ESEN
Which one to use?Intermediateexpressionexpression
According tovsBased on
'According to' cites an external source; 'based on' indicates the evidence behind a claim.
Side-by-side comparison
According to
expressionUse it when quoting what someone or something says. It makes clear the information comes from that source, not from you. Unlike "based on", you are not the one drawing the conclusion.
According to the weather forecast, it will snow tomorrow.
According to the doctor, you need to rest for at least two weeks.
According to the schedule agreed in March, testing ends this month.
Based on
expressionUse it when you support your conclusion with data, evidence, or experience. Here you are the one analyzing and concluding, not just quoting someone.
Based on the test results, the doctor changed her medication.
Based on her interview, the committee decided to hire her.
The new menu was developed based on feedback from regular customers.
Common mistake
- •Saying "according to me" sounds unnatural in English: this phrase is for citing external sources, not for giving your own opinion.
- •Use "in my opinion" when expressing your own ideas.
Trick to remember it
- •"According to" = I am quoting what someone else said.
- •"Based on" = I am pointing to data or evidence behind my conclusion.
Quick rule
- •"According to" quotes an external source; never say "according to me".
- •"Based on" introduces the foundation of your reasoning.
Did you know?
In modern business texts, "based on" appears three times more often than "according to". Contemporary corporate discourse prefers framing claims as derived from internal data and analysis. The exception is legal documents, where citing the exact regulation is mandatory: "according to regulation X" is the standard formula.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
_____ the weather forecast, it will rain all weekend.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
_____ your feedback, we decided to make the app easier to use.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
DespitevsIn spite of
'Despite' and 'in spite of' are synonyms meaning 'in spite of', but 'despite' is more concise.
Not only... but alsovsBoth... and
'Not only... but also' adds emphasis to the second element; 'both... and' connects two elements with equal weight.
SovsBecause
'Because' introduces the cause or reason; 'so' introduces the effect or consequence.
AvsAn
'A' is used before consonant sounds; 'an' is used before vowel sounds.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy