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Kadioguy Posted 9 years ago
Grammar

You should know better than to behave like that

In the OALD, it writes:

than
preposition, conjunction

You should know better than to behave like that.
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Which one does it mean?
1. 'You should know better than (You should) to behave like that.'?
2. 'You should know better than (You know) to behave like that.'?
3. 'You should know better than (You should know) to behave like that.'?
4. 'You should know better than (You) to behave like that.'?
5. 'You should know better than (You are going) to behave like that.'?
6. 'You should know better than You behave like that.'?
7. other answers

Why not 'You should know better than behave like that.'? (no 'to')

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I posted the same question https://www.usingenglish.com/forum/threads/253875-You-should-know-better-than-to-behave-like-that (https://goo.gl/8G3CtZ).

User Tdol replied:

7. It means that the person behaved badly or incorrectly, when they should know/should have known better.

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But for example, 'I'm older than her.' means 'I'm older than she (is old)'.

How can I use the pattern in 'You should know better than to behave like that'?

  

Top answer

kadioguy You should know better than to behave like that. "to behave like that" is an infinitive clause used as a noun. The infinitive clause can be changed to a pronoun.

— AlpheccaStars

  • kadioguy You should know better than to behave like that.
  • "to behave like that" is an infinitive clause used as a noun.
  • The infinitive clause can be changed to a pronoun.
  • You should know better than that.
  • And the clause can be used as a subject: [To behave like that] is unacceptable in this house.
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1 Answers
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kadioguyYou should know better than to behave like that.

"to behave like that" is an infinitive clause used as a noun. The infinitive clause can be changed to a pronoun.

You should know better than that.

And the clause can be used as a subject:

[To behave like that] is unacceptable in this house.
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