ENGLISH
REFERENCE

exactly the same

fixed phr..
B1 Intermediate Oxford

fixed phr.. used to say that two or more things are identical in every way. You use this to emphasize that there are no differences at all.

fixed phr.. an emphatic adjectival or adverbial phrase used to denote total identity or lack of variation between two or more entities or states.


SIMPLE

These two shirts are exactly the same.

CONTEXTUAL

We arrived at exactly the same time, even though we took different buses.

COMPLEX

The researchers discovered that the chemical composition of the two samples was exactly the same despite their different origins.

Usage

often followed by the preposition 'as' when comparing one thing to another.

Teaching tip

focus on the word 'exactly' as an intensifier; students often use 'the same' correctly but forget that 'exactly' adds necessary emphasis in comparative contexts.

Pitfall

Your phone is exactly same as mine.Your phone is exactly the same as mine.the definite article 'the' is mandatory in this phrase even when the intensifier 'exactly' is added.

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