usage - The occurrence of comparative degree


I've checked in LGWSE by Douglas Biber, Stig Johannson et al (2004) but failed to find the explanation as to what the cases of usage of the comparative degree are.


In all Russian grammar texbooks of the English and Russian languages that I referred to is mentioned that "we use a comparative degree when we compare two people, animals or things" while "we use the superlative degree when we compare three people, animals or things or more".


Does it mean that we can't use a comparative degree when we compare three people, animals or things under any circumstances? In New Round-Up #3 there's a sentence that goes like this: Jill's older than Pedro and Nora. It contradicts the rule, doesn'it?




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