Lesson 15—Comparison problems 1. Illogical comparisons Pay close attention to comparisons in sentences. They should be both parallel and logical. Things being compared in a sentence must be in the same category. For instance, comparing apples to apples is much more logical than comparing apples to the increase in the price of apples due to an unforeseen climatological disaster. Her chances of passing that test aren’t much better than the lottery. The comparison here is illogical: chances are not in the same category as lottery, so the comparison doesn’t make sense. The sentence should compare chances to chances. Her chances of getting an A aren’t much better than her chances of winning the lottery. Nothing can be different from itself. Any sentence that suggests otherwise must be revised. Elisa has sung in more concerts than any singer in her school. This sentence suggests that Elisa is a singer who goes to school. So any singer in her school includes Elisa herself. Of course, she could not have sung in more concerts than herself, so the comparison is illogical. Elisa has sung in more concerts than any other singer in her school. 2. Check for countability: fewer/less, number/amount, and many/much When do you use less and when do you use fewer? Use fewer (or number or many) only when comparing countable things like cars, dollars, and popsicles. Use less (or amount or much) when comparing uncountable or continuous quantities like traffic, money, and food. The team owners were concerned about the increasing amount of rowdy fans, so they raised ticket prices and ever since there have been a lot less fans at the games. Since fans can be counted and don’t come in fractional parts, it is incorrect to use amount and less. www.cracksat.net The team owners were concerned about the increasing number of rowdy fans, so they raised ticket prices and ever since there have been a lot fewer fans at the games. The situation is trickier when the quantity is both countable and continuous. For instance, units like miles, pounds, and gallons are countable, but, unlike rowdy fans, they can come in fractional parts, such as 1.23 miles. So should you say less miles or fewer miles? Fortunately, the SAT avoids such tricky cases. In such situations in your own writing, however, consider whether you want to emphasize the countability of the quantity (in which case you should use fewer, number, or many) or the continuity of the quantity (in which case you should use less, amount, or much). 3. Check the number: more/most, between/among, and -er/-est When do you use more and when do you use most? Use more (or between or an -er adjective) whenever comparing exactly two things. Use most (or among or an -est adjective) when comparing more than two things. The two superpowers seemed to be in a constant battle to see who was the strongest. Since there are only two superpowers, the superlative strongest is incorrect. The two superpowers seemed to be in a constant battle to see who was the stronger. The same rule applies to the choice between more and most. Of the dozens of students in the club, Deborah was the more popular. Since there are more than two students, the comparative more is incorrect. Of the dozens of students in the club, Deborah was the most popular. 4. Number shift www.satpanda.com Items being compared or equated should, whenever possible, have the same number—either both plural or both singular. They were both hoping to be a winner. The word both is plural and suggests a pair, but each is singular and suggests an individual. They were both hoping to be winners. They were each hoping to be a winner. The sailors’ main point of reference was the two lighthouse beacons. In this case, it is easier and more logical to change the number of the first part. The sailors’ main points of reference were the two lighthouse beacons. Comparison practice In each sentence below, underline any items that are being compared or equated. If the comparison is illogical or contains some other error, correct the sentence. 1. The critics’ guild praised the show, saying that it was consistently more intelligent and provocative than anything on the air. 2. Team unity and commitment to practice were regarded by the players as the key to their success. 3. Mathematics lessons in Japanese classrooms, unlike American classrooms, are often focused on solving a single complex problem rather than many simplistic problems. 4. The electric-combustion engines of the new hybrid cars burn much more cleanly and efficiently than conventional cars. 5. To the critics of the time, the surrealists were regarded as being as inscrutable, if not more so, than the dadaists. 6. I prefer a lot of modern poetry to Shakespeare. 7. Her suitcase would not close because she had packed too much of her towels into it. 8. The year-end bonus was equally divided between Parker, Herriot, and me. 9. Many students wanted to be a lifeguard at the club. 10. The toughest thing about her class is you have to do tons of homework every night. www.cracksat.net 5. Tip for improving your essay Good persuasive writers frequently make comparisons, particularly when arguing for the merits of one position over another. When making such a comparison, always be sure that your comparison is logical and well-phrased so that the reader can understand your point. The belief that profits are paramount stands in stark contrast to environmentally and socially conscious companies like Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. This comparison isn’t logical. It contrasts a belief with a company. The belief that profits are paramount stands in stark contrast to the belief among companies like Ben & Jerry’s that a business can be environmentally and socially conscious. 6. Tip for the multiple-choice questions The SAT Writing multiple-choice section will likely include between one and three comparison errors. The most common error is the illogical comparison, and the next most common is the number shift. Always pay special attention to an underlined portion that is part of a comparison. The modernist theory of art that was starkly from by painters Kandinsky and Picasso such as Claude Monet. This sentence indicates that something differed starkly from something else. What is being compared to what? The first part of the sentence establishes that one theory of art is being compared to another theory of www.satpanda.com art. Yet the sentence suggests that the modernist theory is being compared to impressionists. This is illogical. Choice (D) should be changed to the impressionist theory embraced by painters. Answer Key Comparison practice 1. This is an illogical comparison. The sentence compares the show to anything on the air, which includes the show itself. Logically, the show can only be better than anything else on the air. 2. This contains a number shift. The sentence equates team unity and commitment, which is plural, with the key, which is singular. The word key should be replaced with keys. 3. This is an illogical comparison. The sentence compares mathematics lessons to American classrooms. Instead, it should compare the lessons in Japanese classrooms to the lessons in American classrooms. 4. This is an illogical comparison. The sentence compares electric-combustion engines to conventional cars. Instead, it should compare electric-combustion engines to the engines in conventional cars. 5. This comparison is logical but not grammatically correct. The sentence should make sense even when the interrupter if not more so is removed. The comparison should read the surrealists were regarded as being as inscrutable as the dadaists, if not more so. 6. This is an illogical comparison. It should read I prefer a lot of modern poetry to the poetry of Shakespeare. 7. This contains a many/more error. It should read Her suitcase would not close because she had packed too many of her towels into it. 8. The year-end bonus was equally divided among Parker, Jim, and me. 9. Many students wanted to be lifeguards at the club. 10. 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