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I am confused at the usage of (comparatively+than). Please guide.

  • The adverb "comparatively" can be used to modify both "cheap" and "cheaper", but only the comparative form "cheaper" can be used in comparative constructions like this one. The reason is that the -er suffix is effectively in construction with the preposition "than". What follows "than" may be analysed as a direct complement of "than" or as a reduced comparative clause with "that one" as subject. – BillJ Dec 27 '16 at 19:38
  • I've updated the answer to include the sentence: "This book is cheaper than that one." – GetzelR Dec 27 '16 at 19:42
  • I don't think than is part of any preposition. – Abbasi Dec 27 '16 at 20:38
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    Briefly speaking, you need to use the comparative form of adjectives when you are about to compare something/someone with another. E.g., he is taller than her. this car is bigger than yours. That flower is more beautiful than this one. – Abbasi Dec 27 '16 at 20:49
  • @Abbasi Of course "than" is a preposition: link. It heads the PP "than that one", where the noun phrase "that one" is object of "than". Read my first message for how the grammar works here. – BillJ Dec 28 '16 at 09:17
  • @BillJ: Than is not a preposition, but in some situations, it can be treated as a preposition, only. Usage Note: Since the 1700s, grammarians have insisted that than should be regarded as a conjunction in all its uses, so that a sentence such as Bill is taller than Tom should be construed as an elliptical version of the sentence Bill is taller than Tom is. – Abbasi Dec 29 '16 at 09:34
  • According to this view, the case of a pronoun following than is determined by whether the pronoun serves as the subject or object of the verb that is "understood." Thus, the standard rule requires Pat is taller than I (not me) on the assumption that this sentence is elliptical for Pat is taller than I am. But the rule allows The news surprised Pat more than me, because this sentence is taken as elliptical for The news surprised Pat more than it surprised me. But this analysis is somewhat contrived. – Abbasi Dec 29 '16 at 09:34
  • Than is quite commonly treated as a preposition when followed by an isolated noun phrase, and it often occurs with a pronoun in the objective case: John is taller than me. In such sentences using the nominative case (than I) can sound unnatural and even pretentious, and objecting to the objective case of the pronoun may sound pedantic. – Abbasi Dec 29 '16 at 09:34
  • Somebody is deleting our messages, so there seems little point in discussing this any further. – BillJ Dec 29 '16 at 12:06

2 Answers2

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The word "comparatively" is actually unnecessary in that usage. X is bigger/smaller/cheaper/etc than Y is a comparison, and uses "than." Adding the word "comparatively" doesn't add anything at all. You can simply say "This book is cheaper than that one"

If "that one" is already under discussion, you can even say "This book is cheaper" and it will be understood to be a comparison with the book currently being discussed.

GetzelR
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    "Comparative" is what the "-er" form of some adjectives is collectively called: Comparative (better) Superlative (best). It's how some students are introduced to these in their English class. So Minaam is asking how to use a comparative with "than" in a sentence. – Andrew Dec 27 '16 at 19:03
  • @Andrew: I agree with you and think what they need is a lesson on using that form of adjectives in sentences. To which, of course, it should be added that some adjectives don't have such forms and we need another means (more/less) to construct these sentences. – Abbasi Dec 27 '16 at 20:44
  • @Abbasi I was hoping that GetzelR would edit his answer, given this additional information. – Andrew Dec 27 '16 at 21:04
  • @Andrew I didn't think it necessary to copy/paste your comparative/superlative overview. I don't believe you should use "comparatively" and "than" in the same sentence. There is no sense to "than" other than comparatively. – GetzelR Dec 27 '16 at 21:13
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The sentence

This book is comparatively cheaper than that one.

is the correct sentence and can also be expressed as

This book is cheaper than that one.
This book is more cheap than that one.
This book is comparatively cheap compared to that one.

Peter
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