Episode 11

【✏ Writing-Wise Series ✒】

[Standardized English exams]

When presenting statistical information in academic writing 👨‍🏫, research 👩‍🔬 or in the workplace 👨‍💻, it is inevitable to make comparisons 🤷‍♀️ between two or more numbers (or even two or more sets of numbers).

In this episode, we will explore key sentence structures such as using “times” for comparison, i.e. expressing multiples [倍數].  By understanding and applying these patterns, you can enhance your ability to communicate complex statistical information effectively, thereby improving the overall quality of your presentation 😎.

How can we express “A是B的X倍” in English? 🤔

🔴   A is/are X times as + adjective + as B.

e.g.  The population of Country A is three times as large as that of Country B.

e.g.  The book sales of Author A are five times as high as those of Author B.

🟠   A + verb + X times + comparative adjective + than B.

e.g.  Country A has a population three times more than that of Country B.

e.g.  Company A's products sold five times more than Company B's.

🟡   A is X-fold greater than B

e.g.  The revenue of Company A is 3.5-fold greater than that of Company B.

e.g.  The company's market value is 5-fold greater than its annual revenue.

🟢   A is X times the + noun + of B.

e.g.  Continent A is twice the GDP of that of Continent B.

e.g.  The budget of Department A is 4 times the size of that of Department B.

🔵   A compared to B is X times more.

e.g.  The sales in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period of 2023 are 1.5 times more.

e.g.  The number of applications this year compared to last year is twice more.

🟣   When compared to B, A is X times + comparative adjective.

e.g.  When compared to the second season, the revenue in the first season was 5 times higher.

🟤   A + verb + X times + as + much/many + noun + as / compared to B.

e.g.  Company A spent half as much money on salary as Company B did.

⚫   A + compared to + when? + is + X times + as much/many/adjective.

e.g.  The number of applications this year compared to last year is twice as many.

The above sentence patterns seem easy to understand and master, but in fact, there are some common mistakes when writing them 😧😖, especially among students with Chinese as their first language.  In order to make sure that you present multiples correctly in English, stay tuned for the next episode. 😉