He is mediocre to the last degree， though as obnoxious and self-satisfied as was his father before him. why？

[Faren]

Can I omit 'was' in "He is mediocre to the last decree, though as obnoxious and self-satisfied as was his father before him"? If so, why? This is a sentence from Harry Potter IV.

 

[5jj]

@Faren I have restructured your post. Your question should be in the post itself, not in the title.

 

[emsr2d2]

@Faren Are you sure it says "to the last decree"?

The correct title (of both the book and the film) is "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire", not "Harry Potter IV".

Tell us why you think you might (or might not) be able to remove "was" from that sentence. What prompted you to ask us?

 

[Faren]

@Faren Are you sure it says "to the last decree"?

The correct title (of both the book and the film) is "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire", not "Harry Potter IV".

Tell us why you think you might (or might not) be able to remove "was" from that sentence. What prompted you to ask us?

1. It is “to the last degree”，I was wrong inputting it.
2. Harry Potter and the half-blood prince，chapter II. I meant to say Harry Potter VI， I was wrong too.
3. I think I would understand it better if there is no “was”. like “ He is as clever as his brother” or “ that kid run as fast as an adult”

 

[Faren]

@Faren I have restructured your post. Your question should be in the post itself, not in the title.

Thank you

 

[tedmc]

1. He is as obnoxious as his father.
2. He is as obnoxious as was his father .

There is a difference in meaning.
#1 says both have the same degree of obnoxiousness.
#2 says both were obnoxious at some point.

 

[emsr2d2]

He is as obnoxious as his father.
He is obnoxious, as is his father.
Those two suggest they're both alive and obnoxious.

He is as obnoxious as his father was.
He is obnoxious, as was his father.
Those two suggest he's obnoxious and his father used to be - his father's either dead or he's alive but no longer obnoxious.

 

[emsr2d2]

@Faren - You posted a response but it included just a quote of post #6 and nothing else. I've deleted it. You need to try again.

 

[Faren]

@Faren - You posted a response but it included just a quote of post #6 and nothing else. I've deleted it. You need to try again.

Thank you! of course, I can get the meaning of that sentence now

 

[emsr2d2]

Thank you! Of course, I can get understand the meaning of that sentence now.

Don't forget to start every sentence with a capital letter and end every sentence with one appropriate closing punctuation mark.
Note that if you want to use "get" to mean "understand", it really only works on its own (not with "can").

I get it now.
I understand it now.
I can understand it now.

 

[Faren]

Don't forget to start every sentence with a capital letter and end every sentence with one appropriate closing punctuation mark.
Note that if you want to use "get" to mean "understand", it really only works on its own (not with "can").

I get it now.
I understand it now.
I can understand it now.

Sure! Thank you！