IXL | Avoid double, illogical, and unclear comparisons

Which text best completes the sentence?

Lions and cheetahs are powerful predators. Whereas lions have strength as an advantage, cheetahs are ______ and use speed to capture prey.

fastest

faster

more faster

ref_doc_title.

Learn with an example

question

Which text best completes the sentence?

According to the American Kennel Club, Labrador retrievers are ______.

more popular than beagles

most popular than any other breed of dog

more popular than any breed of dog

key idea

When writing, avoid illogical comparisons.

Illogical comparisons occur in a couple of ways:

1. The comparison compares two things that cannot be compared.

red X symbol, The average height of the buildings in New York is much higher than my town.

You cannot compare the height of buildings to a town.

green checkmark, The average height of the buildings in New York is much higher than in my town.

2. The comparison needs the word other or else to make sense.

red X symbol, I think blue is prettier than any color.

Blue is a color. It cannot be prettier than itself.

green checkmark, I think blue is prettier than any other color.

3. The comparison uses a superlative form instead of a comparative form, or vice versa.

red X symbol, Of the two of us, Alyssa is fastest.

When comparing only two things, the comparative form should be used.

green checkmark, Of the two of us, Alyssa is faster.

solution

Here is the correct text:

According to the American Kennel Club, Labrador retrievers are more popular than beagles.

The other answer choices are incorrect:

red X symbol, According to the American Kennel Club, Labrador retrievers are most popular than any other breed of dog.

Two things are compared, so use the comparative form, more.

red X symbol, According to the American Kennel Club, Labrador retrievers are more popular than any breed of dog.

Comparing Labrador retrievers to any breed of dog is illogical. The comparison needs the word other to make sense.

$Confetti$

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HH.2Form and use comparative and superlative adjectives

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