more

[therose]

A) What does he have more than I do?
B) What does he have more of than I do.


1. He has about three companies and 2 million dollars more than you. You have two companies and eight million dollars and he has five companies and ten million dollars.

Which of the questions A or B is to be used if the reply is 1?

[Pete]

A) What does he have more than I do?
B) What does he have more of than I do.


1. He has about three companies and 2 million dollars more than you. You have two companies and eight million dollars and he has five companies and ten million dollars.

Which of the questions A or B is to be used if the reply is 1?
Question A doesn't make sense to me.

Question B seems OK, but a sufficient answer to it, given the facts in your sentence 1, would simply be:
- Companies and money. (Short answer.)
- He has more companies and money than you do. (Complete sentence answer.)

Of course sentence 1 includes the answer so it wouldn't be an inappropriate response, but it gives far more information than the question asks for.

[Marius Hancu]

For this particular answer, yes, question B is more appropriate, still quite formal. However, IMO, A is much more frequent, even though less exact:

190 on "have more than I do"
http://books.google.com/books?q=%22have+more+than+I+do%22&btnG=Search+Books

1 on "have more of than I do"
http://books.google.com/books?q=%22have+more+of+than+I+do%22&btnG=Search+Books

This quotation gives you a perfect example of when you should use "of":

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Grrl Talk: Sass, Wit, and Wisdom from the Austin Writergrrls‎ - Page 195 (http://books.google.com/books?id=84XxpgxQZC8C&pg=PA195&dq=%22have+more+of+than+I+do%22)
by Austin Writergrrls - Family & Relationships (http://books.google.com/books?q=+subject:%22Family+%26+Relationships%22) - 2006 - 232 pages

The future is something you have more of than I do." "How do you know I have
more than you have?" "Because you're younger." "Where do I have it, Mom?

---------
Thus, when referring to inclusion in a category, you should use "of."

[therose]

Thank you both.

'... have more than I do' is one thing but 'What does he have more than I do?' is another. I think this is a trap non-natives (including myself) might often fall in. In my language that sentence makes perfect sense, but I think as far as English is concerned, it doesn't. Pete seems to be right on the money. I got the same answer in other sites too. (I hope it is not rude to ask the same question in different places.)

However in old days, maybe that sentence would have been acceptable.

Check:
http://www.google.fr/search?as_q=&hl=fr&num=10&btnG=Recherche+Google&as_epq=what+have+they+more+than&as_oq=&as_eq=&lr=&cr=&as_ft=i&as_filetype=&as_qdr=all&as_occt=any&as_dt=i&as_sitesearch=&as_rights=&safe=off

Virtually all of the links lead to The Book of Enoch. The style is archaic.


I think the question I am looking for is this:

What does he have that I don't?

But could the answer to that sentence be:

-He has a lot more money than you.

or:

-He has ten thousand dollars more than you.

[OddThomas]

Sometimes, Rose, it is helpful to invert a question to declarative form to make sure you have all the necessary words and that they all have a job.

This sentenceWhat does he have more of than I do?
is equivalent to...He does have more of what than I do. (what = that)
which is a correct declarative sentence. That proves that the question is also a grammatically correct sentence, barring any other defect.

The sentenceWhat does he have more than I do?
does not invert well:He does have more what than I do. (what = that)
While some may say this is a good sentence, note that more is a noun in the first form and an adjective in the second. To be legitimate, it cannot flip flop roles from one form to another. Therefore, the question is not grammatically correct.

[therose]

Thank you Thomas.

I understand your explanation and agree with it. I just said that maybe in the past that sentence would have been acceptable. I didn't mean to say that it was correct in modern English. I don't think there is any disagreement here. Your explanation makes things clearer though and makes the acceptability of that sentence in archaic versions of English seem pretty improbable.

The reason I posted that reply though was essentially to ask this question (the first sentence is not the same one my original query was about).

What does he have that I don't?

But could the answer to that sentence be:

-He has a lot more money than you.

or:

-He has ten thousand dollars more than you.

[OddThomas]

My explanation was more of an elaboration (or belaboring the point) than an answer. I thought it might be helpful for anyone this who wished to analyze a difficult question to make sure it was phrased properly.

Your suggested answers are good responses. That second sentence could also be written He has ten thousand more dollars than you.

Sometimes a one word answer will work: Looks. Talent. Brains. Money. :D

[therose]

Thank you Thomas.