[Grammar] have got better + NOUN + than

[ian_k]

I'm teaching 'comparatives' at the moment, and I've stumbled upon a baffling question.
Would you share your opinion on the following?

Which of the following is acceptable/incorrect/wordy in standard English?

• I've got a better car than yours.
• I've got a better car than you.
• I've got a better car than you have.
• I've got a better car than you yours.
• I've got a better car than you have yours.

 

[charliedeut]

I'd simply say "My car is better than yours".

 

[bhaisahab]

The second and third examples are OK.

 

[emsr2d2]

I'm teaching 'comparatives' at the moment, and I've stumbled upon a baffling question.
Would you share your opinion on the following?

Which of the following is acceptable/incorrect/wordy in standard English?

• I've got a better car than yours. :cross:
• I've got a better car than you. :tick:
• I've got a better car than you have. OK, but it's just a longer version of the one above.
• I've got a better car than you yours. :cross:
• I've got a better car than you have yours. :cross:

If you want to use "yours", then use (as charliedeut suggested) "My car is better than yours".

 

[ian_k]

I really appreciate your comments.

Of course the construction of "be + comparative" is always the easiest way. It was just something that came up in the discussion. I always encourage learners to find various ways to express ideas/thoughts.
My way out was actually to introduce adj phrase :
I've got a car better than yours -- shortened from I've got a car which is better than yours.

However, we always remind learners to keep track on the objects they are comparing.
So what was baffling to me was that in "I've got a better car than you", are we comparing "a car" to "you" rather than to "your car"?

 

[ian_k]

If 2nd and 3rd lines are correct (I've got a better car than you / you have), should the following then be correct "You've got a more fuel-efficient car than he", which sounds awkward to me. Isn't the speaker trying to compare cars (the adjective) ?
i.e. :
- I've got a better car than THAT (that car / your car) -> yours.
- You've got a more fuel-efficient car than THAT (that car -> his car) -> his.
BUT :
- I can drive the car faster than you. | I can drive faster than you can ( -wordy).
- Now, the car runs more smoothly than it did.

I was also thinking of other sentences with a similar structure such as :
- Can anybody suggest a better idea than ours? (our idea, this idea of ours, the one we have)
- I couldn't think a more ingenious idea than yours ! (your idea, this idea of yours, the one you've offered)

My question then, does the have / have got structure follow a different rule?

 

[Tdol]

So what was baffling to me was that in "I've got a better car than you", are we comparing "a car" to "you" rather than to "your car"?

We are comparing cars, but we are comparing the ones we own and as this is expressed through the verb, then the ownership dictates the content.