"Such solutions cause more problems that they improve a situation."

[newkeenlearner]

Hi everyone,
Are these two sentences correct? I want to know if it is possible to use 'more' and 'rather than' together or not, or 'more' can be used only with 'than'.

"Such solutions cause more problems than they improve a situation."

"Such solutions cause more problems rather than improving a situation."

 

[Phaedrus]

(1) Such solutions more cause problems than improve situations. (informal, IMO)
(2) Such solutions rather cause problems than improve situations. (archaic)
(3) Such solutions cause problems more than they improve situations. (normal)
(4) Such solutions cause problems rather than improve situations. (not the same)

 

[newkeenlearner]

Thanks teacher. However, I need to know whether the following is correct or not?
"Such solutions cause more problems than they improve situations."
"Such solutions cause more problems rather than improving situations."

 

[teechar]

Consider:
Such "solutions" can do more harm than good.

http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/do-more-harm-than-good

 

[Rover_KE]

I see you have asked the same question here.

 

[newkeenlearner]

Yes. Because the explanation here wasn't satisfied, and didn't solve my problem.

 

[jutfrank]

To try to answer your questions directly:

Are these two sentences correct?

No, they don't sound quite right. There are much better ways of phrasing what you mean to say.

I want to know if it is possible to use 'more' and 'rather than' together or not, or 'more' can be used only with 'than'.

It's theoretically possible, but not in the way you are attempting here.

I would suggest using a completely different way of phrasing your thought.

 

[Phaedrus]

Thanks teacher. However, I need to know whether the following is correct or not?
"Such solutions cause more problems than they improve situations."
"Such solutions cause more problems rather than improving situations."

No, they're not correct. It makes no sense to compare "more problems" (a quantity) with "improve / improving situations" (an action or process). My revisions above were based on my suspicion that you were trying to say that it is more the case that problems are caused by such solutions than it is the case that situations are improved by them. But you seem to have your heart set on using the quantity phrase "more problems." What you need to do, then, is to compare two quantities. You could accomplish this in the passive voice.

(5) More problems are caused than situations improved by such solutions.

 

[newkeenlearner]

My revisions above were based on my suspicion that you were trying to say that it is more the case that problems are caused by such solutions than it is the case that situations are improved by them.

Definitely.

(5) More problems are caused than situations improved by such solutions.

​

It is such an interesting and complicated sentence. I have never seen such grammar in any sentences. However, It is so difficult and complicated for me to understand it. Thanks anyway.

 

[jutfrank]

Perhaps you could expand Phaedrus' suggested sentence like so to make it easier to understand.

More problems are caused [by such solutions] than situations [are] improved by such solutions.