Questions tagged [comparative]
For questions about the construction in sentences where two or more things are compared with each other, e.g. "I am taller than you".
115
questions
0
votes
1
answer
29
views
What does 'did' refer to?
What is your favorite color? Do you often wear fashion items in that color? As for me, my favorite color is green, but I felt it did not go well with my skin tone, so I used to avoid wearing it. One ...
- 659
1
vote
2
answers
47
views
He wrote more novels than she (wrote) songs
He wrote 5 novels, and she wrote 4 songs.
I think you can say:
a. He wrote more novels than she wrote songs.
b. He wrote more novels than she did songs.
Since the verb is repeated, can you omit it?
...
- 659
-1
votes
1
answer
10
views
(All the/None the/Any the/Much the) + comparatives
This topic is taken from Advanced Oxford Grammar by M. Swan. I'm just struggling as to how to use them and literally translate them into my native language sense. Some online dictionaries label them ...
- 4,105
1
vote
1
answer
21
views
How to say that something is really important in general, but not as important as other things?
Although learning a foreign language is really important, it plays a
subordinate role in children's life compared with other components of education such as
social skills, intellect and craftsmanship.
...
- 1,846
0
votes
1
answer
23
views
Comparison between quantities of several things
For academic writing, which of these three comparative styles is preferred, or more correct?
The mantle velocity of the China Craton is around 8 Km/s, similar to the typical cratons.
The mantle ...
- 9
0
votes
1
answer
46
views
How to rephrase a long comprative sentence
I am trying to state a comparative argument in a long sentence for an academic paper. I don't want to split it. Is there any way for shortening it? Is it always necessary to use "those of the&...
- 9
1
vote
0
answers
35
views
"They are more convenient and reliable." vs "They are more convenient, and reliable."
They are more convenient and reliable.
They are more convenient, and reliable. <--- [I'm not sure that this sentence is natural.]
Am I right that in the first sentence the adjective is "more ...
- 1,937
0
votes
1
answer
22
views
"No, more than that." --> "No, more expensive.", "More expensive.", "No, more.", "More."?
How much did your shoes cost? ₤60? - No, more than that.
Is it natural to say instead of "No, more than that.":
"No, more expensive.",
"More expensive.",
"No, more.&...
- 1,937
0
votes
0
answers
20
views
"much more than" vs "more often than"
You go out much more than I do.
You go out more often than I do.
Do these sentences have the same meaning? If I translate them into my native language, it seems they have the same meaning.
- 1,937
0
votes
0
answers
12
views
Usage of "comparative + Than" as an adverb
In a formal writing, can the sentence:
I became more interested in mathematics than physics.
be rephrased as:
I became interested in mathematics more than physics.
Do they both have the same ...
- 115
0
votes
2
answers
42
views
have a hat like John
Could a be used to mean b?
a. Sam has a hat like John.
b. Sam has a hat like John's.
- 4,695
0
votes
1
answer
32
views
The word order of a comparative phrase seems strange
I have seen the following paragraph in some article:
One can imagine a computer simulation of the action of peptides in the hypothalamus that is accurate down to the last synapse. But equally one can ...
- 417
0
votes
1
answer
29
views
Inflections of the adverb 'well' (some senses are invariable)
Inflections of the adverb 'well' (Some senses are invariable)
Better adv comparative ; best adv superlative
https://www.wordreference.com/definition/well
What does the dict. refer to by "Some ...
- 695
1
vote
1
answer
57
views
Lesser is to less, as ___ is to more? What's the equivalent of "morer"?
I'm resurrecting this comment.
What Syntactic Categories or terms distinguish "less" and "lesser"? "Comparative form" isn't the answer, because Less, lesser, and littler ...
0
votes
1
answer
18
views
'' Think'' and '' Find'' in a comparative sentence
I know that the structure '' Find something/ someone + Adj'' can be rewritten using '' Think someone/ something + to be + Adj''.
I find this book interesting= I think this book is interesting.
...
- 29
0
votes
1
answer
107
views
Cheap products are often inferior/ more inferior
Cheap products are often_______
Options: A.more inferior/ B.much inferior / C.inferior / D.very inferior
The given answer is inferior
Is inferior already in comparative degree? So that "more&...
- 299
0
votes
1
answer
31
views
What is the comparative of the adjective "manual"?
I am wondering what is the comparative of "manual", the adjective that expresses doing something involving or using human effort.
Is it correct to say: "If you want want to achieve that ...
- 115
2
votes
1
answer
38
views
little higher than
a. He aspires to little higher praise than being called a good writer.
a1. He doesn't aspires to much higher praise than being called a good writer.
(Being called a good writer is basically enough for ...
- 1,813
0
votes
1
answer
21
views
How to distingush the meaning of comparative sentences
My apologize if the tittle is little confusing. So let's just focus on these couple examples:
I've never been on a bumpier plane ride.
Options:
a. The flight was bumpy
b. The flight wasn't bumpy
...
- 4,105
0
votes
1
answer
20
views
The ... the ... structure: Is this sentence correct?
I would like to know if the following sentence is a correct usage of the ... the ... structure:
The more the same products people can buy across the globe, the more
similar countries are becoming. I ...
- 1,846
0
votes
1
answer
41
views
Why must "other" be used in "Iron is more useful than any other metal"? [duplicate]
When two objects are compared with each other, the latter term of comparison must exclude the former, as in "Iron is more useful than any other metal". If we say "Iron is more useful ...
1
vote
1
answer
37
views
more greasy food
a. I eat more greasy food than he does.
Is that sentence ambiguous?
I think it could mean
I eat food that is more greasy than he food he eats.
and
I eat a bigger amount of greasy food than he does.
...
- 1,813
2
votes
1
answer
278
views
By far + comparative
Could someone please let me know whether "by far" can be used comparatively.
Actually, almost all dictionary examples have used it in a superlative comparison, however I'm quite sure I have ...
- 13.6k
0
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Comparative illusion - Why is it ungrammatical?
I read that the sentence:
"More people have been to Russia than I have"
is a comparative illusion and in particular ungrammatical.
I do not understand which grammatical rule(s) it violates (...
- 1
4
votes
2
answers
579
views
Tom is the best tennis player in the club
There was one question in my English exam that made confused me.
Instruction: Rewrite this sentence in another way so that it means almost the same as the first one
Tom is the best tennis player in ...
- 51
1
vote
1
answer
872
views
"New" adjective in comparative form
There's a rule about one-syllable adjectives that end in a single vowel and a consonant, that duplicates the consonant in the comparative form:
big --> bigger
hot --> hotter
I've been asking ...
- 11
0
votes
1
answer
45
views
Is it correct to say 'I am moving these elements *earlier* in the list'?
I am coding and have some elements in a list. Now I want to move a couple of elements so they appear before.
So form [a, b, c, d, e, this, that] i want "this" and "that" to show ...
- 539
0
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Negative comparative
For making comparative forms of adjectives, we add “more” before adjectives with more than one syllable and other than those two-syllable adjectives ending in “y”. So for example:
“This watch is more ...
- 669
0
votes
0
answers
22
views
Can we use adverbs with comparative adjectives as in:
He is much taller than me.
Vs
He is incredibly taller than me.
I know the first sentence is correct, but I was wondering if we could use Incredibly with a comparative adjective (taller).
0
votes
1
answer
647
views
"than compared to" or "than that of" in comparative?
I got stuck by the following sentence, which can be found here:
If we generate the column proportions, we can see that a higher fraction of plain text emails are spam(209/1195 = 17.5%) than compared ...
- 2,783
0
votes
1
answer
622
views
Can I say "less bigger" or "more weaker" and similar phrases?
Suppose that
A is bigger than B
B is bigger than C
Now, is it fine if I say,
Compared to A, B is less bigger than C?
If so, in this context, can I remove the first part in the almost formal ...
- 5,895
0
votes
1
answer
31
views
Clause after "Than" in comparatives?
Can I use a clause after Than?
You are better than when you were yesterday.
People have more chances of dying when they don't fasten their seatbelts than when they do.
You're faster than ...
- 459
1
vote
3
answers
85
views
Should I use "away" after "Farthest/Farther?"
I wish to know if it is okay to use "away" after the superlative/comparative forms of "Far" since I have come across this sentence:
I am the farthest from the grace of my family members.
Is this ...
- 459
2
votes
2
answers
45
views
Is it natural to use "older" about someone without comparing his age to someone else?
An older man came in the door.
Is it natural to use "older" about someone without comparing his age to someone else? If yes, would it be interchangeable with "old"?
- 41
3
votes
3
answers
61
views
The ambiguous meaning of "He is better."
In A Comprehensive Grammar of The English Language, 7.77 comparison of good, well and ill, it says:
He is better. is ambiguous between:
(a) He is well again.
(b) He is less ill.
I can only ...
- 131
0
votes
1
answer
72
views
Grammatical function of comparatives
Can we consider comparative form of adjectives as adjectives, grammatically? I mean, in the following sentence, is "thinner" an adjective?
"You look thinner."
- 669
0
votes
1
answer
30
views
Any comparative adverbs here?
I have much more inspiration, and the editing would be easier.
Is "the editing" a gerund? If so, is "easier" being used as a comparative adjective?
- 1
0
votes
2
answers
71
views
"Tank needs 8 minutes less" or "8 minutes lesser"
Is this question correct?
Tank needs 8 minutes less to empty the tank than it needs to fill it.
Should we use 'lesser' here as 'than' is used for comparison. Please clarify it.
2
votes
1
answer
68
views
"speaks Italian better" vs "speaks better Italian"
I guess the following sentences are both grammatically correct, but are they different in meaning?
Laura speaks Italian better than Jake.
Laura speaks better Italian than Jake.
- 1,741
1
vote
2
answers
277
views
Definite article "the" with comparative degree
I came across a sentence using definite article 'the' with comparative degree and an other sentence with out "the".
Can anyone explain when to use 'the' with comparative degree?
Here are the ...
- 157
0
votes
1
answer
591
views
Can I write the amount before the word "cheaper"
The book is $2 cheaper at our shop.
The book is $2 costlier at our shop.
Are the above two sentences fine to native speakers?
- 1,018
0
votes
0
answers
178
views
Exactly when do you put 'even' before the comparative words?
One of common mistake that non-natives say is something as below.
(B is a non-native here)
A: How was the movie? (expecting a good response)
B: It was better than I expected. (meaning it was ...
- 1,924
1
vote
1
answer
58
views
The definite before comparative degree
Which is the cheaper of the two?
is it correct or it should be
Which is the cheapest of the two?
- 11
-1
votes
1
answer
28
views
some confusing problems about “than”
I wish I could write English with more freedom than is at present possible.
I am confused about the function of “is” in this sentence.
Could you explain the grammar in this sentence?
- 13
1
vote
2
answers
2k
views
Why do they say "more richer"?
See this video (a captioned children's story) at 1:34 (1 minute & 34 seconds)
They say, "He becomes even more richer than ever before"
Is more richer idiomatic?
Why don't they say "even much ...
- 14.9k
0
votes
1
answer
169
views
Which is correct: more expensive than "either "A or B" or "both A and B"?
The prices of A, B, and C are 10, 50, 100 dollars, respectively. In this case, which of the following is correct?
C is more expensive than both A and B.
C is more expensive than either A or B.
...
- 2,402
0
votes
1
answer
72
views
Comparative of Equality meaning the same as Comparative of Majority
In my mother language (Portuguese) , these sentences:
The house looks twice as big as it did in the street.
I'll go as quickly as I can
They mean, when they are translated, this:
The ...
- 459
1
vote
1
answer
78
views
Does "quantitative" have a comparative and a superlative?
While academic fields can create their own algorithms for
field-specific problems, they are all joined together by the same
basic concepts about finding the best and most quantitative ways to
...
- 1,778
0
votes
1
answer
152
views
Talking about an achievement - "one of the harder thing's I've done"
Is it correct, when talking about an achievement, to say something was:
"...one of the harder things I've done."
I know I should probably say:
"...one of the hardest things I've done"
But for ...
0
votes
1
answer
19
views
Comparative form - which one is correct?
Which of the following comparative forms is correct?
It is much cheaper to train doctors, teachers, police and other vital
public service workers than it is to train astronauts or the
...
- 81