What is the difference between "something else" and "something extra"?
The answer for the blank in this question is "else", but is "extra" an alternative answer? If "EXTRA" IS WRONG, WHY IS IT WRONG?
"A land free from destruction, plus wealth, natural resources, and labor supply – all these were important factors in helping England to become the center for the Industrial Revolution. But they were not enough. Something __ was needed to start the industrial process. That “something special” was men – creative individuals who…"
Best Answer
To be picky: the nuance of "something else" implies an alternative; "something extra" implies an addition.
Examples: "I am allergic to peanut butter, so I need to use something else in my sandwich."
"I love to put something extra in my peanut butter sandwiches, like bananas."
So in the sentence in the question, I would use "extra" if I was being very picky; however, I think the colloquial understanding of "something else" would give the reader the same idea. In other words, I don't think the reader would see "something else" as implying that men were a different impetus as opposed to an additional impetus.