Avoid making incomplete comparisons

Leaving out a key word in a manuscript will leave most readers confused. Such is the case with incomplete comparisons.

For example, suppose an author wrote, The Los Angeles Rams are stronger.

Stronger than what? To say something is stronger – or better or faster or smarter or dumber and so on – tells the reader you’re making a comparison. You must include words that complete this comparison.

So, our errant author above might instead write The Los Angeles Rams are a stronger team than the Tennessee Titans.

Sometimes in dialogue an incomplete comparison is not a big deal as the conversation has previously established what is being compared:

“The Titans are the best team in the NFL,” Davie said.

Matt shook his head. “The Rams are stronger.”

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My name is Rob Bignell. I’m an affordable, professional editor who runs Inventing Reality Editing Service, which meets the manuscript needs of writers both new and published. I also offer a variety of self-publishing services. During the past decade, I’ve helped more than 300 novelists and nonfiction authors obtain their publishing dreams at reasonable prices. I’m also the author of the 7 Minutes a Day… writing guidebooks, four nonfiction hiking guidebook series, and the literary novel Windmill. Several of my short stories in the literary and science fiction genres also have been published.