What do the following sentences actually mean?
Are they the same in meaning?
- The cost of living is twice as high in New York as it is in Tokyo.
- The cost of living in New York is twice as high in Tokyo.
- The cost of living in New York is twice higher than in Tokyo.
- The cost of living in New York is two times higher than in Tokyo.
If they have the same meaning, then can I actually use them as a basis for composing other sentences having the same meanings? Such as:
1a. Your child is a hundred times as adorable as your pet dog.
1b. Your child is a hundred times adorable than your pet dog.2a. Her room is twice as large as mine.
2b. Her room is twice larger than mine.
Best Answer
Let CNY = the cost of living in New York, and CT = the cost of living in Tokyo.
Sentences Nos. 1 & 2:
these mean: CNY = 2 × CT
e.g., if it costs $500 per week to live in Tokyo, it would cost $1000 per week to live in NY
Sentence No. 3:
I would say this one is a non-standard way of making the comparison, and, of your options, it would be better to avoid this one.
Sentence No. 4:
Again, that's CNY = 2 × CT, but remove the than:
and it means 2 × CNY = CT
e.g., if it costs $500 per week to live in Tokyo, it would cost $250 per week to live in NY
Sentences Nos. 1a & 1b:
The first one is okay, but the second one needs an extra word:
Sentences Nos. 2a & 2b:
Once again, I'd avoid the second one. However, when dealing with cost, we can use the expression twice as much as: