Lesson 4: Comparison Problems
524 MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Wrong: The team owners showed concern about
the increasingamountof dangerously
rowdy fans.
Right: The team owners showed concern about
the increasingnumberof dangerously
rowdy fans.Between/Among, More/Most,
and -er/-estUsebetween, more,and any -eradjectives only
when comparing exactly two things. Use
among, most,and-estadjectives when com-
paringmore than two things.Wrong:The two superpowers seemed to be in
a constant battle to see who was
strongest.
Right: The two superpowers seemed to be in
a constant battle to see who was
stronger.
Wrong:Of the dozens of students in the club,
Deborah was themorepopular.
Right: Of the dozens of students in the club,
Deborah was themostpopular.Number ShiftThings that you compare should, if possible,
agree in number. Be sure they are both plural
orboth singular.Wrong:They were both hoping to bea winner.
Right: They were both hoping to bewinners.
Wrong:The sailors’ mainpoint of reference
wasthe two lighthouse beacons.
Right: The sailors’ mainpoints of reference
werethe two lighthouse beacons.Illogical Comparisons
Any items being compared in a sentence must
be logically comparable, that is, in the same
general category. Always compare applestoap-
ples,notapplestocar batteries!Also, compar-
isons must obey the law of parallelism.Wrong:Her chances of getting an A aren’t
much better than the lottery.
Chances and the lottery aren’t comparable
things! We must compare chancestochances.
Right: Her chances of getting an A aren’t much
better thanher chances of winning
the lottery.It is always illogical to say that something is
different from itself. Watch out for sneaky con-
trasts like this:Wrong:She has played in more concerts than
any cellist in her school.
Of course, she hasn’t played in more concerts
than herself!
Right: She has played in more concerts than
any other cellist in her school.Fewer/Less, Number/Amount, and
Many/Much
Use the words fewer, number,ormanyonly in
reference to countablethings (like cars, dollars,
andpopsicles) and less, amount,ormuchonly
in reference to uncountablethings (like traffic,
money,andfood). It is a common mistake to
uselesswhen you should use fewer.Wrong:There have been a lot less fans at the
games ever since the owners raised
ticket prices.
Since fans can be counted, lessdoesn’t work. Use
fewerinstead.
Right: There have been a lotfewerfans at the
games ever since the owners raised
ticket prices.