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1. She earns three times as much as I.

2. She earns three times more than I.

Are these two sentences grammatically correct?

StoneyB on hiatus
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bart-leby
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  • Can't mark it as a duplicate as it's on another stack exchange, but there is an answer here http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/7894/x-times-as-many-as-or-x-times-more-than – Graham Nicol Oct 21 '15 at 13:54
  • @GrahamNicol this is not a duplicate question on ELL. – Usernew Oct 21 '15 at 13:57
  • As I said, it's on a different stack exchange (English Language & Usage), but it answers the same question. – Graham Nicol Oct 21 '15 at 13:59
  • The only reason the phrases differ is because you use much when talking about money and many when talking about sweets. The principle is still the same. – Graham Nicol Oct 21 '15 at 14:00

3 Answers3

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n times as much definitely differs from n times more. Try making them equivalent when buying or selling a house, in computer code, or in a court of law and you'll be wrong every time. You'd better hope that the pharmacist preparing your meds understands the difference.

If you think they are the same, try the reverse and write a given math statement as English. Problem 1.: write "3n + n = x." answer, 3 times n plus (more than) n is x. Problem 2.: write "3n = x." answer, 3 times n is x.

This is NOT a case where a majority can agree and make the two equivalent. If you have no way to express exactly what you mean the statements are useless. The problem is not with an ambiguity in the English language. I've had hundreds of student ask me what they will ever use math for, and here you have the answer.

Franklin Thomas
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I disagree with Usernew. I interpret both to mean that if you take home £1000 per month, "she" takes home £3000 (for simplicity, ignoring tax)

While "as much as" does mean "the same quantity as" when used alone:

I love you as much as you love me.
These two people have equal amounts of love

In your example it is being modified by the "three times"

She earns      three     times     as much as     I.  
Her income  =    3         x          (1x)        "Your income"

Both options for as much as / more than are fine. However I would change the end of the sentence slightly:

She earns three times as much as / more than me.

or

She earns three times as much as / more than I do.

From your comment on another answer:

My wife and I work the same hours but I earn twice as much.

This is grammatical and means that if your wife brings home £1000 per month, you bring home £2000

James Webster
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  • suppose she used to earn $50 per day while you used to ear $150 per day, but now her income increased, and she earn three times more than what she earned before. You would not say, "she used to earn $50, and now she earns three times as much I earn"? – Usernew Oct 21 '15 at 14:05
  • No. In that case, either you mean "She earns three times more than she used to" or "She now earns as much as me" or you mean that she now earns $150x3=$450 – James Webster Oct 21 '15 at 14:08
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Thanks to JamesWebster for correcting the big mistake.

As far as I can tell, She earns as much as I means that you both earn the same amount of money.

I recommend reading this news article published on The Guardian.

"As much as" means as same quantity as as provided by thefreedictionary

She earns three times more than I.

It means that she earns 3x of what you earn.

So, if you earn $100, she earns $400.

She earns three times as much as I.

This means that if you have $100, she earns $300.

If you earn X dollars, "three times more than x" means 3x + x -- "more than" means "add".

"Three times as much" means 3x.

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Usernew
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