SaraiGMAXonline wrote:
To recap the issues that were raised here:
1) Use 'other'/'else' to compare an item to the group to which that item belongs.
Can you tell which of the following 2 sentences is false?
Alaska is bigger than any state in the U.S.
Russia is bigger than any state in the U.S.
The first is false because 'any state' includes Texas, in which case the first sentence says that Texas is bigger than itself.
Correction: Texas is bigger than any other state.
Likewise, "My mother is nicer than anyone I have met," indicates that I have not met my own mother. A cheerier sentence would be, "My mother is nicer than anyone else I have met."
2. The second verb in comparisons:
Tip: In your head, complete the verb at the end of a comparison.
Correct: Bob eats more than Joe does (eat).
This is correct because the word "eat" appears elsewhere in the sentence, so it is o.k. to leave it off at the end.
Incorrect: Bob has eaten more than Joe did (eat).
This sentence is incorrect because the word "eat" does not appear anywhere in the sentence, so it is not o.k. to leave it off at the end.
Correction: Bob has eaten more than Joe ate.
So try this one:
Bob will eat as much as Joe has.
This is incorrect. The word 'eaten' is implied by the 'has', but never shows up in the sentence.
The main idea is that the reader should not have to invent words that never appear on the page-- the sentence should be self-sufficient. Everything implied should be there.
(More on this issue and other ellipses can be found in the Comparisons lesson and the Small Details lesson at gmaxonline!)
1) Use 'other'/'else' to compare an item to the group to which that item belongs.
Can you tell which of the following 2 sentences is false?
Alaska is bigger than any state in the U.S.
Russia is bigger than any state in the U.S.
The first is false because 'any state' includes Texas, in which case the first sentence says that Texas is bigger than itself.
Correction: Texas is bigger than any other state.
Likewise, "My mother is nicer than anyone I have met," indicates that I have not met my own mother. A cheerier sentence would be, "My mother is nicer than anyone else I have met."
2. The second verb in comparisons:
Tip: In your head, complete the verb at the end of a comparison.
Correct: Bob eats more than Joe does (eat).
This is correct because the word "eat" appears elsewhere in the sentence, so it is o.k. to leave it off at the end.
Incorrect: Bob has eaten more than Joe did (eat).
This sentence is incorrect because the word "eat" does not appear anywhere in the sentence, so it is not o.k. to leave it off at the end.
Correction: Bob has eaten more than Joe ate.
So try this one:
Bob will eat as much as Joe has.
This is incorrect. The word 'eaten' is implied by the 'has', but never shows up in the sentence.
The main idea is that the reader should not have to invent words that never appear on the page-- the sentence should be self-sufficient. Everything implied should be there.
(More on this issue and other ellipses can be found in the Comparisons lesson and the Small Details lesson at gmaxonline!)
I still think the order of words in the OA is not appropriate. The answer B should be corrected as follows: "any other city does". Correct me if I'm wrong, please!