'Than That Of' vs 'Than Those Of' – Advanced Comparisons
Normally we use 'than' to compare two things directly (e.g. Tom is better than John). But in advanced English, when we compare attributes or qualities of objects or people, we use 'than that of' (singular) and 'than those of' (plural). This avoids repetition and makes our English more natural.
Why Use 'Than That Of'?
We use than that of to compare a quality of one thing with the same quality of another, without repeating the quality word.
✅ The price of my phone is more than that of yours. (that = the price)
✅ The colour of Tom’s car is better than that of John’s (car). (that = the colour)
1) The camera of Jack’s phone is more beautiful than that of George’s (phone).
2) The voice of that girl is sweeter than that of the cuckoo bird.
3) His bank balance is more than that of Tom. (or simply: His bank balance is more than Tom’s.)
4) The climate of Los Angeles is better than that of New York today.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Comparing a quality with a person/thing: Don't say “His bank balance is more than Tom.” You must compare balance with balance → His bank balance is more than Tom’s (bank balance).
❌ His bank balance is more than that of Tom’s. (double possessive)
✅ His bank balance is more than that of Tom.
❌ His bank balance is more than Tom. (incorrect comparison)
✅ His bank balance is more than Tom’s. / … more than that of Tom.
❌ The climate of London is colder than Oxford today.
✅ The climate of London is colder than that of Oxford today.
'Than That Of' vs 'Than Those Of'
Than that of – used when the compared quality/attribute is singular.
Than those of – used when the compared quality/attribute is plural.
Singular: The salary of a president is higher than that of a vice‑president. (salary = singular)
Plural: The students of our college are more intelligent than those of that college. (students = plural)
Points to Remember
- Use than that of / than those of to avoid repeating the same noun.
- Match that with a singular quality; those with a plural quality.
- Never use both of and a possessive ’s together (don't say “that of Tom’s”).
- Always compare the same kind of attribute: price with price, colour with colour, etc.
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