[Grammar] Sentences - Comparative Correlative.

[ProsperoPoe]

Hello. I was wondering if someone could double-check the following sentence that I created by using this structure (Comparative Correlative):

1.- The saltier the dish is, the more difficulties in eating it I have.

2.- The less dirty the plates are, the fewer rags I use.

3.- The more activities she gets, the more aggressively she acts.

4.- The uglier a dog is, the more expensive its care is.

5.- The more books he reads, the fewer his doubts.

6. The earlier I leave home, the less time I spend to commute.

Thanks a lot!!

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Hello. I was wondering if someone could double-check the following sentence that I created by using this structure (Comparative Correlative):

1.- The saltier the dish is, the more difficulties in eating it I have.

2.- The less dirty the plates are, the fewer rags I use.

3.- The more activities she gets, the more aggressively she acts.

4.- The uglier a dog is, the more expensive its care is.

5.- The more books he reads, the fewer his doubts.

6. The earlier I leave home, the less time I spend to commute.

Thanks a lot!!

They're all grammatical. Here are ways to make them more natural:

1.- The saltier the dish is, the harder it is to eat.

2.- The cleaner the plates are, the fewer rags I use.

3.- The more activities she has (or: the more work she gets), the more aggressively she acts (or: the more aggressive she gets).

(Note that "the more activities she gets" and "the more aggressively she acts" both have two possible meanings, while "the more work she gets" and "the more aggressive she gets" each have just one.)

4.- The uglier the dog, the more expensive its care.

5.- The more he reads, the less he doubts.

6. The earlier I leave home, the less time I spend commuting.

 

[ProsperoPoe]

They're all grammatical.

Are they grammatical yet correct?

Thanks Charlie!

 

[emsr2d2]

To use "to commute" in #6, you'd have to say something like "The earlier I leave home, the less time it takes me to commute."

 

[GoesStation]

I don't think the original version of number 6 is grammatical.

 

[emsr2d2]

It's not. Charlie already corrected it in post #2.

 

[GoesStation]

It's not. Charlie already corrected it in post #2.

I was disagreeing with his statement They're all grammatical.

 

[ProsperoPoe]

It's not. Charlie already corrected it in post #2.

What about: The earlier I leave home, the less time I spend on commuting. ??

 

[GoesStation]

What about: The earlier I leave home, the less time I spend on commuting. ??

It doesn't work with the preposition. You spend time on something you do purposefully, not something incidental to a main activity.

 

[ProsperoPoe]

It doesn't work with the preposition. You spend time on something you do purposefully, not something incidental to a main activity.

What about:The earlier I leave home, the less time I need to commute??

 

[GoesStation]

What about:The earlier I leave home, the less time I need to commute??

That's okay.

 

[Rover_KE]

Using two question marks is incorrect.

 

[emsr2d2]

Also, the way you have italicised it makes it look as if you want to use the question marks as part of the sentence you are suggesting, which would (incorrectly) make it a question.