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SC: compare to / compare with

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SC: compare to / compare with

by stop@800 » Fri Oct 24, 2008 9:43 am
Many investors base their choice between bonds and stocks on comparing bond yields to the dividends available on common stocks.

A between bonds and stocks on comparing bond yields to

B among bonds and stocks on comparisons of bond yields to

C between bonds and stocks on comparisons of bond yields with

D among bonds and stocks on comparing bond yields and

E between bonds and stocks on comparing bond yields with



The OA is C
I am not convinced with OA. I think it should use compare to.
Please correct me if there is any gap in my understanding wrt compare to / compare with.

Thanks!!
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Re: SC: compare to / compare with

by madhukumar_v » Fri Oct 24, 2008 12:41 pm
stop@800 wrote:Many investors base their choice between bonds and stocks on comparing bond yields to the dividends available on common stocks.

A between bonds and stocks on comparing bond yields to

B among bonds and stocks on comparisons of bond yields to

C between bonds and stocks on comparisons of bond yields with

D among bonds and stocks on comparing bond yields and

E between bonds and stocks on comparing bond yields with
Thanks!!
Usage of Between vs Among - Between for 2 and among for >2, which leaves us with choices A,C,E.

Usage of Compare X to Y vs Compare X with Y:

Use compare to if X !=Y (X and Y are different) Compare her to Moon
Use compare with if X =Y (X and Y are similar) Compare her with Diana
So A is out, which leaves us with C and E.

C:Base their choice...on comparisons of X,Y,Z
E: Base their choice...on comparing X,Y,Z

C sounds good to me, also on is a preposition which needs a noun not a verb (-ing)


Just my thoughts...
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by amitabhprasad » Fri Oct 24, 2008 2:40 pm
I picked "A" as well.
But looking a Spidy notes I can see whcy it should be "C"
Few lines form that note.

Compare takes preposition "To"when it refers to activity describing resemblance between two like things.
while
"compare with" refers to the act of examining two like things in order to discern their similarity or difference
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Re: SC: compare to / compare with

by codesnooker » Fri Oct 24, 2008 3:32 pm
stop@800 wrote:Many investors base their choice between bonds and stocks on comparing bond yields to the dividends available on common stocks.

A between bonds and stocks on comparing bond yields to

B among bonds and stocks on comparisons of bond yields to

C between bonds and stocks on comparisons of bond yields with

D among bonds and stocks on comparing bond yields and

E between bonds and stocks on comparing bond yields with



The OA is C
I am not convinced with OA. I think it should use compare to.
Please correct me if there is any gap in my understanding wrt compare to / compare with.

Thanks!!
The author is testing three different things over here:-

1. Compare to/Compare with
2. Between X & Y/Among X & Y
3. Usage of preposition

Let's go one by one.

1. Since we are comparing two like things i.e. bond yields (money) with dividend (money), so "Compare with" is right usage over here. Hence rule out choices (A) and (B).

2. The correct IDIOM is Between X & Y, and Among X Y. Hence rule out choice (D).

3. Preposition/Preposition phrase always should be followed by NOUN/NOUN Phrase. Note that Gerund is also a Noun that is the verb followed by -ing and acting as noun.

So if we follow rule (3), stated above, then both choices (C) and (E) are perfect, as in choice (C), comparisons is plural noun and in choice (E), Comparing is Gerund.

But "By comparing" or "after comparing" is more clear than "on comparing" prepositional phrase. Hence, choose (C) over (E).

For example:

1. He decided to stay alone ON comparing his wife WITH his new girlfriend. (More Formal)
2. He decided to stay alone AFTER comparing his wife WITH his new girlfriend. (Looks Informal)

I). He chooses between Apple and Orange BY comparing their prices. (Looks Formal)
II). He chooses between Apple and Orange ON comparing their prices. (Looks Informal).

Note: In all the above 4 sentences COMPARING is GERUND.

Hope this helps...
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Re: SC: compare to / compare with

by codesnooker » Fri Oct 24, 2008 3:35 pm
madhukumar_v wrote:
C:Base their choice...on comparisons of X,Y,Z
E: Base their choice...on comparing X,Y,Z

C sounds good to me, also on is a preposition which needs a noun not a verb (-ing)
Just my thoughts...
Just for your information...

Here COMPARING is GERUND, which is a NOUN. Hence it is not a VERB.
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Re: SC: compare to / compare with

by stop@800 » Sat Oct 25, 2008 1:03 am
codesnooker wrote:
stop@800 wrote:Many investors base their choice between bonds and stocks on comparing bond yields to the dividends available on common stocks.

A between bonds and stocks on comparing bond yields to

B among bonds and stocks on comparisons of bond yields to

C between bonds and stocks on comparisons of bond yields with

D among bonds and stocks on comparing bond yields and

E between bonds and stocks on comparing bond yields with



The OA is C
I am not convinced with OA. I think it should use compare to.
Please correct me if there is any gap in my understanding wrt compare to / compare with.

Thanks!!
The author is testing three different things over here:-

1. Compare to/Compare with
2. Between X & Y/Among X & Y
3. Usage of preposition

Let's go one by one.

1. Since we are comparing two like things i.e. bond yields (money) with dividend (money), so "Compare with" is right usage over here. Hence rule out choices (A) and (B).

2. The correct IDIOM is Between X & Y, and Among X Y. Hence rule out choice (D).

3. Preposition/Preposition phrase always should be followed by NOUN/NOUN Phrase. Note that Gerund is also a Noun that is the verb followed by -ing and acting as noun.

So if we follow rule (3), stated above, then both choices (C) and (E) are perfect, as in choice (C), comparisons is plural noun and in choice (E), Comparing is Gerund.

But "By comparing" or "after comparing" is more clear than "on comparing" prepositional phrase. Hence, choose (C) over (E).

For example:

1. He decided to stay alone ON comparing his wife WITH his new girlfriend. (More Formal)
2. He decided to stay alone AFTER comparing his wife WITH his new girlfriend. (Looks Informal)
If "By comparing" or "after comparing" is more clear than "on comparing"
than
why first choice is formal?
shouldn't the second choice be more formal?


I). He chooses between Apple and Orange BY comparing their prices. (Looks Formal)
II). He chooses between Apple and Orange ON comparing their prices. (Looks Informal).

Note: In all the above 4 sentences COMPARING is GERUND.

Hope this helps...
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Re: SC: compare to / compare with

by codesnooker » Sat Oct 25, 2008 3:34 am
stop@800 wrote: 1. He decided to stay alone ON comparing his wife WITH his new girlfriend. (Looks Informal)
2. He decided to stay alone AFTER comparing his wife WITH his new girlfriend. (More formal)
If "By comparing" or "after comparing" is more clear than "on comparing"
than
why first choice is formal?
shouldn't the second choice be more formal?
[/quote]

It's typo mistake
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