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Chapter 10

Writing Gooder Better Comparisons

Are your comparisons correcter than your friends'? If you've already crossed out correcter and substituted more correct, you're on your way to better (not gooder!) comparisons. The questions in this chapter challenge you to create comparisons that conform to the rules of Standard English. You also practice identifying and correcting vague, illogical, or impossible comparisons.

The Questions You'll Work On

In this chapter, you work on questions that involve the following tasks:

 Choosing the correct word(s) to compare two elements (the comparative form, such as nicer) or three or more elements (the superlative form, such as nicest)

 Inserting more, most, less, and least properly

 Dealing with irregular comparisons — good, better, best and bad, worse, worst

 Identifying words that can’t be compared

 Avoiding incomplete and illogical comparisons

What to Watch Out For

Keep these points in mind when you’re answering the questions in this chapter:

 Short words often form positive comparisons by adding -er or -est to the base word. If the base word ends in y, you generally change the y to i before adding -er or -est.

 Don’t double up: If you add -er or -est, don’t use more or most too.

 Use the comparative (-er or more, less) when comparing two elements and the superlative (-est or most, least) when comparing three or more elements.

 Absolutes — perfect, unique, and similar concepts — can’t be compared.

 Good, bad, well, many, and much are irregular.

 All comparisons must be complete and clear.

 Use other or else when comparing someone or something to the group that includes the person or thing being compared.

Creating Comparative and Superlative Forms

452–476 Which comparisons of the base word are correct?

452. Base word: neat

Comparisons: neater, more neater, less neat, neatest, least neat

453. Base word: close

Comparisons: more close, closer, most close, less close, closest

454. Base word: beautiful

Comparisons: beautifuller, more beautiful, beautifullest, most beautiful, less beautiful

455. Base word: scary

Comparisons: scarier, scariest, more scarier, most scariest, least scary

456. Base word: competent

Comparisons: competenter, less competent, less competenter, least competent, least competentest

457. Base word: pretty

Comparisons: prettyer, prettier, prettyest, prettiest, less pretty

458. Base word: softly

Comparisons: softlier, softliest, more softly, most softly, less softly

459. Base word: fast

Comparisons: faster, fastest, less fast, least fast, most fast

460. Base word: tall

Comparisons: taller, tallest, more tall, most tall, less tall

461. Base word: rapidly

Comparisons: more rapidly, most rapidly, less rapidly, least rapidly, rapider

462. Base word: concerned

Comparisons: more concerned, less concerned, most concerned, least concerned, concernest

463. Base word: nimbly

Comparisons: nimblier, nimbliest, more nimbly, more nimblier, most nimbliest

464. Base word: merry

Comparisons: more merry, most merry, more merrier, most merriest, merrier

465. Base word: loudly

Comparisons: loudlier, loudliest, more loudly, most loudly, more loudlier

466. Base word: curved

Comparisons: curveder, curvedest, less curved, least curved, most curved

467. Base word: friendly

Comparisons: friendlier, friendliest, less friendlier, least friendlier, most friendlier

468. Base word: artificially

Comparisons: more artificially, most artificially, less artificially, least artificially, artificialler

469. Base word: dead

Comparisons: deader, deadest, more dead, less dead, most dead

470. Base word: good

Comparisons: better, best, more better, most better, less better

471. Base word: much

Comparisons: mucher, more, muchest, most, less much

472. Base word: bad

Comparisons: worse, worser, worst, worster, more bad

473. Base word: unique

Comparisons: uniquer, uniquest, more unique, most unique, least unique

474. Base word: well

Comparisons: better, best, weller, wellest, more well

475. Base word: perfect

Comparisons: perfecter, perfectest, more perfect, most perfect, more nearly perfect

476. Base word: badly

Comparisons: badlier, more badlier, badliest, less badliest, worse

Avoiding Incomplete, Illogical, or Vague Comparisons

477–501 How should the underlined expression be changed to create a correct comparison? Note: Check the parentheses, if present, for clues to the intended meaning of the sentence.

477. Alice is happier. (comparing Alice to her sister)

478. When Peter quit his job, he was poorer.

479. George Washington may be more famous than any President of the United States.

480. This allergy season is equally as bad as last year’s season.

481. Compared to his brother, Levi has the most freckles.

482. During the boring lecture, five people fell asleep, and Darian snored the loudest.

483. Dmitri Smith and his wife Alicia Alvarez are both dentists, but Alicia earns the least.

484. My parakeet Robbie has the curviest tail. (comparing Robbie to all birds)

485. Veronica likes Archie less than her friend Bob.

486. The invention of the touchscreen was more important than any technological innovation of that year.

487. Ending on page 1,000, that Victorian novel is longer than most modern novelists.

488. The dance teacher claimed that Fred, nervous and self-conscious, tried not to look dumb and “ended up looking dumber.”

489. After examining 50 antique statues, the curator said that the one from Mesopotamia was more incomparable.

490. Elizabeth Bennet, the main character in Pride and Prejudice, is less self-aware than she thinks she is.

491. “Oranges are juicier than any fruit,” exclaimed Ann as she bit into a freshly picked piece.

492. Julia’s accent is less comprehensible than Alicia.

493. A circle that is 2 inches in diameter is rounder than one with a 4-inch diameter.

494. Marcy loaned money to her friend, whose house is the messier in the neighborhood.

495. Henry’s strategy for achieving a perfect score on the SAT was less efficient as referenced to mine.

496. Of all the minutes in a day, the baby had to pick the worse one to fall asleep!

497. My suitcase is as heavy, perhaps even heavier than, yours.

498. George does a better job repairing shoes than either Mac or Nelson.

499. Sidney’s hair, before his recent trip to the salon, was curlier than Anthony.

500. Discussing his role in the negotiations, Mr. Alexander claimed to be the more effective of the two union representatives.

501. This lamp is as bright, if not brighter than, all the others in my house.