The plan is sound; ___, we would need more time.
Answers: 1. differently 2. differently 3. otherwise
Frequently asked
Is there an adverb differencely?
No. Adverbs come from adjectives, and the adjective here is different.
