This car costs more than how much the last car you bought cost.
This car costs more than it cost you to buy your last car.
Are both the sentences grammatically correct? Do they convey the same meaning?
asked Sep 8, 2016 at 9:27
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We can say "This is more than it cost last time." Your first sentence is ungrammatical: "how much" is not a valid comparand.– TimRSep 8, 2016 at 10:26
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@TRomano other than its being grammatically incorrect, does it fail to get across what the speaker is trying to convey?– lekon chekonSep 9, 2016 at 20:07
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Do you mean, can I figure out what you're trying to say? Yes. I can translate "how much" to "what". How much is an interrogative, not a relative.– TimRSep 9, 2016 at 20:49
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1 Answer
The first sentence is messy and badly constructed.
It could be written much more clearly and economically as:
This car costs more than your last car.
If there is any doubt about who paid for "your last car", you could add:
This car costs more than your last car cost you.
The second sentence is grammatically correct but unless you want to emphasise who actually bought "your last car", it could also be shortened to:
This car costs more than your last car (cost you).
Or:
This car costs more than you paid for your last car.
answered Sep 8, 2016 at 10:09
