Comparisons are often made using words like more than, better than, worse than, less or more than, such, so, etc… Complications occur when what is being compared is not clear. When we speak, we often make incomplete or illogical comparisons because we depend on our listeners to catch our implied meaning. Phrases like “I love you more” and “I love you so” might make sense when we speak informally. In writing, however, your statements of comparison must be complete and clear.

Take this sentence for example

What does this sentence really mean?
 Are we saying that men appreciate sports cars more than they appreciate their wives?
 Or are we saying that men appreciate sports cars more than their wives do?

Depending on the situation, both interpretations of the sentence could be correct. For this reason, the sentence makes an incomplete and thus illogical comparison, one that we need to clarify.

Either of these two sentences, depending on what we really mean, does a better job:

Many men appreciate a hot sports car more than they do their wives.

Many men appreciate a hot sports car more than their wives do.

Many men appreciate hot sports cars more than their wives.

Some common situations make complete and logical comparisons tricky:

Incomplete: People who eat a healthy breakfast weigh less.

less than whom? less than what?

Revised: People who eat a healthy breakfast weigh less than people who don’t.

The first situation occurs when you use comparison words without anything to compare to OR the comparison can be either of two subjects. These are incomplete comparisons.

Comparison Words: better, worse, more, less, fewer, so, such

When you use these words, be sure to include a “than” clause, and give a second subject to compare. If you don’t, the comparison is incomplete:

Illogical: Parents value a healthy lunch more than their children.

a healthy lunch is more valuable than children are?

Revised: Parents value a healthy lunch more than their children do.

When you use comparison words without attaching them correctly to the intended subject, you have created another kind of problem. These are illogical comparisons and often don’t make sense, or make your statement confusing.

Illogical: My best friend Jenny likes pizza more than me.

She likes pizza more than she likes me?

Revised: My best friend Jenny likes pizza more than I do.

Another common situation occurs with pronouns like me/I, she/her, he/him, we/us, and they/them. When you use these words in a comparison, be sure that you are using the one that completes the thought logically.

Incomplete/unclear:

1. Sam was having such a hard time in his algebra class.
2. Simone is so good at math.

 Using “so” or “such” indicates an extreme, but we have to describe the effect of that extreme.
 If there is no effect of the extreme, we need words like “very” or “quite” to complete the statement.

The last tricky situation occurs when you use words like so or such. When we speak, we often use these words without finishing the comparison: “I was so angry!” or “We had such a good time!" We view these words as having the same meaning as very, really, or extremely. However, they don’t have the same function in writing. You must include a “that” clause to make the comparison complete.

Take a look at these revisions:
No effect/comparison:

Sam was having a very hard time in his algebra class.
Simone is quite good at math.

Effect or comparison:
Sam was having such a hard time in his algebra class that he got a tutor.
Simone is so good at math that she has agreed to tutor Sam.