Comparisons That Are Incomplete

Comparisons that are incomplete, also known as faulty comparisons, occur when a comparison is made between two or more elements that are not logically or grammatically equivalent. In English grammar, making proper comparisons is essential for clear and effective communication. When comparisons are incomplete, they can lead to confusion, ambiguity, or illogical statements. Here are some key aspects to consider when dealing with incomplete comparisons:

1.       Parallelism: In a proper comparison, the items being compared should be structurally parallel. This means that the grammatical form and function of the elements being compared should match. For example, consider the following sentence:

·         Incorrect: She is a better singer than him.

·         Correct: She is a better singer than he is.

In the corrected version, the pronoun "he" is used to maintain parallelism with "she" and to create a grammatically complete comparison.

2.       Comparative Form: When making a comparison, it is important to use the appropriate comparative form of adjectives and adverbs. Comparative forms typically end in "-er" for short adjectives and adverbs (e.g., bigger, faster) or use "more" before the adjective or adverb (e.g., more beautiful, more quickly). However, some adjectives and adverbs have irregular comparative forms (e.g., better, worse, faster). Consider the following examples:

·         Incorrect: John runs more faster than Tom.

·         Correct: John runs faster than Tom.

In the corrected version, the proper comparative form "faster" is used to compare the running speeds of John and Tom.

3.       Ambiguous Comparisons: Incomplete comparisons can also lead to ambiguity when it is not clear what is being compared. To avoid this, it is crucial to include the elements being compared explicitly. Consider the following example:

·         Incorrect: Sarah loves her cat more than her dog.

·         Ambiguous: Is Sarah comparing the extent of her love for her cat to her dog or the love itself?

To eliminate ambiguity, the comparison should be made explicit:

Correct: Sarah loves her cat more than she loves her dog.

In the corrected version, it is clear that Sarah is comparing the intensity of her love for her cat to the love for her dog.

4.       Logical Comparisons: Incomplete comparisons can sometimes result in illogical statements. It is important to ensure that the elements being compared are logically compatible. For example:

·         Incorrect: Apples are tastier than oranges are a fruit.

·         Illogical: The comparison suggests that oranges are not fruits.

A logical comparison should be made:

·         Correct: Apples are tastier than oranges.

In the corrected version, the comparison focuses on the taste of apples compared to oranges without making an illogical statement about oranges being a fruit.

By paying attention to parallelism, using appropriate comparative forms, avoiding ambiguity, and ensuring logical comparisons, you can effectively address and avoid incomplete comparisons in English grammar. Clarity and precision in comparisons contribute to better communication and understanding in both spoken and written language.