[Grammar] finite verb after 'than'

[vpkannan]

Hi

'Having more team members than are required is not advisable.'

Is the use of finite verb 'are required' after 'than' is correct? Shouldn't it be as follows:

'Having more team members than (how many) are (actually) required is not advisable.'

Thanks.

 

[PaulMatthews]

It looks okay to me. Comparative clauses are obligatorily reduced in some way. You don't even need to include "are":

Having more team members than required is not advisable.

The meaning is "x team members are required; any value > than x is not advisable".

 

[vpkannan]

It looks okay to me. Comparative clauses are obligatorily reduced in some way. You don't even need to include "are":

Having more team members than required is not advisable.

Using 'required' without 'are' after 'than' looks grammatically logical because both 'having' and 'required' are participles. However, using 'are required', a finite verb, after 'than' looks out of place because finite verbs require some subject. However, if that kind of usage is idiomatic English, I must accept it.