Sentence Correction

example: When compared with Greg's ability to to carry a tune, Marsha's musical skill is unimpressive.

explanation: Here items being compared are dissimilar: the relative musical abilities of Greg and Marsha. So the comparison compared with points out the differences.

whereas

Example: He compared his teacher to Bruce Greenwald, the esteemed teacher.

explanation: Use compared to when illustrating similarities. Here items being compared are his teacher and Bruce Greenwald. If the above example is true then here items being compared should be dissimilar. I am unable to understand the logic here. Could someone please help!

In fact, the GMAT makers do not differentiate between compare to and compare with

However, the idiom "compare with" when you compare something in similarity, and "compare to" when you compare two items dissimilarity.

In your examples above:

example: When compared with Greg's ability to to carry a tune, Marsha's musical skill is unimpressive. => the Greg's ability is impressive, the Marsha's one is unimpressive. So, dissimilarity.

Example: He compared his teacher to Bruce Greenwald, the esteemed teacher. => In this case, the man remember to esteemed teacher Bruce Greenwald, who have similar characteristic to his current teacher. So, compare to use to compare two items have similarities.

in your second paragraph you said

However, the idiom "compare with" when you compare something in similarity, and "compare to" when you compare two items dissimilarity.

I believe you meant

However, the idiom "compare with" when you compare something in dissimilarity, and "compare to" when you compare two items in similarity.

Thanks!

There is no difference between "compared to" and "compared with". Both are acceptable and interchangable.

Please refer SC#17 in OG-11 explanation.

https://www.beatthegmat.com/usage-of-and ... tml#418962

Thank you so much. This was a pain for long time.