"Than A is B?" Versus "Is B than A?"

Question

I would like to know the most natural-sounding word order when asking for a degree of comparison using 'how much + comparative adjective". Should the second element come before the first or the other way around?

To clarify by means of examples:

1. How much older than you is your brother?

2. How much older is your brother than you?

What about if the subject and object are both names instead of pronouns?

1. How much taller is John than Marry?

2. How much taller than Marry is John?

Are they all interchangeable, or does common usage dictate that one option in each pair sounds more natural than the other?

Many thanks in advance.

Answer 1

I agree with @TRomano the "How much older than you is your brother?" and the "How much taller than Marry is John?" are natural and the word order is correct here.

Speaking of the "How much older is your brother than you?" and the "How much taller is John than Marry?" the sentences are odd. I would leave out the comparison part as it doesn't look right!

• "How much older is your brother?"
• "How much taller is John?"