比起 … 来 (compared with)
Line them up, then judge
- compared with比起 + B (+ to come来)，A … = "compared with B, A …".
- compared with比起last year去年to come来，this year今年many好多(completed / change)了 = "compared with last year, this year's much better."
- It names the benchmark B first, then comments on A.
compared with比起 + B (+ to come来)，A …
- compared with比起…to come来 sets B as the point of comparison.
compared with比起last year去年，this year今年good好much more多了。
- compared with比起last year去年，this year今年many好多(completed / change)了 = "compared with last year, this year's much better."
Explore
Correct or broken?
比起 B (来)，A … sets B up as the yardstick before judging A.
Practice
Compared with last year, this year's much better: ____ 去年，今年好多了。
比起 + B (+ 来)，A … = compared with B: 比起去年,今年好多了.
Practice
The 来 in 比起…来 is optional.
Yes — 比起去年 and 比起去年来 are both fine.
Recap
Key idea
- compared with比起 + B (+ to come来)，A … — "compared with B, A …"
- compared with比起last year去年，this year今年many好多(completed / change)了
- Names the benchmark first, then comments on A
Read the full reference: HSK 5 grammar — Verbs.
Practice
In 比起去年来，今年…, which is the benchmark?
比起 + B names the benchmark; A is then compared to it.