main difference — most important difference
collocationB1IELTS 5+neutralcommon
the biggest or most important way in which two or more things are not the same
Say it like a native
Textbook The principal point of divergence between them is cost.
Native The main difference is the cost.
'The main difference' is natural; 'principal point of divergence' is jargon.
Pattern: the main difference (between A and B) (is/was)...
In use
- The main difference between city life and country life is the pace—everything moves much faster in the city.daily life
- In my opinion, the main difference between studying at school and at university is the level of independence you have.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ The main difference between cats to dogs.
✓ The main difference between cats and dogs.
'Difference BETWEEN X AND Y' — use 'and', not 'to'.
Common collocations
the main difference (between)— between, and, is that, biggest
Don't confuse it
‘Main difference’ focuses on the most important point, while ‘other differences’ are less important.