IXL | Avoid double, illogical, and unclear comparisons

Which text best completes the sentence?

I prefer the landscapes of the desert ______.

to any landscape

to those of the Midwest

to the Midwest

ref_doc_title.

Learn with an example

question

Which text best completes the sentence?

You should plant crocus bulbs three inches below the surface of the soil and dig ______ holes for daffodil bulbs.

deeper

the deepest

more deeper

key idea

When writing, avoid double or illogical comparisons.

A double comparison occurs when more/most is added to a modifier that is already in its comparative (-er) or superlative (-est) form.

red X symbol, Paola is a more better singer than I am.

green checkmark, Paola is a better singer than I am.

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:

You should plant crocus bulbs three inches below the surface of the soil and dig deeper holes for daffodil bulbs.

The other answer choices are incorrect:

red X symbol, You should plant crocus bulbs three inches below the surface of the soil and dig the deepest holes for daffodil bulbs.

Two depths for planting bulbs are compared, so use the comparative form, deeper.

red X symbol, You should plant crocus bulbs three inches below the surface of the soil and dig more deeper holes for daffodil bulbs.

More deeper is a double comparison.

$Confetti$

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II.4Form and use comparative and superlative adverbs

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