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Prepositions after verbs

"correlate with" or "correlate to"?

Correlate with is the standard and most natural pattern for showing a relationship between two things. Correlate to appears in some contexts but is less standard.

Quick answer

Should I use correlate with or correlate to?

Use correlate with to describe a connection or statistical relationship between two things. Correlate to is sometimes used informally to mean relate to, but it is less standard in careful English.

Higher stress levels correlate with poor sleep quality.
Income often correlates with education level.
Some readers use correlate to to mean identify with.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
correlate with + factor

Showing a relationship between two things

Use with for scientific, statistical, and general relationships.

Exercise levels correlate with heart health.
Customer satisfaction correlates with response time.
2
correlate closely with + factor

Emphasising a strong relationship

Adverbs such as closely or strongly often appear before with.

Productivity correlates closely with training quality.
The results correlated strongly with previous studies.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
correlate with
Test scores correlate with study time.
Standard expression for showing a relationship or connection.
correlate to
Some speakers say they correlate to the character.
Sometimes used informally to mean relate to or identify with, but less standard than correlate with.
relate to
Many readers relate to the main character.
Natural alternative when talking about personal identification or emotional connection.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using correlate to in formal analysis

In scientific and formal writing, correlate with is usually preferred.

✕ The data correlates to temperature changes. ✓ The data correlates with temperature changes.

Confusing correlate with relate to

Correlate refers to a measurable relationship, while relate to often refers to personal connection or relevance.

✕ I correlate with her experience. ✓ I relate to her experience.

Using correlate without two connected elements

Correlate normally describes a relationship between two variables or ideas.

✕ The report correlates. ✓ The report correlates with earlier findings.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. Researchers found that income correlates ___ education level.
2. Many viewers can ___ the main character's struggles.
3. The findings correlated closely ___ previous research.

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Frequently asked questions

Is correlate with more natural than correlate to?

Yes. Correlate with is the standard choice in most contexts.

Can correlate to ever be correct?

Some speakers use it informally to mean relate to, but it is less standard in careful English.

What verb should I use for personal identification?

Use relate to when talking about emotional connection or shared experience.

calculate, by, calculate, in, calculate, from "call for" or "call on"? "campaign for" or "campaign against"? cancel by, due, at, in or for? capitulate to, in, like, by or after? captivate by, for, with, from or in? "capture by" or "capture in"? "care about" or "care for"? carry with, by, in, to or into? carve into, out, in, on or with? cast in, into, for, by or on? "catch in", "catch by" or "catch on"?

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