Plain English

by Marian Wharton

COMMON ERRORS

278. There are a number of common errors which we make in comparison, which we should be careful to avoid.

1. A number of adjectives cannot be compared for they in themselves express the highest degree of quality, so they have no shades of meaning and will not admit of comparison. For example: full, empty, level, round, square. If a thing is full or empty or level or round or square, it cannot be more full, or more empty, or more level, or more round, or more square. So do not compare adjectives that already express the highest degree of a quality. Also such words as supreme, eternal, and infallible, cannot be compared for they also express the highest degree of quality.

2. Do not use more with the comparative form made by using er, or most with the superlative form, made by using est. For example: do not say, They cannot be more happier than they are. Say, They cannot be happier; or They cannot be more happy. Use either form but never both. Do not say, That is the most wisest plan. Say either, That is the wisest plan; or That is the most wise plan, but never use both forms. Never use most with a superlative form.

3. Do not use the superlative form in comparing two objects. The superlative form is used only when more than two are compared. For example; do not say, He is the smallest of the two. Say, He is the smaller of the two. Which is the largest end? is incorrect. Which is the larger end? is correct. Which is the oldest, John or Henry? is also incorrect. This should be, Which is the older, John or Henry? Use the comparative form always when comparing two objects.

4. In stating a comparison, avoid comparing a thing with itself. For example; New York is larger than any city in the United States. In this sentence, when you say any city in the United States, you are including New York; so you are really comparing New York with itself, and you are saying that New York is larger than itself. You should have said, New York is larger than any other city in the United States; or, New York is the largest city in the United States. When you compare an object with all others of its kind be sure that the word other follows the comparative word than.

5. When an adjective denoting one or more than one modifies a noun, the adjective and the noun must agree in number. For example; The house is 30 foot square. Thirty denotes more than one, so a plural noun should be used, and this sentence should be, The house is 30 feet square. We are traveling at the rate of 40 mile an hour. This should be, We are traveling at the rate of 40 miles an hour.

6. Only two adjectives, this and that change their form when modifying a plural noun. These and those are the plural forms of this and that. So remember always to use this and that with singular nouns and these and those with plural nouns. For example; do not say, These kind of people will never join us. You should say, This kind of people will never join us. Or, Those sort of flowers grows easily. You should say, That sort of flowers grows easily.

7. Place your adjectives where there can be no doubt as to what you intend them to modify. Put the adjective with the noun which it modifies. For example; do not say, a fresh bunch of flowers, a new pair of shoes, a salt barrel of pork, an old box of clothes, a cold cup of water, a new load of hay. Put the adjective with the noun which it modifies, and say, a bunch of fresh flowers, a pair of new shoes, a barrel of salt pork, a box of old clothes, a cup of cold water, a load of new hay.

8. Adjectives are usually placed before the nouns they qualify, but sometimes, especially in poetry or in the use of participles, they follow the nouns. They should not, however, be placed too far away from the noun which they modify or be unnecessarily separated from the noun. Where there are two or more adjectives used to qualify the same noun, place nearest the noun the adjective most closely connected with the object described and place farthest from the noun the adjective least closely connected with the noun. If they are all of the same rank, place them where they will sound best, usually according to their length, naming the shortest adjective first.