Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[missdaredevil]

I think that Spanish is easier to learn that it is to learn English.
Are there other ways to rephrase that?


He lives two floors above me.

Is that correct?
Thanks

[Lorikeet]

[missdaredevil]

What above "Spanish is easier to learn than that of English"?
Thanks

[CP]

No, you want to say, "Spanish is easier to learn than English." It is really "than English is," but usually the "is" is left off.

If you use "that of," it has to be parallel to some prior noun or noun phrase. For example:

"The grammar of Spanish is easier to learn than that of English." The "that" is substituting for "grammar," and it comes in handy not only to avoid repetition but also to avoid repeating longer phrases. Example:

"The use of the more esoteric tenses in Spanish is more common than that in English."
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You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb

[missdaredevil]

[CP]

No, it is just an example of a long phrase in the first part. In the second part, you use "that" to substitute for the long phrase.
_________________
You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb