[Grammar] Comparative or what?

[hetzer]

[FONT=&quot]Hi, I found this article on "healthcare-in-europe.com"

The study found that if people wear masks whenever they are in public it is [/FONT][FONT=&quot]twice as[/FONT][FONT=&quot] effective at reducing ‘R’ [/FONT][FONT=&quot]than[/FONT][FONT=&quot] if masks are only worn after symptoms appear. (source:[/FONT]https://healthcare-in-europe.com/en...-r-number-prevent-a-second-covid-19-wave.html)

My question here is;
1. Is it all right to use "than" instead of "as"?
2. Why do you, English natives or teachers, think than is more appropriate than "as"?
3. Does "as" work here instead of "than"?

 

[tedmc]

I would write "as effective ... as" or "more effective ... than".

 

[Raymott]

Your question 1. seems to be asking "Is it alright to use "than" instead of the red "as". "twice than effective"? No, that's wrong.
2. I don't, if you're still referring to same example.
3. Where?
Where are you talking about? You've got both 'as' and 'than' in red.

 

[hetzer]

Thanks for pointing out my vagueness.
I like to ask;
Is the following sentence still correct?
The study found that if people wear masks whenever they are in public it is twice as effective at reducing ‘R’ as if masks are only worn after symptoms appear.

 

[Tarheel]

It looks good to me.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Thanks for pointing out my vagueness.
I like to ask;
Is the following sentence still correct?
The study found that if people wear masks whenever they are in public, it is twice as effective at reducing ‘R’ as when masks are only worn after symptoms appear.

I'd write it that way.

That way whenever and when align with each other. Whenever and if don't align as well.

 

[Raymott]

Yes, don't use "as if" that way. It's quite wrong.
"I phone you twice as often as if I didn't care." Wrong. I can think of all sorts of strange meanings that you could create with that construction used out of place.

 

[jutfrank]

twice as effective at reducing 'R' as :tick:
twice as effective at reducing 'R' than :cross:

 

[Rollercoaster1]

The study found that if people wear masks whenever they are in public it is more effective at reducing ‘R’ than wearing them after symptoms appear.

Doesn't it sound a bit short and better?

 

[emsr2d2]

Yes.

 

[GoesStation]

Doesn't it sound a bit shorter and better?

See above.