Comparative and Superlative Comparisons - Clear, Explicit, and Accurate

1. Module 6

2. Comparisons

3. Avoid double comparisons. • X Judith is less sleepier than I am. • Judith is less sleepy than I am. • little-less-least • sleepy-sleepier-sleepiest

4. 2. Comparisons should be clear on which items are being compared. • X Mr. Santos’s is older than his neighbor. (The house is older than the neighbor?) • Mr. Santos’s house is older than his neighbor’s (house). • Mr. Santos’s house is older than that of his neighbor.

5. 3. Items compared should be explicitly set apart from each other; a member should be set apart from the rest of the group. • X Pollution is worse in Nashville than in any city.(But Nashville is itself included in the phrase any city.) • Pollution is worse in Nashville than in any other city. • Pollution is worse in Nashville than in other cities.

6. X Peter became more successful than anybody in his class. • Peter became more successful than anybody else in his class. • Peter became more successful than the rest of his class.

7. 4. In the superlative, the focused noun phrase must logically belong to the same set as the other noun phrases. • X Rizza is the smartest among her sisters. (Rizza is not part of the phrase her sisters.) • Rizza is the smartest among the Toledo sisters. • Rizza is the smartest of the sisters.

8. Comparisons Quiz • Correct each sentence. • Mary is more better than Claire. • Arthur’s car is newer than his cousin. • These red apples are more crispier than the green apples. • Jane was more diligent than anybody in her class. • Our school is more farther than your school.

9. 6. Anthony is the wisest among his brothers. 7. Jerome’s toy car is the most fastest. 8. Lisa is more hardworking of the sisters. 9. Ms. Johnson’s dog is younger than her sister. 10. Margaret is the most tallest of the contestants.

10. The Use of so, very and such

11. Do not use such with an adjective or an adverb; use so. • X Mario was suchstrong that he could lift a thirty-pound box! • Mario was sostrong that he could lift a thirty-pound box!

12. 2. Do not use very instead of so with adjectives and adverbs followed by that. • X The boy ran veryfast that he won. • The boy ran sofast that he won.

13. 3. In general, do not use so when it is not followed by that and a clause; use very. • X He was so sad when they left. • He was very sad when they left. • X He came with so many guards. •  He came with very many guards.

14. The Use of So, Very and Such Quiz • Correct each sentence. • Carlos was such smart that he defeated Antonio in the contest. • The manager was very pleased that she gave her a bonus. • They were so noisy when they left the room. • Cathi wrote very slow that she didn’t finish her essay.

15. 5. Joshua was such talkative that he was asked to leave the room. 6. Chris was so upset when he left the meeting. 7. Our neighbor sang very well that she was invited to sing at the mayor’s birthday celebration. 8. Teresa was very bored that she fell asleep.