Inversion: More ... than

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Hello, friends:

Please help me with the following sentence,
“[color=blue] Non-US managers tend to focus more on long-term performance than do US managers.”
I wonder why the writer of this sentence just use[color=blue]" do US managers" after [color=blue]“than”.
How about [color=blue]" Non-US managers tend to focus more on long-term performance than US managers do."

Thanks,
F.F

2

Hi FangFang,

This is really a question of balance. If you say: than US Managers do, the short word ‘do’ sounds out of balance with the rest of the sentence. Both are grammatically acceptable but than do US Managers sounds better in terms of balancing the words in the sentence.

A

3

Hi FangFang

To add to what Alan has said, this is a case of “optional” inversion. :lol:

Inversion can be used this way in comparatives (after ‘than’). I’d say this usage of inversion would tend to be used in more often in written English.

Would you like to try writing a few of your own? :smiley:

Amy

4

Hi, Alan
Thanks!!
Can you give more examples related to the question of balance? I noticed "Sb +be/do +sth more …than sb be/do "was also used a bit. Any more differences?

F.F

5

Hi, Amy :slight_smile:
Seldom can I write “nice” inversion sentences in “more…than…” pattern. :(,hehe, but I am trying to do it better than ever. In fact, I prefer ellipsis to inversion if possible. :slight_smile:

6

Hi, Alan and Yankee ! I had never heard about “Inversion”. Could you please give me some exercises (with their answers, please) where I will have to “apply inversion to the sentences given”. Example : It rarely happens. = Rarely does it happen.