Comparison and Comparative Construction

1. Comparison and Comparative Construction • 1. Comparison of adjectives and adverbs • 2. Comparative constructions • 3. Contrast between comparative constructions

2. 1. Comparison of adjectives and adverbs • 1) Regular comparison of adjectives • 2) Regular comparison of adverbs • 3) Irregular comparison of adjectives and adverbs

3. 1) Regular comparison of adjectives • Comparison in relation to a higher or the highest degree is expressed by the inflected forms in –er or –est, or by their equivalents with more or most; the former is known as the synthetic form and the latter the analytic form.

4. 2) Regular comparison of adverbs • Comparison of adverbs is similar to that of adjectives. Adverbs of one syllable form their comparative degree in –er and their superlative in –est. Adverbs of more than one syllable usually take more and most forms.

5. 3) Irregular comparison of adjectives and adverbs • There are only a small number of adjectives and adverbs whose comparative and superlative degrees take irregular forms. These adjectives and adverbs include bad, good/well, old, far, much, badly.

6. 2. Comparative constructions • 1) “As…as” construction • 2) “More…than” construction • 3)“(The) + superlative adjective/adverb + scope of comparison”

7. 1) “As…as” construction • The basic patten of “as…as” construction is “as + adjective/adverb + as”, eg: • John is as bright as Bob. • There are cases in which the subjects of the comparative and the main clause are identical but the comparative elements are different, eg: • The girl was as bright as she was beautiful. • There are also cases where both the subjects and the comparative elements are different, eg: • The swimming pool isn’t as wide as that one is long. • Another patter of “as…as” construction is “as much/many + noun + as-clause”, in which much and many are determiners, eg: • You can take as much butter as you need. • She wrote as many essays as her brother (did).

8. 2) “More…than” construction • The basic pattern of “more…than” construction is “comparative degree + than-clause”, eg: • This parcel is heavier than that one. • Another pattern of “more…than” construction is “determiner more/ less/ fewer + noun + than-clause”. As in the case of “as…as” construction, the noun is always embedded in the comparative structure, eg: • You have made fewer mistakes than I have. • A variant form of “more…than” construction is “comparative + adjective + noun + than-clause”, eg: • John is a more efficient worker than Jack. • Another variant form of “more…than” construction is “the comparative adjective/ adverb + of-phrase”, eg: • John is the brighter of the two boys. • The third variant form of “more…than” construction is “more/ less of a + noun + than-clause”, eg: • He is more/ less of a sportsman than his brother. • = He is more/less sportsmanlike than his brother.

9. 3)“(The) + superlative adjective/adverb + scope of comparison” • Compare: • The Sahara is the largest desert in the world. • This is the most interesting book I have ever read. • Shakepeare was the greatest dramatist ever known. • I will do it with the greatest pleasure. • The negative form of the superlative construction is “the least…”, which,, in practical usage, is usually replaced by the superlative degree of antonymous adjectives or adverbs, eg: • This is the least difficult book I have ever read. • = This is the easiest book I have ever read. • The idea of highest degree can also be expressed by other constructions. In some contexts the positive or comparative degree expresses the same meaning as is usually conveyed by the superlative, eg: • George did more work than anyone else. • = George did the most work.

10. 3. Contrast between comparative constructions • 1) “More…than” vs quasi-coordinative type • 2) “Not so…as” vs “not so much…as” • 3) “Not more/-er…than” vs “no more/er…than” • 4) “The more…the more” vs “more and more”

11. 1) “More…than” vs quasi-coordinative type, eg: • He is more good than bad. • = He is good rather than bad. • He was less hurt than frightened. • = He was frightened rather than hurt.

12. 2) “Not so…as” vs “not so much…as” • “Not so…as” is the negative form of “as…as” construction, whereas “not so much…as” is another quasi-coordinative construction similar in meaning to the quasi-coordinative use of “less…than”, eg: • It wasn’t so much his appearance I liked as his personality. • = I liked his personality rather than his appearance.

13. 3) “Not more/-er…than” vs “no more/er…than” • “Not more/-er…than” is the negative form of “more…than” construction, whereas “no more/er…than” means “not…any more than.” Thus, “A is no wiser than B” means “A is not wise just as B is not wise”, implying both A and B are stupid. Likewise, “ A whale is no more a fish than a horse is” means “A whale is not a fish just as a horse is not a fish”. • In specific contexts, “more than” may have negative implication, as in: • My trip to Beijing is more than sightseeing. • =My trip to Beijing is not merely for sightseeing.

14. 4) “The more…the more” vs “more and more” • “The more…the more” is commonly used to denote two parallel processes on a proportional increase, eg: • The older I get, the happier I am. • = When I get older, I become happier. • “More and more” is usually used to denote one process that is on a continual increase, eg: • The car was running faster and faster. • His health is getting better and better.

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