is it correct in grammar to compare a plural noun to a singular noun?
For example, "their salaries are higher than mine". Is this sentence grammatically correct? Or we have to say "each of their salaries is higher than mine"?
singular-vs-plural comparative-constructions
edited Dec 18 at 21:53
Nathan Tuggy
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asked Dec 18 at 21:19
Renee
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For example, "their salaries are higher than mine". Is this sentence grammatically correct? Or we have to say "each of their salaries is higher than mine"?
singular-vs-plural comparative-constructions
edited Dec 18 at 21:53
Nathan Tuggy
9,12293452
asked Dec 18 at 21:19
Renee
61
New contributor
Renee is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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add a comment |
For example, "their salaries are higher than mine". Is this sentence grammatically correct? Or we have to say "each of their salaries is higher than mine"?
singular-vs-plural comparative-constructions
edited Dec 18 at 21:53
Nathan Tuggy
9,12293452
asked Dec 18 at 21:19
Renee
61
New contributor
Renee is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
For example, "their salaries are higher than mine". Is this sentence grammatically correct? Or we have to say "each of their salaries is higher than mine"?
singular-vs-plural comparative-constructions
singular-vs-plural comparative-constructions
edited Dec 18 at 21:53
Nathan Tuggy
9,12293452
asked Dec 18 at 21:19
Renee
61
New contributor
Renee is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited Dec 18 at 21:53
Nathan Tuggy
9,12293452
asked Dec 18 at 21:19
Renee
61
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Renee is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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edited Dec 18 at 21:53
Nathan Tuggy
9,12293452
edited Dec 18 at 21:53
Nathan Tuggy
9,12293452
edited Dec 18 at 21:53
Nathan Tuggy
9,12293452
9,12293452
asked Dec 18 at 21:19
Renee
61
New contributor
Renee is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked Dec 18 at 21:19
Renee
61
asked Dec 18 at 21:19
Renee
61
61
New contributor
Renee is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Renee is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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1 Answer
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No need to make English harder than it is already. There is no rule prohibiting comparing groups of things with individual things.
There are some cases where comparing a group to an individual can create an ambiguous statement: those five people have more money than I do. Does this mean that each of the five people has more money than I do, or that the sum of the five people's money is greater than the amount of money I have? There's no way to tell without more context.
We could remove the ambiguity by using a form like the one you suggested at the end of the question: each of those five people has more money than I do. This is not any more grammatical (because the first was perfectly grammatical), but it is less ambiguous.
answered Dec 18 at 21:38
Juhasz
9174
thanks! that is very helpful!
– Renee
Dec 19 at 21:12
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1 Answer
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1 Answer
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No need to make English harder than it is already. There is no rule prohibiting comparing groups of things with individual things.
There are some cases where comparing a group to an individual can create an ambiguous statement: those five people have more money than I do. Does this mean that each of the five people has more money than I do, or that the sum of the five people's money is greater than the amount of money I have? There's no way to tell without more context.
We could remove the ambiguity by using a form like the one you suggested at the end of the question: each of those five people has more money than I do. This is not any more grammatical (because the first was perfectly grammatical), but it is less ambiguous.
answered Dec 18 at 21:38
Juhasz
9174
thanks! that is very helpful!
– Renee
Dec 19 at 21:12
add a comment |
No need to make English harder than it is already. There is no rule prohibiting comparing groups of things with individual things.
There are some cases where comparing a group to an individual can create an ambiguous statement: those five people have more money than I do. Does this mean that each of the five people has more money than I do, or that the sum of the five people's money is greater than the amount of money I have? There's no way to tell without more context.
We could remove the ambiguity by using a form like the one you suggested at the end of the question: each of those five people has more money than I do. This is not any more grammatical (because the first was perfectly grammatical), but it is less ambiguous.
answered Dec 18 at 21:38
Juhasz
9174
thanks! that is very helpful!
– Renee
Dec 19 at 21:12
add a comment |
No need to make English harder than it is already. There is no rule prohibiting comparing groups of things with individual things.
There are some cases where comparing a group to an individual can create an ambiguous statement: those five people have more money than I do. Does this mean that each of the five people has more money than I do, or that the sum of the five people's money is greater than the amount of money I have? There's no way to tell without more context.
We could remove the ambiguity by using a form like the one you suggested at the end of the question: each of those five people has more money than I do. This is not any more grammatical (because the first was perfectly grammatical), but it is less ambiguous.
answered Dec 18 at 21:38
Juhasz
9174
No need to make English harder than it is already. There is no rule prohibiting comparing groups of things with individual things.
There are some cases where comparing a group to an individual can create an ambiguous statement: those five people have more money than I do. Does this mean that each of the five people has more money than I do, or that the sum of the five people's money is greater than the amount of money I have? There's no way to tell without more context.
We could remove the ambiguity by using a form like the one you suggested at the end of the question: each of those five people has more money than I do. This is not any more grammatical (because the first was perfectly grammatical), but it is less ambiguous.
answered Dec 18 at 21:38
Juhasz
9174
answered Dec 18 at 21:38
Juhasz
9174
answered Dec 18 at 21:38
Juhasz
9174
answered Dec 18 at 21:38
Juhasz
9174
9174
thanks! that is very helpful!
– Renee
Dec 19 at 21:12
add a comment |
thanks! that is very helpful!
– Renee
Dec 19 at 21:12
thanks! that is very helpful!
– Renee
Dec 19 at 21:12
thanks! that is very helpful!
– Renee
Dec 19 at 21:12
add a comment |
Renee is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Renee is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Renee is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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