"4 times as likely" vs "4 times more likely"..??????????

Question

Can anyone explain what the difference is between four times as likely and four times more likely....Thanks

scthakur · Answer

I think both of them could be correct depending upon the context in which they are used. If you post your example, then others will be able to comment better.

Faroughs · Answer

ok...here's the example that stumped me

Minheequang · Answer

we can use both structures:

S + V + multiple number (twice, three times, four times, etc) + as + adj/adv + as + noun/pronoun

or

S + V + multiple number + more + adj/adv + than + Noun/pronoun

both of them are correct

So, it's based on the context and other factors of a sentence when it comes to choose a correct answer

In your example:

(A) minority graduates are nearly four times more likely than  are  other graduates  in planning to practice  -->   are  is ungrammatically used here. Besides,  in planning to practice  seems wordy and illogical because of the continuous tense of verb  plan  here is not suitable 
(B) minority graduates are nearly four times more likely than other graduates  who plan on practicing  -->  this choice adds a sub clause "who plan on ... areas" into the sentence, unnecessarily modifying for a  sub Noun  as  other graduates , while the main Noun  minority graduates  is not strongly and clearly modified:   what is minority graduates 4 times more likely than other graduates for  ?
(C) minority graduates are nearly four times as likely as other graduates to plan on practicing -->  the best: correct structure ... four times as likely as ... ,  to plan on practicing  is idiomatic, clear and a clear modification for the main noun minority grads than in (B) 
(D) it is nearly four times more likely that minority graduates are rather than other graduates will plan to practice -->  many errors  !!!
(E) it is nearly four times as likely for minority graduates ... -->  also many errors

priyankurml · Answer

oops!! I also chose B in GMATPrep

A. Object is "minority graduates" so "are" is wrong in A.
both B and C rectify comparison but B lacks the idiomatic for "likely to". Hence C is best. 
"it" is unnecessary in D and E.

tenaman10 · Answer

Pls let me know how to paste attachment on mail body ..i m not ble ato figure out how to go about it ..

sumit411 · Answer

Y is 4 times as likely as x means - - - - > y is 5 times x

Y is 4 times more likely than x means - - - - > y is 4 times x

Don't worry about this distinction in GMAT verbal section.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using  GMAT Club Forum mobile app

achanak · Answer

Faroughs 
Stumped by the same question, and after looking into this quite a bit, I believe it is the reverse of the answer quoted above;
If we say "Y is 4 times  as likely  (or as much)  as  X" ---> Y = 4X
But if we say "Y is 4 times  more likely than  X" ---> Y= 4X + X = 5X

Either way,  sumit411  is right in that the distinction here does not matter. Because the correct idiom is: "more likely than" / "as likely as" .... " to " - which only (C) gets right in the OG question we are referring to. Upon selecting the grammatically correct answer, we can conclude the intended meaning was "four times as likely as"

"4 times as likely" vs "4 times more likely"..??????????

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