Formation of Comparative Sentences
Formation of Comparative Sentences :
Compare :
(i) Mrs. Thatcher is more intelligent than her rivals.
(ii) Mrs. Thatcher is the most intelligent of the four leaders in the Parliament.
Note :
Mrs. Thatcher is compared to her rivals in the sentence (i).
In the sentence (ii), Mrs. Thatcher is one of the four leaders, we are talking about. Here we use the Superlative.
1. I am younger than my sister. (correct)
2. Your pronunciation is worse than mine.
3. Mount Everest is higher than all other Himalayan peaks.
4. Mount Blaine is higher than all other Alpine peaks.
5. Mount Everest is the highest peak in the Himalayas.
6. Mount Blanc is the highest peak in the Alps.
Note :
It is sometimes, that the comparative is used for a comparison between two and the superlative for a comparison between more than two.
This is not a very good rule.
It is true that we sometimes use the comparative instead of the superlative to talk about a group that has only two members.
Comparatives are followed by THAN.
1. The weather now is cooler than that in the last month.
2. She has been waiting longer than he.
Which is correct?
1. richer than I or richer than me
2. older than I or older than me
In informal English, object pronouns (me, him, her, us, them) are often used after than.
But in a more formal style, subject pronouns (I & he) are considered more correct.
She is richer than me. (informal)
She is older than me. (informal)
She is older than me. (informal)
She is older than I. (formal)
She is richer than I. (formal)
THAN : (conjunction) used for introducing (the second part of an unequal comparison)
I know him better than you.
You may know him well. But I know him better.
THAN : conjunction connects two sentences.
(1) you know him better (+than)
(2) I do.
THAN : (preposition) in comparison with
Mr. Thanu is taller than me.
than - Preposition
'me' - object of ’than'
I was more annoyed than worried when they didn't come home.
(annoyed - different from 'worried')
At times, I drive at more than 100 kilometres per hour.
(than - Preposition)
When the pronoun is used with a verb, only Subject pronouns are possible.
Susan found more friends in the party than I did.
(Not……than me did)
Study the following sentences.
The older I get, the richer I am.
The more adventurous it is, the more I like it.
The sooner you begin, the more quickly you'll be finished.
The more the persons you know, the less the times you have to see them.
Note :
In the sentences above, 'the' has to be used with the comparatives.
More you work…..(not correct)
The more you work…..(correct)
My friend is older than I. (correct)
My friend is very older than I. (not correct)
VERY is not used with comparative.
You are far more patient than I am.
(Instead of 'very', far - may be used)
You are much older than I am. (correct)
(Instead of "very" - 'much' can be used)
Other words and expressions that can be used to modify comparatives are….
Very much, a lot, any, no, rather, a little, a bit - etc.,
1. She looks very much nicer now.
2. The merchants, as a class, are a lot happier now.
3. This typist does the work rather more quickly.
4. This car is a little less expensive.
5. This problem is a bit easier.
6. Is your husband any more worried?
7. Things look no better than before.
Less : (determiner, pronoun) comparative of 'Little'
(little - less - least) - a smaller amount - not so much
Nothing in this shop is for less than Rs. 10.
It is no less a person than the President.
It is surprising to see such an important person.
Now that our system is computerized, we hope there will be less problems than before.
Few : (determiner - Pronoun) - used without 'a' to show the smallness of a number - not many, not enough
I have few enemies.
There are so few that I can't give you one.
Note :
We have fewer students this year.
I earn less money than my sister.
I have much less time now. (correct)
I have far less time now. (incorrect)
FEWER is used before plural words and LESS before uncountable words.
little - less - least
few - fewer - fewest
There are fewer customers than there used to be.
I earn less money than a postman.
I have less friends now than ever before. (not formal style)
Note :
LESS is not used before FRIENDS.
I have fewer friends now than ever before. (Correct)
Formation of Comparative Sentences
The Grammar Index
