Than me or Than I? (She swims better than me.)

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

Hi

I would like to know which one is more correct to use.

A) She swims better than I (do)- Can I omit the verb here?

B) She swims better than me

C) They are older than we (are)

D) They are older than us

Thank you in advance

2

The most correct choices are A and C, while keeping the verbs. Other choices are possible but more colloquial; some might consider what I just said to be pedantry and approve of all choices.

3

Hi Ana Laura,

‘They are older than we’ is in my opinion as dead as a doornail.

Alan

4

Dear Alan,

You said ‘they are older than we is in my opinion as dead as a doornail’. I searched the phrase ‘as dead as a doornail’ through google, and the results shown me that it means ‘devoid of life (when applied to people, plants or animals) or unusable (when applied to inanimate objects)’. And Shakespeare used this phrase in King Henry VI. So you mean the option C is invalid by saying: xxx is in my opinion as dead as a doornail, right? Thanks.

5

I believe Alan meant to say: it is so old-fashioned that it is never used at all anymore, that it just sounds archaic, that it is a propped-up corpse. “As a doornail” is mainly an intensification of “dead”.
Opinions are not entirely agreed on this issue, but it is certainly seldom used in daily speech.

6

I meant precisely what I said.

7

Do not label me as crackpot but which one is correct?

8

I apologize; I won’t try to paraphrase your words anymore. (I did that just to explain the expression “dead as a doornail” to Infin1ty.)

9

According to the ruler-wielding, knuckle-smacking grammarian with her eyeglasses on a chain, A and C.

It was always drilled into me that since you should repeat the verb, it therefore was not grammatical to use the object pronouns.

As a slightly lesser sin, you might drop the repeated verb, but should still maintain usage of the subject pronoun, lest the English language devolve into a cesspool of fermenting ungrammatical froth.

That being said, I think you’ll find that common usage has moved towards dropping the verb, and utilizing the object pronoun.

So, as to which is correct, I suppose it depends on whether you side with the Purists or the hoi polloi.

Since I still get a nervous twitch every time I see a ruler, I still try to use A) and C), although its easy to fall into the B)/D) trap.

10

Thank you very much, Steven, for your explanation on this phrase. Now I get what it means. :slight_smile:

PS It’s me who need to say sorry. :oops:

11

I can’t really identify with which side I am =)

Could you explain to which side I’m belonging If I’d like to say to a girl something like this:

I think she is not more beautiful than you are.

I do not like to be in “hoi polloi” =)

Thanks so much )

12

Hi,

I think it’s best on this forum and on others to speak about language as it is in the 21st century. Purists have their place and we’ve had a few on this site who get really steamed up about what grammarians have said in the past but this sort of information clogs up the brain and doesn’t help those struggling to come to terms with the English language as it is today. One of the greatest poets in English was wondering whether to write his epic Paradise Lost in Latin or English. His mates told him Latin was his best bet because English would never last. Our Thomas however decided to write in English and it’s gone on to survive since then (17th century) because it has adapted to change. Good old Tom.

Alan

13

Thank you very much for your help.

14

Alan, You’re absolutely right!

15

Thank you very much for your explanations! Not for today’s only but and for other ones at once.

I’m agree with Alan on that point though sometime I had contrary opinion.

PS. I read almost all the topics but usually I post nothing. You - Alan, Mister Micawber, Torsten, Cerberus and other advisers - do the great job. Thank you very much!!! :slight_smile:

PSS. BTW is Amy still with us? I haven’t seen her posts for some time now… :frowning:

16

Hello Roman,

Nice to meet you here. Since you asked about Amy, I think you maybe interesting in reading this: english-test.net/forum/ftopic35712.html.
And you will find the answer there. :slight_smile:

17

Oh! I didn’t know… She’s helped me ever with my issues in English.

That’s the way the cookie crumbles!
Is this phrase is suitable in this situation?! I often make mistakes using idioms… :frowning: