Older is the comparative of old: it works for people and things and can go anywhere in a sentence, including before than. Elder also means older, but it's used only about family members and only before a noun: my elder brother, her elder son.
older or elder — can you pick the right one?
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older + than: She's two years older than me; older + noun: an older building, my older sister; elder + family noun: my elder brother/sister/son; the elder of the two
- My elder sister lives in Kazan and works as a doctor.
- This part of the city is much older than the centre.
- He's three years older than his wife, but he looks younger.
What changed
First versionMy brother is five years elder than me.
RevisionMy brother is five years older than me.
Elder and older both mean higher in age, so elder easily slips into comparisons too. But elder isn't used after is and isn't followed by than. To compare ages, use older: five years older than me. Only one word was changed.
My older sister sounds just as natural as my elder sister, and in American English it's even more common. The noun elders means older people in general: Respect your elders.
Your turn
Their house is a bit ___ than ours, but it's in better condition.
Show the answer
older — The sentence is about a house, and than comes next. Elder isn't used with than or about things, so only older fits.
Write about an older brother, sister or other relative. Say how many years older than you they are.
My elder cousin Lena is seven years older than me, and she taught me to ride a bike.
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