Questions about grammaticality of comparisons
Questions about grammaticality of comparisons. Not to be confused with comparative.
Questions tagged [comparisons]
316 questions
11
votes
2 answers
"Behaves similar to" or "behaves similarly to"?
I wrote the following comment in a programming forum:
Objects in JavaScript behave similar to a regular associative array.
This is how I would use the word "similar" in normal conversation. However, the dictionary says that "similar" is an…
Derek 朕會功夫
- 237
9
votes
1 answer
Scottish vs. scotch
I looked up the dictionary, and both gave me definitions that refer to a people from Scotland. Is there a difference between these two words?
Thursagen
- 41,919
3
votes
6 answers
Difference between "Better than" and "More than"
Is it always possible to use "better than" and "more than" interchangeably?
Many users prefer the look and feel of A better than B.
Many users prefer the look and feel of A more than B.
Edit: The above examples are quoted from here:
Many users…
B Faley
- 4,233
3
votes
3 answers
Is there a word that describes both "comparing" and "contrasting"?
I'm looking for a more succinct word/small phrase that conveys the idea of "comparing and contrasting". Is there a word that hits two birds with one stone by representing both similarities and differences between two ideas/objects?
kamatama
- 39
2
votes
1 answer
Assume vs. presuppose
I've read all related online posts but still found quite confused in distinguishing the two.
I tried to construct the following examples:
i) My colleagues are wrong in alleging there are more crimes in our country. They assume that increasing crime…
Lenny
- 155
2
votes
4 answers
Should I keep the second "than" in "A is better than B and than C"?
I'm comparing an object A to 2 other objects B and C.
Objects names are somehow long so It seems to me that adding another "than" makes the sentence clearer:
A also had a significantly better predictive value on these outcomes
than its simplified…
Dan Chaltiel
- 194
2
votes
3 answers
Meaning of "X is the biggest since Y"
This has confused me for a very long time. I might be overthinking this and this may be a super simple concept, but if anyone can confirm or clarify, I'd really appreciate it! :-)
When the media use 'since' to compare something to a previous…
matt2507864
- 51
2
votes
1 answer
If two lists are the same, do they coincide?
Let's say our science group at the university has computed a list of values, like e.g. the masses of all the planets in the solar system. Some other group abroad computed the same list and got exactly the same values.
Do we say that our lists…
Dan
- 301
2
votes
1 answer
Comparisons with the word "twice" — i.e. twice as expensive vs. twice more expensive
Why is it that it's okay to say "This dress is twice as expensive as this jacket" but not okay to say "This dress is twice more expensive than this jacket" ?
Furthermore, it seems okay to me so say, for example, "This book is two times more…
Taryn
- 21
2
votes
3 answers
Is there such phrase as "what more"?
In sentences that I want to emphasize the ability of a person to do a certain task at a greater degree than another person, will it make sense to use "what more"?
If Canelo can do that to Khan, what more can Golovkin?
John, a novice swimmer, was…
Wuvex
- 377
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2
votes
2 answers
"I don't give a fig" degrees of comparison
It's absolutely OK to say something like
"My liver pain bothers me more than my nose bleeding"
right?
But what about the opposite attitude. If I don't really care about something, can I compare it with not taking care about something else, for…
sovo2014
- 311
2
votes
1 answer
Use of "that of" (e.g. "that of in")
Sentence in question:
The total amount of donation in 2010 has surpassed that of in 1990.
Can you use "that of" as a tool to compare the difference in volume of a same thing in different years?
Sungwoo
- 23
2
votes
1 answer
"The box of candies" or "The box of THE candies"
I understand that
"Look on the table. Take the box of candies."
is ok. But is this ok?
"Take the box of the candies."
If so, is there any difference?
2
votes
1 answer
Kinder vs More Kind
Do we say "kinder" or "more kind"? I found people saying both things over the internet and got confused. Which is the correct one?
evil999man
- 129
- 1
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2
votes
1 answer
"Refurbish" vs. "Furbish"
Question is as title says. Is there any difference between refurbish and furbish or for all intents and purposes are they synonyms?
These are the 2 levels I would like to discuss:
Differences on definitions based purely on pedantry (i.e. which would…
Bed
- 23