For comparisons using the word “numbers”, use “greater than”

[yo4561]

For this rule in the All the Verbal book: for comparisons using the word “numbers”, use “greater than” not “more than”
Example: Its numbers are now suspected to be much greater than before.

Is this only for the word "numbers"?

Are there instances in which you would use "more than" over "greater than" and vice versa?

For example, Matt's love of soccer is greater than Josh's love of soccer. vs. Matt's love of soccer is more than Josh's love of soccer. The "more than" in this case seems wrong?

[TiffanyB]

For this rule in the All the Verbal book: for comparisons using the word “numbers”, use “greater than” not “more than”
Example: Its numbers are now suspected to be much greater than before.

Is this only for the word "numbers"?

Are there instances in which you would use "more than" over "greater than" and vice versa?

For example, Matt's love of soccer is greater than Josh's love of soccer. vs. Matt's love of soccer is more than Josh's love of soccer. The "more than" in this case seems wrong?

Hello yo4561,

There are many different comparison markers (i.e., words) that can be used to compare different quantities, objects, etc.

Examples:

more than

greater than

bigger than

larger than

higher than

Their use depends on the meaning of the markers, but can also be dictated by idioms.

"Bigger than" refers to physical size, for example, and "more than" refers to uncountable quantities.

However, there are idioms that dictate these rules as well.

Greater than and more than have similar meanings, but are used slightly differently. It's rare that the GMAT would test the difference in usage between very similar comparison markers; it's much more common that the GMAT would test the correct usage of one given comparison marker.