than his friends

[navi]

Which are correct:

1) He is the best driver among his friends.

2) He has the most expensive car among his friends.
3) He has a more expensive car than his friends.
4) His car is more expensive than those of his friends.

--
Gratefully,
Navi

Lost in the Twilight Zone of the English language
Obsessed with ambiguity
Interested in strange structures

[Athel Cornish-Bowden]

Post by navi
1) He is the best driver among his friends.
2) He has the most expensive car among his friends.
3) He has a more expensive car than his friends.
4) His car is more expensive than those of his friends.

4 is OK. 3 is acceptable. 1 and 2 are weird.

[Hibou]

Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden

Post by navi
1) He is the best driver among his friends.
2) He has the most expensive car among his friends.
3) He has a more expensive car than his friends.
4) His car is more expensive than those of his friends.

4 is OK. 3 is acceptable. 1 and 2 are weird.

I agree.

[LionelEdwards]

Post by navi
1) He is the best driver among his friends.
2) He has the most expensive car among his friends.
3) He has a more expensive car than his friends.
4) His car is more expensive than those of his friends.
--
Gratefully,
Navi

1 and 2 are good casual English in my opinion. "His
friends" is convenient shorthand for "his group of
friends", which inevitably includes him.

3 is good. 4 is a bit of a mouthful so why not try:

5) His car is more expensive than his friends'.

[Bertel Lund Hansen]

Post by LionelEdwards
5) His car is more expensive than his friends'.

I thought the same, but spoken it's not ideal.

[Athel Cornish-Bowden]

Post by Bertel Lund Hansen

Post by LionelEdwards
5) His car is more expensive than his friends'.

I thought the same, but spoken it's not ideal.

Spoken it's hopeless. Written is better, but the reader can miss the
apostrophe.