Complete the sentence by choosing the most appropriate phrase: "This school isn't _____ from the last one."

Introduction / Context:
This question examines your understanding of comparative structures and natural-sounding English expressions. The sentence compares "this school" with "the last one" and states that there is no real difference between them. Knowing which phrase fits grammatically and idiomatically is crucial for clear, accurate communication.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- Sentence: "This school isn't _____ from the last one."
- Options: more different, any different, difference, any difference, too different.
- The negative "isn't" already suggests a comparison expressing lack of difference.

Concept / Approach:
The natural English phrase is "not any different from". We often say "This is not any different from that" to mean they are essentially the same. The word "different" is an adjective, and "any" is used with it in negative sentences to emphasise zero difference. The other options either misuse part of speech (difference as a noun) or create awkward or redundant comparisons.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Focus on the structure "isn't _____ from", which usually takes an adjective phrase like "any different".
Step 2: Test "any different": "This school isn't any different from the last one." This is a standard, idiomatic English sentence.
Step 3: Check "more different": "This school isn't more different from the last one" is not a natural expression; we would say "much different" or "very different" instead, and not with "isn't" in this context.
Step 4: "difference" and "any difference" are nouns and would require a different structure, such as "There isn't any difference between this school and the last one."

Verification / Alternative check:
Compare two correct patterns: "This school isn't any different from the last one" (adjective pattern) and "There isn't any difference between this school and the last one" (noun pattern). Both say essentially the same thing, but you must keep the correct part of speech in each format. Because the given sentence already uses "isn't" and "from", the correct completion uses the adjective "different" with the qualifier "any".

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
- More different: unnatural with "isn't" in this construction; we do not usually say "isn't more different from".

- Difference: noun form, which would require changing the sentence structure ("isn't difference from" is incorrect).
- Any difference: again a noun, which does not fit grammatically with "isn't ... from".
- Too different: would mean "excessively different", which contradicts the intended idea of similarity and does not combine well with "isn't ... from" in this form.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often mix noun and adjective patterns when talking about differences. To avoid this, remember two separate frames: "X is not any different from Y" (adjective) and "There is no difference between X and Y" (noun). Keeping these structures clear in your mind will help you choose the correct forms quickly in error-spotting and sentence-completion questions.

Final Answer:
The correct phrase is "any different": "This school isn't any different from the last one."