Discontinuous degree complements
A degree complement is separated from its adjective when the AdjG pre-modifies a noun. The AdjG is said to be discontinuous, as in examples 1 and 2 below.
1 It was the most comfortable journey (that) we have ever made.
2 It’s as nice a country garden as you could ever find.
When an adjective is graded by a modifier, e.g. more convinced, one complement may relate to the modifier as in more (convinced) than I was, and a second one to the head, as in (more) convinced of the man’s guilt. They may be placed in either order, the emphasis normally being on the second one:
The judge seemed more convinced than I was of the man’s guilt.
The judge seemed more convinced of the man’s guilt than I was.
If one complement is notably longer than the other(s), it is usually placed at the end:
The judge seemed more convinced than I was by the evidence that had been given by one of the witnesses.
*The judge seemed more convinced of the man’s guilt after listening to the evidence given by one of the witnesses than I was.
When complements are coordinated by and, but, or, they are often of the same class form:
to-inf cl: The program was delightful to watch and to listen to.
