Inversion problem of [the + comparative] clauses when subordinated
When we use "the + comparative" clauses, the subjuect-adjective/adverb inversion normally happens as in:
a. The easier the test is, the longer students will wait to prepare.
However, when the whole sentence of "the + comparative" clauses is put into another clause and thus embraced, it seems the usual inversion of the first sentence does not occur:
b. It seemed as though she loved him the better the worse he bahaved, and that he grew more in her favor the more he grew out of favor with the world. (from The Complete Tales Of Washington Irving, 1975)
As an EFL speaker, I don't understand nor explain why this happens. Please share your syntactic knowledge with me, and kindly leave some references so that I can study further more. Thank you.
Top answer
anonymous Inversion problem of [the + comparative] clauses when subordinated Actually, you can do them the same when subordinated as you do them when not subordinated: It seemed as though the better she loved him, the worse he behaved, and that the more he grew in her favor, the more he grew out of favor with the world. anonymous I don't understand There is no special reason why it happens. It's just an alternate way of arranging the word order.
- anonymous Inversion problem of [the + comparative] clauses when subordinated Actually, you can do them the same when subordinated as you do them when not subordinated: It seemed as though the better she loved him, the worse he behaved, and that the more he grew in her favor, the more he grew out of favor with the world.
- anonymous I don't understand There is no special reason why it happens.
- It's just an alternate way of arranging the word order.
- Having alternatives helps to give variety to your writing in longer texts.
- CJ
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anonymous Inversion problem of [the + comparative] clauses when subordinated
Actually, you can do them the same when subordinated as you do them when not subordinated:
It seemed as though the better she loved him, the worse he behaved, and that the more he grew in her favor, the more he grew out of favor with the world.
ano
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