uwf writing lab rules of thumb for faulty...

UWF WRITING LAB RULES OF THUMB FOR FAULTY

COMPARISONS

From Real Good

Grammar, Too by

Mamie Webb Hixon

1

Created by April Turner Revised

by Mamie Webb Hixon July 2,

2010

Can you find the man in the coffee beans?

This is bizarre –

After you find the guy, it's so obvious.

Once you find him - it's embarrassing, and

you think, “Why didn't I see him

immediately?”

And, yes, the man is really there.

Doctors have concluded that, if you find the man in 3 seconds, then the right half of your brain is better developed than most people.

If you find the man between 3 seconds and one minute, then your right half of the brain is developed normally.

If you find the man between one minute and 3 minutes, then the right half of your brain is functioning slowly and you need to Eat more protein.

If you have not found the man after 3 minutes, the right half of your brain is a mess, and the only advice is to look for more of these types of exercises to make that part of the brain stronger.

Now that you have found the man in the pile

of coffee beans, can you find the faulty

comparison error in the sentence below?

Doctors have concluded that if you find

the man in the coffee beans in 3 seconds,

the right half of your brain is better

developed than most people.

FAULTY COMPARISON ERROR

Doctors have concluded that if you find

the man in the coffee beans in 3 seconds,

the right half of your brain is better

developed than most people.

CORRECTION

Doctors have concluded that if you find the

man in the coffee beans in 3 seconds, the

right half of your brain is better developed

than the right half of the brain of most

people.

TRUE OR FALSE?

According to the data released in September 2010

by the U.S. Census Bureau, the United States is

“one nation under the poverty line,” and Mississippi

is the most poorest state in the country.

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TRUE OR FALSE?

The statement is true, but the grammar is false –

bad!

BAD GRAMMAR (Both most and –est are incorrectly added

to the adjective poor, creating a faulty (ungrammatical)

comparison): According to the data released in September

2010 by the U.S. Census Bureau, the United States is “one

nation under the poverty line,” and Mississippi is the most

poorest state in the country.

CORRECT: According to the data released in September 2010

by the U.S. Census Bureau, the United States is “one nation

under the poverty line,” and Mississippi is the poorest state in

the country.

9

Correct or Incorrect?

Gas costs are higher than last year.

Gas costs twenty cents more than last year.

10

Incorrect

Gas costs are higher than last year.

Gas costs twenty cents more than last year.

THE INFORMATION MAY BE CORRECT, BUT THE

GRAMMAR IS INCORRECT.

THE SENTENCES ABOVE CONTAIN FAULTY

COMPARISONS.

Both sentences compare two dissimilar things: “gas

costs” and “gas” to “last year.”

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Corrections

CHANGE: Gas costs are higher than last year.

TO: Gas costs are higher than they were last year.

Gas costs are higher than last year’s.

CHANGE: Gas costs twenty cents more than last

year.

TO: Gas costs twenty cents more than it did last

year.

12

More Better English

Try to make your writing more clear by using logical

comparisons.

Obviously, “more better” and “more clear” are

grammatically incorrect. These are typical faulty

comparisons.

REVISED

BETTER ENGLISH (No need for “more” and

“better”)

Try to make your writing clearer by using logical

comparisons. (one-syllable adjective – add only –er)

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Comparisons occur when a writer

establishes a logical or grammatical

relationship between two or more similar

people or things by comparing them to each

other. Usually, a word such as than appears

in the comparison, or -er (or more) or -est or

most indicates the comparison.

14

Faulty comparisons occur when a writer

establishes an illogical or ungrammatical

relationship by comparing two or more

dissimilar people or things. Usually, -er and

more or -est and most appear with an

adjective (more clearer, for instance); or an

illogical statement is made (Gas prices are

higher than last year).

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The following sentences are both illogical and ungrammatical.

The people in the South are more friendlier than they

are in the North.

The summer temperatures in Los Angeles are much

higher than San Francisco.

My British accent is not as noticeable as Carlos.

The Celtics beat the Lakers worse than the Heat.

Our team is as good, or better than, the Wildcats.

Of the two weightlifters, he is the strongest.

Tyson hit Holyfield harder than Spinks.

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The following sentences are both illogical and ungrammatical.

The people in the South are more friendlier friendlier than they

are in the North.

The summer temperatures in Los Angeles are much higher

than San Francisco than they are in San Francisco.

My British accent is not as noticeable as Carlos not as

noticeable as Carlos’s accent.

The Celtics beat the Lakers worse than the Heat than they beat

the Heat.

Our team is as good, as good as, or better than, the Wildcats.

Of the two weightlifters, he is the strongest stronger.

Tyson hit Holyfield harder than Spinks than he hit Spinks.

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Comp

If your writing instructor has written this abbreviation (comp) above a

part of one of your sentences, you have likely committed one of these

errors:

Misuse of the superlative – Of the two wars, the Civil War was

the longest.

Double comparison – more friendlier, most highest honor,

most farthest, more rounder

Illogical comparison – a car smaller than her brother

Ambiguous comparison – I like Stewart better than you.

Incomplete comparison – Smiladent gives you whiter teeth.

Omission of “other” – A Toyota gets better gas mileage than

any Japanese car.

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Recognizing CORRECT Comparisons

OTHER is used with ANY to ensure that the

person or thing being compared is excluded

from the group of which it is a part.

More people get their news from CNN than

from any other source.

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The -er ending or more is added to

adjectives and adverbs in comparisons of

two things or people.

A competitive athlete practices daily to be

swifter, higher, and stronger than his or her

opponent.

Of the two candidates, he is the more

qualified.

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The -est ending or most is added to

adjectives and adverbs in comparisons of

more than two things or people.

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats closed in 2000

as the longest-running Broadway show ever

in the world; in 2006, Webber’s Phantom of

the Opera became the longest-running

Broadway show.

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More and -er are not combined in

comparisons; neither are most and -est.

I was lonelier living in a large metropolitan

city than I am in a small town.

NOT

I was more lonelier living in a large

metropolitan city than I am in a small town.

22


More and -er are not combined in

comparisons; neither are most and -est.

Among the high school seniors, Bland made

the highest score on the ACT.

NOT

Among the high school seniors, Bland made

the most highest score on the ACT.

23


Comparisons are made between two similar things.

Colin Powell’s popularity was greater than anybody

else’s in the Bush cabinet.

NOT

Colin Powell’s popularity was greater than anybody

else in the Bush cabinet.

New York’s taxes are higher than California’s.

NOT

New York’s taxes are higher than California.

24


AS . . . AS is used when a point of equal or

superior comparison is made.

Ammonia cleans most floors as well as or

better than many high-priced cleaners.

NOT

Ammonia cleans most floors as well or better

than many high-priced cleaners.

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Comparisons between two people or things

are explicitly stated, not implied.

I appreciate pop culture music better than my

roommate does.

NOT

I appreciate pop culture music better than my

roommate. AMBIGUOUS

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Comparisons are complete.

The professor can do a better, more effective

job assisting students than she has in the

past.

NOT

The professor can do a better, more effective

job assisting students.

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Comparisons are logical.

My adviser notified me that my grades are

better than they were last semester.

NOT

My adviser notified me that my grades are

better than last semester.

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DEGREES OF COMPARISON

Comparative Degree

Superlative Degree

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Degrees of Comparison - Examples

POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE

gentle gentler gentlest

charismatic more charismatic most charismatic

dependable more dependable most dependable

expensive more expensive most expensive

clear clearer clearest

lengthy lengthier lengthiest

lucky luckier luckiest

smart smarter smartest

happy happier happiest

good better best

bad worse worst

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COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES

Most one-syllable and two-syllable modifiers

(adjectives and adverbs) change with the

addition of an –er and an –est.

POSITIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE

kind kinder kindest

friendly friendlier friendliest

witty wittier wittiest

lonely lonelier loneliest

relaxed more relaxed most relaxed

scary scarier scariest 31

COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES

Most three- to five-syllable modifiers and

some two-syllable modifiers (adjectives and

adverbs) change with the addition of more

and most. honest more honest most honest

eager more eager most eager

aggressive more aggressive most aggressive

superstitious more superstitious most superstitious

efficient more efficient most efficient

professional more professional most professional

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WHEN IN DOUBT, . . .

Consult a dictionary.

Look up the adjective or adverb, and the

dictionary will provide both the comparative

and superlative forms. lengthy lengthier lengthiest

handsome more handsome most handsome

handsome handsomer handsomest

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Rules for Comparing Things or People

When comparing two

things or people, use

-er or more.

When comparing more

than two things or

people, use -est or

most.

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EXAMPLES

Of the two schools in the area, the state

college has the stricter entrance

requirements.

Of the three schools in the area, the state

college has the strictest entrance

requirements.

35

Comparative Degree with –er or more

President George H.W. Bush advocated for a

kinder, gentler [not more kinder, more

gentler] nation.

Dolphins are smarter [not more smarter]

than sharks.

Skiing is riskier [not more riskier] than

skating.

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The diagnostic test is more harder than the final exam.

CORRECT: The diagnostic test is harder than the final

exam.

hard harder hardest

Children from dysfunctional families are usually more

needier than families living in a stable environment.

CORRECT: Children from dysfunctional families are

usually needier than families living in a stable

environment.

needy needier neediest

37

Jon Stewart is a more funnier comedian than Stephen

Colbert.

CORRECT: Jon Stewart is a funnier comedian than

Stephen Colbert

funny funnier funniest

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Superlative Degree with –est or most

Jake is the most aggressive player on the

team.

St. Augustine is considered the oldest city in

Florida.

Shena is the tallest player on the women’s

basketball team.

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REMEMBER: The superlative degree is the best in its class.

Among the Senior Superlatives in my

graduating class were the Most Likely to

Succeed and the Prettiest.

40

DOUBLE COMPARISONS

Do not use both an -er/-est ending with the

words more/most.

Robots perform many tasks with greater [not

more greater] speed than people do.

In fact, robots are often better [not more

better] at performing tasks than humans are.

41

DOUBLE COMPARISONS

Do not use both an -er/-est ending with the

words more/most: friendliest, NOT most

friendliest.

INCORRECT: She is the most happiest girl in

the world.

CORRECT: She is the happiest girl in the

world.

42

DOUBLE COMPARISONS

INCORRECT: Is the United States more

safer from terrorist attacks now than it was

September 11, 2001?

CORRECT: Is the United States safer from

terrorist attacks now than it was September

11, 2001?

43

ILLOGICAL COMPARISONS

Do not compare dissimilar items.

CHANGE

The interest at a loan company is higher than a bank.

TO

higher than a bank’s.

OR

higher than that of a bank.

OR

higher than the interest at a bank.

44

AMBIGUOUS COMPARISONS

Make sure that the meaning of the sentence is clear to the

reader.

CHANGE

Jacob likes pizza better than Juju.

TO

better than Juju does.

OR

better than he likes Juju.

45

INCOMPLETE COMPARISONS

CHANGE

Television advertising is more effective.

TO

more effective than magazine advertising.

46


CHANGE

Millions more web users turn to real news media for news.

TO

Millions more web users turn to real news media for news than to “citizen news.”

CHANGE

Real news media are more reliable and responsible.

TO

Real news media are more reliable and responsible than online news videos.

47


CHANGE

The gap between rich and poor is growing wider.

TO

The gap between rich and poor is growing wider than it has in the last decade.

48

OMISSION OF AS

CHANGE

Online advertising is as effective if not more so than television advertising. (as is missing)

TO

Online advertising is as effective as television advertising, if not more so.

49

OMISSION OF OTHER, ANY, and ELSE

CHANGE

Los Angeles has more

freeway traffic than any

city in the U.S. (other is

missing)

TO

than any other city in

the U.S.

50


CHANGE

He has lost more jobs

than any president in

the last five years.

(other is missing)

TO

than any other

president in the last five

years.

51


CHANGE

More people voted this

year than in any

election. (other is

missing)

TO

than in any other

election.

52

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Does anyone

have any

questions about

recognizing or

correcting faulty

comparisons?

PLEASE ASK!!!

53

LET’S PRACTICE!!!

Roses are traditionally more symbolic than any

flower.

any other flower

I am more lonelier here than I was in California.

I am lonelier

Our new apartment is just as spacious, if not more

spacious than, our old one.

just as spacious as

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LET’S PRACTICE A LITTLE MORE!!!

No one works harder.

No one works harder than Dan works.

The salary of a manager is lower than a

lawyer.

lower than a lawyer’s.

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