+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.
Correct the following sentences by arranging the adjectives in the
proper order:
The summer sky was a blue, soft, beautiful sky.
He bought a brown, fine, big horse.
A gold, beautiful, expensive watch was given her.
The new, beautiful apartment building is on the corner.
He advertised for a young, intelligent, wide awake man.
9. Never use _them_ as an adjective. _Them_ is a pronoun. One of the
worst mistakes which we can make is to use such phrases as _them
things_, _them men_, _them books_. Say, _those things_, _those men_,
_those books_.
10. Do not use _less_ for the comparative form of _few_. The comparative
form of _few_ is _fewer_. _Less_ refers only to quantity, _fewer_ to
number. For example:
He raised _less_ grain this year than last, because he has _fewer_
horses now than he had then.
He uses _fewer_ words because he has _less_ to say.
There are but _few_ people here today; there were still _fewer_ (not
less) yesterday.