The higher the speed...the larger the amount

[Disckstuckinfan]

Dear all,

When I construct sentences, I tend to use quite regurarly comparative constructions. Here are some examples I have invented:

1. The higher the speed of vehicle (is), the more fuel it consumes.
Here I am not certain if the sentence is grammatical or it mantains paralellism. Besides I am debating whether (is) is needed in the first clause.

1.1 The higher the speed of vehicle (is), the larger (the) amount of fuel it consumes (is).
Does this sentence maintain a parallel structure? I'm a tad confused abouth the (is) at the end of both clauses.

2. The stronger you pull the lever, the quicker you will open the door.
2.1 The stronger you pull the lever, the quicker the door will open.
Do both sentences above communicate an equivalent meaning?

3. The larger the size of the pizza (is), the greater the number of pepperonis are needed.
This sentence sounds a bit awkward, in my opinion. I cannot tell what is wrong with it.

Sincerely,

Antonio

 

[tedmc]

Dear all,

When I construct sentences, I tend to use quite regularly comparative constructions. Here are some examples I have invented:

1. The higher the speed of a vehicle (is), the more fuel it consumes.
Here I am not certain if the sentence is grammatical or it mantains parallellism. Besides I am debating whether (is) is needed in the first clause. I would not use "is". You are comparing like with like; speed and fuel.

1.1 The higher the speed of vehicle (is), the larger (the) amount of fuel it consumes (is).
Does this sentence maintain a parallel structure? I'm a tad confused about the (is) at the end of both clauses.
As (1) above. Why say larger the amount when you can say more?

2. The stronger you pull the lever, the quicker you will open the door.
2.1 The stronger you pull the lever, the quicker the door will open.
Do both sentences above communicate an equivalent meaning? Yes, but the first with you repeated sounds better.

3. The larger the size of the pizza (is), the greater the number of pepperonis are needed.
This sentence sounds a bit awkward, in my opinion. I cannot tell what is wrong with it.
The larger the pizza, the more pepperonis are needed/required?

Sincerely,

Antonio

See above.

The above parallel construction of comparisons is used in many idioms:

the sooner the better
the more the merrier
the higher you climb the colder it gets

 

[probus]

See above.

The above parallel construction of comparisons is used in many idioms:

the sooner the better
the more the merrier
the higher you climb the colder it gets

Such parallel constructs are indeed very common but they are not idioms.

 

[SoothingDave]

"Pepperoni" is not normally countable. You say "pieces of pepperoni," not "pepperonis."

The larger the pizza, the more pepperoni is needed.

 

[probus]

The larger the pizza, the more pepperoni is needed.

And some people think that "too much pepperoni" is an oxymoron.��

 

[Disckstuckinfan]

Thank you all for your comments.

Concerning sentence 3. Would it be Ok to say.

The larger the pizza, the more pieces of pepperoni are added.

 

[Rover_KE]

Concerning sentence 3, would it be OK to say

'The larger the pizza, the more pieces of pepperoni are needed'?

:up:

 

[Disckstuckinfan]

Thank you Rover, I haven't seen OK capitalized before. Most of my friends type ok, Ok or k. Anyway I will stick to OK.

 

[Rover_KE]

Disckstuckinfan, you don't appear to have found the 'Thank' and 'Like' buttons. They're in the bottom left-hand corner of every post.

Try one now.

 

[Tdol]

Pepperonis would be different kinds of pepperoni in English, not more slices.