CONTENTS FEATURE: Different from? Different than? Different to? Learn the difference GRAMMAR COACH: Fielding your questions FINDER'S FEE: Recommend a friend—and earn up to $500 FEATURE: Different from? Different than? Different to? Learn the difference      Compare these three variations of a question posed by an Internet service provider and see which seems right to you. Why is a "support plan" different to a "hosting plan"? Why is a "support plan" different than a "hosting plan"? Why is a "support plan" different from a "hosting plan"?      If you selected the first question, you're likely British or Australian. If you chose the second or third question, you're likely American. To many Americans, however, only the third example is written in correct form.      The sentence appeared as "different to" on an Australian Web site offering Internet support services. That phrasing looks peculiar to Americans who are unaccustomed to seeing the word "different" used that way.      That's because the adjective "different" and the verb "differ" are interrelated. The verb "differ" is derived from the Middle English word "differren," from Old French "differer" (which means "postpone, be different") and from Latin "differre" (which means "to differ or delay"). The adjective "different" evolved from Middle English, from Old French, from the Latin "differns" (meaning "different"), and the present participle of "differre" (meaning "to differ").      When using the verb "differ," the conventional operative preposition is "from," as in "the new model differs FROM its predecessor in two important ways." The corresponding adjectival construction would be "the new model its different FROM its predecessor in two important ways."      Some people might be inclined, however, to say "the new model its different THAN its predecessor in two important ways." A perceptive editor would red-line that statement, on the justification that the word "different" sets up contrast rather than comparison.      Contrasting adjectives (including "distinct," "divergent," "apart" and "different") demonstrate how one item is distant or separate FROM another. You wouldn't say "Waco is 100 miles THAN Dallas." You say "Waco is 100 miles FROM Dallas."      Comparative adjectives (including "colder," "wider" and "younger") illustrate the relationship between two or more objects or people. They require the preposition "than." You wouldn't say "Bill is younger FROM Ralph." You say "Bill is younger THAN Ralph." The second portion of that sentence actually is a disguised clause, containing a subject and an unstated but understood verb. The proper full statement is "Bill is younger than Ralph IS." Here's another comparative statement: "Tammy walked farther than Emily" — which really means "Tammy walked farther than Emily DID" (and there's your clause).      Correspondingly, "different than" is proper when it's used to introduce a clause rather than a noun. Here's one such example: "Robbie looks so different THAN he did a year ago.      The British custom of pairing the preposition "to" and the adjective "different" can result in some potential confusion. Consider the statement "a chef is different to a cook." To a Briton or Australian, that sentence draws a distinction between chefs and cooks. An American, though, might interpret that statement as meaning that a cook views a chef from a perspective that a non-culinary worker might not understand. The statement would be analogous to saying "a cook does not view a chef in the same way that a casual diner does." Well, you may ask, what about a statement such as "Ellie would like to find someplace different TO go on vacation next year"? What else would you say but "different toŠ"? This is another example of an abbreviated sentence with some omitted but understood words. What is "different"? Ellie is trying to think of a vacation spot that is somehow different FROM places that she has visited in prior years. She would like TO GO to a new spot.      Here's a brief summary: Unless you're in the British Isles, Australia or New Zealand, use DIFFERENT FROM to introduce nouns and pronouns, and DIFFERENT THAN to introduce clauses.      Plantains are different from bananas. Plantains taste different than I had expected.      That's the difference. GRAMMAR COACH: Fielding your questions 1. Sherri M. wrote:      "When listing multiple locations that share the last two words, e.g., 'John Smith, Jane Doe, and Joe Blow Elementary Schools,' should the common words (in this case 'elementary schools') be capitalized or not?" The grammar coach replies:      Determination of your answer is a matter of editorial style rather than grammatical precision. The Chicago Manual of Style, favored by many book publishers, advocates retention of capitalization for generic terms used in the plural in connection with proper names. It offers as examples: Lakes Erie and Huron Mounts Everest and Rainier the Adirondack and Catskill Mountains Carnegie and Euclid Avenues the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings U.S. Routes 1 and 2.      The Associated Press (AP) Stylebook, the standard for journalistic publications, specifies lowercase for generic terms that are used in plural reference to proper names. AP specifically says to lowercase "street" "road," "boulevard" and other similar designations when used in plural (as in "Third and Main streets"). Examples include: Los Angeles and San Francisco police departments lakes Erie and Ontario Canandaigua and Seneca lakes.      Among the two styles, AP is our preference because the Chicago style changes names that are singular in their proper form. Your example referred to John Smith Elementary School, Jane Doe Elementary School and Joe Blow Elementary School. Retaining capitalization while adding the plural "s" at the end of "School" is inconsistent with the proper name of each school. Placing "elementary schools" in lowercase retains the proper distinction. Our recommendation is: "John Smith, Jane Doe and Joe Blow elementary schools." 2. Steven W. wrote:      "A friend told me to be more respectful when I send e-mails to my commanding officer. She suggested to sign my e-mails with 'V/R'. What are these salutations and what are the rules for them?" The grammar coach replies:      We think you are right to question the use of "V/R" as a closing salutation. We have encountered two meanings for "V/R" — to indicate either "very respectfully," or "virtual regards" in e-mail correspondence.      The English language is cluttered enough already without stuffing another abbreviation or acronym into the lexicon. Unless contemporary military protocol (with which we are unfamiliar) dictates otherwise, spell out the courteous closing salutation "very respectfully." In our estimation, "V/R" is anything but respectful.      Are you perplexed by some aspect of grammar or word usage? Don't be shy! Ask the "grammar coach" at EditPros and we'll try to help—at no charge, just for the sport of it. FINDER'S FEE: Recommend a friend—and earn a finder's fee of up to $500      Do you know of a friend or colleague whose office can benefit from EditPros' services? If you do, EditPros may reward you with a "finder's fee" of up to $500.      EditPros LLC, established in 1993, performs writing, editing, proofreading and publication management services for newsletters, brochures, Web sites, annual reports, research studies, business proposals, and other informational and marketing materials. Our office is in Davis, Calif., between Sacramento and San Francisco; however, our clients include educational institutions, private corporations, health-care organizations, trade associations, scientific research institutions, Web site developers and government agencies from throughout the United States. We have worked with some of them for more than 10 years.      If you recommend our services to a friend or business colleague, and that introduction leads to an assignment for EditPros, we will award you a "finder's fee" equaling 10 percent of the amount we earn on the first assignment for the new client, up to a maximum finder's fee of $500. Naturally, the finder's fee is applicable only to client organizations for which we have not worked previously.      This offer will remain in effect until further notice. YOUR TURN: Ask the "grammar coach" or subscribe      We invite you to submit your questions to the "grammar coach," and we welcome you to subscribe to this monthly newsletter—which we'll send to your e-mail address at no charge. We respond to all "grammar coach" questions personally, but delays may occur because we must place top priority on assignments from our clients. We appreciate your patience and your interest.      You also can change your e-mail subscription address. For an address change, please indicate your existing AND your new e-mail address. Thank you. OUR PRIVACY POLICY for e-mail newsletter subscribers:      We do not use any commercial e-mail lists or automated mass-mailing programs, and we do not allow access to the list by anyone else for any reason. 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