Elder- only goes before a noun:
My elder sister
She is elder than me
Older- can do both:
My older sister
She is older than me![]()

could you please explain me how to use elder and older????????????
Elder- only goes before a noun:
My elder sister
She is elder than me
Older- can do both:
My older sister
She is older than me![]()
Isn't elder a bit archaic?
Not to me- it's often used for talking about siblings, etc.
Is it correct if i use "This is my eldest sister"?
-kahhong
Hi Use elder - the eldest if you speak about memebers of family and other people use old- older - the oldestOriginally Posted by kahhong
She is my elder sister
This is Ithe eldest member of my family
I am older than Tom ( he is my huband)
This is the oldest woman i n the office
Thanks, but im getting more confused, "This is my eldest sister" am i right?
Warmest Regards,
-kahhong
This is my eldest sister.
This is perfectly correct as long as you have three sisters.![]()
To nonamrna (post #1 here, https://www.usingenglish.com/forum/a...-plz-hlep.html):
From elder - definition of elder by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.
Usage note
In comparisons between two persons, elder means "older" but not necessarily "old": My elder sister is sixteen; my younger, twelve. (Eldest is used when three or more persons are compared: He is the eldest of four brothers.) In other contexts elder does denote relatively advanced age but with the added component of respect for a person's achievement, as in an elder statesman. If age alone is to be expressed, one should use older or elderly rather than elder: A survey of older Americans; an elderly waiter.ˇUnlike elder and its related forms, the adjectives old, older, and oldest are applied to things as well as to persons.
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