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    Comparative Clauses

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    maria
    Comparative clauses compare a proposition in the main clause to one in a subordinate clause. There are different types of comparisons including equivalence, non-equivalence, sufficiency, and excess. Comparisons can be made between adjectives, adverbs, verbs, quantifiers, and subjects/objects. Ellipsis can be used to omit repeated verbs in the subordinate clause. Comparisons can also be made between adjectives/infinitives or gerunds. Special structures include "would rather" and "as though/as if".

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    Comparative Clauses

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    maria
    406 views3 pages
    Comparative clauses compare a proposition in the main clause to one in a subordinate clause. There are different types of comparisons including equivalence, non-equivalence, sufficiency, and excess. Comparisons can be made between adjectives, adverbs, verbs, quantifiers, and subjects/objects. Ellipsis can be used to omit repeated verbs in the subordinate clause. Comparisons can also be made between adjectives/infinitives or gerunds. Special structures include "would rather" and "as though/as if".

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    Actividades y teoría de comparativos en inglés

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    Comparative clauses compare a proposition in the main clause to one in a subordinate clause. There are different types of comparisons including equivalence, non-equivalence, sufficiency, and excess. Comparisons can be made between adjectives, adverbs, verbs, quantifiers, and subjects/objects. Ellipsis can be used to omit repeated verbs in the subordinate clause. Comparisons can also be made between adjectives/infinitives or gerunds. Special structures include "would rather" and "as though/as if".

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    406 views3 pages

    Comparative Clauses

    Uploaded by

    maria
    Comparative clauses compare a proposition in the main clause to one in a subordinate clause. There are different types of comparisons including equivalence, non-equivalence, sufficiency, and excess. Comparisons can be made between adjectives, adverbs, verbs, quantifiers, and subjects/objects. Ellipsis can be used to omit repeated verbs in the subordinate clause. Comparisons can also be made between adjectives/infinitives or gerunds. Special structures include "would rather" and "as though/as if".

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    The passage discusses different types of comparisons that can be made in a comparative clause, including comparisons of equivalence, non-equivalence, sufficiency, excess, and others. It also provides examples of comparative structures that can be used with different parts of speech.

    The types of comparisons discussed are comparisons of equivalence (as...as, just as ...as, etc.), comparisons of non-equivalence (more than, less than, etc.), comparisons of sufficiency (enough...to), and comparisons of excess (too...to).

    Examples given include comparisons of adjectives (e.g. It is darker today than it was yesterday) and with infinitives/gerunds (e.g. Getting a visa will soon be more difficult than it is now), as well as comparisons with finite verbs (e.g. He didn’t play as well as you did).

    COMPARATIVE CLAUSES

    In a comparative clause, a proposition expressed in the main clause is compared with a


    proposition expressed in the subordinate clause.
    e.g. It is darker today than it was yesterday
    Main clause
    Subordinate clause
    Types of comparison
    Comparison of equivalence:
    as...as, just as ...as, the same...as, not as...as, not so...as
    Comparison of non-equivalence:
    more than, less than, twice as...as, three times as...as
    Comparison of sufficiency:
    enough...to
    Comparison of excess:
    too...to
    Comparisons with adjectives (also postdeterminers like quantifiers) and finite
    verbs:
    e.g. It is darker today than it was yesterday

    Comparisons with quantifiers and finite verbs:


    e.g. He doesnt pay as much tax as we do
    Comparisons with adverbs and finite verbs:
    e.g. He didnt play as well as you did
    He sings more loudly than anyone else (does)
    You work harder than he does
    Notes
    Than/ as + Subject + verb
    e.g. He doesnt pay as much tax as we do
    Than/ as + Object pronoun
    e.g. He doesnt pay as much tax as us
    Ellipsis:

    Parts of the comparison that repeat the main verb can be left out in the subordinate clause,

    though auxiliaries are repeated and the verb can be replaced by a form of do:
    e.g. James enjoys the theatre more than Susan enjoys it
    James enjoys the theatre more than Susan does
    However, when ellipsis is taken to its fullest extent, ambiguity can arise as to whether the
    remaining noun phrase is subject or object:
    e.g. He loves his dog more than his children
    more than they love it? (children is Subject)
    or more than he loves them? (children is Object)
    Formal English makes the distinction if his children is replaced by a pronoun:
    e.g. He loves his dog more than they
    He loves his dog more than them
    But in other styles, the objective case them is used for both. So where there is danger of
    ambiguity it is better to expand the clause.
    Comparisons with adjectives and infinitives/ gerunds

    e.g. Its sometimes as cheap to buy a new car as (it is) (to) repair the old one
    Getting a visa will soon be more difficult than it is now
    To-inf
    Gerund

    Particular occasions
    General statements

    However, often either can be used:


    e.g. Its sometimes as cheap to buy a new car as (it is) (to) repair the old one.
    Buying a new car is sometimes as cheap as repairing the old one.
    It will soon be more difficult to get a visa than it is now.
    Getting a visa will soon be more difficult than it is now.

    To-inf + as/ than + to-inf.


    e.g. It is as cheap to buy a new car as to repair the old one.

    Gerund + as/ than + gerund


    e.g. Buying a new car is as cheap as repairing the old one.

    Finite verb + this/ that/ which + as/ than + gerund


    e.g. He cleaned his shoes, which was better than doing nothing
    2

    cf. ?He cleaned his shoes, which was better than to do nothing
    Ill deliver it by hand; this will be cheaper than posting it.
    cf. ?Ill deliver it by hand; this will be cheaper than to post it
    Would rather/ sooner
    e.g. Most people would rather work than starve
    As though/ as if
    They acted as if/ as though they had never heard of us
    (They acted the way one would do if they had never heard of us)
    The situation in the main clause is compared to the situation in the comparative clause

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