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Mudclay Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
Comparative "the smarter"
Dear teachers,
It's me again. I have encountered this sentence (I was taking an online grammar test) and I do strongly believe that it's wrong. Pls. give me explanation.
Here are the choices:
A.James is the smarter of the two.
B. James is the smartest of the two.
And when I answered B, it's wrong the explanation says "when comparing people or things use "er" not est" so I got confused again.
Thank you again!
It's me again. I have encountered this sentence (I was taking an online grammar test) and I do strongly believe that it's wrong. Pls. give me explanation.
Here are the choices:
A.James is the smarter of the two.
B. James is the smartest of the two.
And when I answered B, it's wrong the explanation says "when comparing people or things use "er" not est" so I got confused again.
Thank you again!
Top answer
The test is grammatically correct (although its explanation as you have given it is not clear). This is what is needed: James is the smarter of the two . James is the smartest of the three.
- The test is grammatically correct (although its explanation as you have given it is not clear).
- This is what is needed: James is the smarter of the two .
- James is the smartest of the three.
- Although you will most certainly hear many native speakers use the superlative in a comparison of only two subjects, careful grammar will reserve the superlative for 3 or more subjects.
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6 Answers
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The test is grammatically correct (although its explanation as you have given it is not clear). This is what is needed:
James is the smarter of the two.
James is the smartest of the three.
Although you will most certainly hear many native speakers use the superlative in a comparison of only two subjects, careful grammar will res
James is the smarter of the two.
James is the smartest of the three.
Although you will most certainly hear many native speakers use the superlative in a comparison of only two subjects, careful grammar will res
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Thanks MM
The choices were a bit tricky. I always follow, add "er/ier" if short "more" if long (comparative) and use "the + est" if short and "the most" if long (superlative)
Sir MM the explanation I gave was the original explanation from the test (Just copied and pasted).
Sir MM if you won't mind, is there any profound explanation why "the smarter" happened in t
The choices were a bit tricky. I always follow, add "er/ier" if short "more" if long (comparative) and use "the + est" if short and "the most" if long (superlative)
Sir MM the explanation I gave was the original explanation from the test (Just copied and pasted).
Sir MM if you won't mind, is there any profound explanation why "the smarter" happened in t
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I always follow, add "er/ier" if short "more" if long (comparative) and use "the + est" if short and "the most" if long (superlative)-- That's a good guideline.
Sir MM if you won't mind, is there any profound explanation why "the smarter" happened in this sentence "James is the smarter of the two"?-- No. 'Smarter' is a pronoun, not an adjective, in the sentence; that is
Sir MM if you won't mind, is there any profound explanation why "the smarter" happened in this sentence "James is the smarter of the two"?-- No. 'Smarter' is a pronoun, not an adjective, in the sentence; that is
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Can we also say that the word person is 'ellipsed' in this sentence that is why smarter has the article 'the' before it?
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lagatawCan we also say that the word person is 'ellipsed' in this sentence that is why smarter has the article 'the' before it?
I don't think that is a good idea. 'Smarter' as a pronomial takes an article just as a noun would. (Are you familiar with 'Occam's razor'?)
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