Comperative

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Sep 23, 2008
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Turkish
Home Country
Turkey
Current Location
Turkey
What should I say to define,say,a chimney was not as sooty as I expected,as less sootier ?

Or what form do the similar adjectives take ? ...hard : less harder..shy :less shier ?

Thanks in advance.
 
Last edited:

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic
A was sootier/harder than B.
B was not as sooty/hard as A.
B was less sooty/hard than B.

A was more difficult than B.
B was not as difficult as A.
B was less difficult than A.
 

nouamaneer

Junior Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2011
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
Arabic
Home Country
Morocco
Current Location
Tenerife
What should I say to define,say,a chimney was not sooty as I expected,as less sootier ?

Or what form do the similar adjectives take ? ...hard : less harder..shy :less shier ?

Thanks in advance.

Comparisons with 'as .... as' take an adjective in its original form. That means: not as sooty as I expected. Which simply implies the first element as less sooty.

On another hand, we can not combine less with sootier. 'Less' goes for longer adjectives, three and more syllables.

Hopes this helps,
 
Joined
Sep 23, 2008
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Turkish
Home Country
Turkey
Current Location
Turkey
Thank you both.

I understand that "less sooty" is gramatically correct form,though it sounds to native speakers a bit awkward.
 

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic
Comparisons with 'as .... as' take an adjective in its original form. That means: not as sooty as I expected. Which simply implies the first element [STRIKE]as[/STRIKE] is less sooty than I expected.

On [STRIKE]an[/STRIKE] the other hand, we can not combine 'less' with 'sootier'. 'Less' goes for longer adjectives, three and more syllables.
That is not correct. We cannot use 'less' with a comparative form of any length. We can't say that one thing is 'less harder/sootier' than another, just as we can't say that one thing is 'less more difficult" than another. One thing is either more or less adjective than another; it can't be both. It has nothing to do with the length of the word.
 

bhaisahab

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 12, 2008
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
Ireland
Thank you both.

I understand that "less sooty" is grammatically correct form, though it sounds to native speakers a bit awkward.

"less sooty" doesn't sound at all awkward to me.
 

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic
I'd be more likely, normally, to say 'A is sootier than B' than 'B is less sooty than A', but that doesn't mean that I find the second version awkward.
 

nouamaneer

Junior Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2011
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
Arabic
Home Country
Morocco
Current Location
Tenerife
That is not correct. We cannot use 'less' with a comparative form of any length. We can't say that one thing is 'less harder/sootier' than another, just as we can't say that one thing is 'less more difficult" than another. One thing is either more or less adjective than another; it can't be both. It has nothing to do with the length of the word.

I guess that's what I've already said myself. I can not see why you quoted me when you hadn't understood my message!

I agree with your message as that's what intended to explain.
 

birdeen's call

VIP Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2010
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Polish
Home Country
Poland
Current Location
Poland
Unaccounted for, please note that the word is "comparative", not "comperative".
 
Last edited:

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic
I guess that's what I've already said myself. I can not see why you quoted me when you hadn't understood my message!
I did understand your message, and it was not correct. You wrote
'Less' goes for longer adjectives, three and more syllables.
That is not true. 'Less' can go with adjectives of any length, but it cannot go with comparatives.
 

nouamaneer

Junior Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2011
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
Arabic
Home Country
Morocco
Current Location
Tenerife
I did understand your message, and it was not correct. You wroteThat is not true. 'Less' can go with adjectives of any length, but it cannot go with comparatives.

No, you didn't. We use "less" to form comparative adjectives as it is tha case for "less interesting". Don't tell me that even this former example doesn't exist.

Thanks
 

birdeen's call

VIP Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2010
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Polish
Home Country
Poland
Current Location
Poland
No, you didn't. We use "less" to form comparative adjectives as it is tha case for "less interesting". Don't tell me that even this former example doesn't exist.
As 5jj said, you said

'Less' goes for longer adjectives, three and more syllables.

This is false.
 

nouamaneer

Junior Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2011
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
Arabic
Home Country
Morocco
Current Location
Tenerife
Not convinced! You keep repeating the same thing: false. I don't need it. Give evidence or where you got your conviction.
Thanks.
 

Barb_D

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 12, 2007
Member Type
Other
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Evidence?
How about millions and millions of words written by native speakers who use "less" with words of one and two syllables?

You seem less and less happy as this thread continues. Oh -- look -- two syllables.
This one is a little less pricey than that one, but both are beyond my budget.
He is less skillful than his brother, but his customer service is so much better.

Really, it could go on and on and on.
 

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic
Perhaps you are a little less sure that we are wrong now, nouamaneer.

Incidentally, in the article to which you provided a link, there is no reference at all to 'less' in connection with words of any number of syllables.
 
Last edited:

birdeen's call

VIP Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2010
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Polish
Home Country
Poland
Current Location
Poland
Not convinced! You keep repeating the same thing: false. I don't need it. Give evidence or where you got your conviction.
Thanks.

I find this post rude. Please use "please" with your imperatives.
 

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Top