Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[Teo]

Billy is more popular than ___ in the class. (A) all other (B) all the boys (C) all the others (D) all other boys
What do you think is the correct answer?
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Thank you very much for your reply.

[Dave Shaffer]

Hello Teo,

[ebb]

Billy is more popular than ___ in the class. (A) all other (B) all the boys (C) all the others (D) all other boys
What do you think is the correct answer?

Billy is most certainly a boy, unless her parents had a rather warped sense of humor.

Your intent is, surely, to express the idea that, of all the boys in the class, Billy is the most popular. It would be a bit unusual to include both boys and girls in the comparison class (i.e. the group being considered for the popularity contest), although that's possible .... it's just more likely that you only want to compare Billy to all the other boys.

Thus, here's the best way to say it -- just use the superlative (since there are lots of boys in the class -- at least three):

Billy is the most popular boy in the class.
Try to avoid complex and unduly wordy structures, when a very simple one will do.

You could say "Billy is more popular than any other boy in the class" or "Billy is more popular than any other student in the class" depending on your idea, but the superlative is .... err, the best? Or, better than any other?
_________________
"This is insolence up with which I will not put." Winston Churchill, upon reading a newspaper�s criticism of his having ended a sentence with a preposition.

"You can get more with a kind word and a gun, than with just a kind word." Al Capone.

[Teo]

[ebb]

there are innumerable ways to say anything, but why pick a convoluted one when a simple one will do? That is the essence of good writing.

I suppose you could do away with the superlative as a whole, if you wanted, and just use the comparative to compare X to (all the others in the Class minus X), as a general rule.

In that sense the superlative is surplusage. But unless you're a radical minimalist grammarian, I don't see why you'd be so motivated. Simple is good.
_________________
"This is insolence up with which I will not put." Winston Churchill, upon reading a newspaper�s criticism of his having ended a sentence with a preposition.

"You can get more with a kind word and a gun, than with just a kind word." Al Capone.

[Teo]

1. New York is bigger than all the other cities in the United States.

2. New York is bigger than all other cities in the United States.

A native speaker says that he would use number 2.
For number 1 can be ambiguous, possibly meaning that New York is bigger than all of the other cities combined.

What's your comment?
_________________
Thank you very much for your reply.

[ebb]

New York is the largest American city in population.

Or more succinctly:

New York is America's most populous city.

Now.... isn't that easier? Or, the easiest ???

And it avoids the ambiguities that you have identified, n'est ce pas?


NB: It is not the largest in area. For instance, Oklahoma City is huge in terms of geography.
_________________
"This is insolence up with which I will not put." Winston Churchill, upon reading a newspaper�s criticism of his having ended a sentence with a preposition.

"You can get more with a kind word and a gun, than with just a kind word." Al Capone.

[MrPedantic]

1. Billy is the most popular boy in the class.
2. Billy is more popular than all the others in the class.

It seems to me that in #1, we have a statement about Billy; but in #2, the emphasis is on particular aspect of Billy. So I wouldn't necessarily agree that #1 is the "best" way to say it.

MrP

[KHF]

[ebb]

It seems to me that in #1, we have a statement about Billy; but in #2, the emphasis is on particular aspect of Billy. So I wouldn't necessarily agree that #1 is the "best" way to say it.

No no no, it's not the best, just better than all the others!!! errhhh. no I mean, it's better than each of the other ones, considered individually but not collectively ..... no, I mean..... errhrrr, compared to all the others, or to each of the others, ceteris paribus, it ranks higher, ......or more highly rather. ... or less lowly.... argggg

Byger, Byger
Turning tight
Where's the norest of the fight?
What immoral and or high
Could drame thy tearful pedantry?
_________________
"This is insolence up with which I will not put." Winston Churchill, upon reading a newspaper�s criticism of his having ended a sentence with a preposition.

"You can get more with a kind word and a gun, than with just a kind word." Al Capone.

[seasons]

I think this question is purely asking what is grammatically correct.

Billy is more popular than ___ in the class. (A) all other (B) all the boys (C) all the others (D) all other boys

"All others, all other boys, any other boy (student)" will be correct answers. But "all the boys" should be changed to "all of the boys" and the same reason, "all the others" to "all of the others"

[Teo]

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?p=262364#262364
_________________
Thank you very much for your reply.

[Dave Shaffer]

[ebb]

Faced with the choice between changing one's mind and proving that there is no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the proof. Galbraith's Law
_________________
"This is insolence up with which I will not put." Winston Churchill, upon reading a newspaper�s criticism of his having ended a sentence with a preposition.

"You can get more with a kind word and a gun, than with just a kind word." Al Capone.

[Teo]

http://www.englishforums.com/English/Other/cdvgd/Post.htm
_________________
Thank you very much for your reply.