In English, we often compare things.

When we go shopping, for example, we often compare: products - That one is better than this one. prices - Yes, but that one's cheaper. When we talk about what we like or prefer and give our opinions, we often compar e: things - Their car is newer than ours. people - She's much more intelligent than her sister. places - Oxford and Cambridge have the oldest universities. experiences - This is the most delicious meal I have ever eaten! Comparative and superlative adjectives Comparative adjectives: When we compare two things, we often use the comparativ e forms of adjectives or adverbs, the comparative is often followed by than, for example: 5 + 5 is greater than 6 + 3. A Rolls Royce car is much less expensive than a Ford Focus. Superlative adjectives : When we compare more than two things, we often use the superlative forms, we generally use the with the superlative, for example: A Jumbo Jet (Boeing 747) is the largest passenger plane in the world. That was the best meal I've ever eaten. COMPARISON CHART ADJECTIVE COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE One syllable adjective: old, fast, clean, long Older, faster, cleaner, longer The oldest, the fastest, the cleanest, the longest One syllable adjectives ending in e: wide, nice Wider, nicer The widest, the nicest Two syllable adjectives ending in y, -er, -ow ,-le: dirty, simple, clever, narrow Dirtier, simpler, cleverer, narrower The dirtiest, the simplest, the cleveres t, the narrowest Other adjectives with two or more syllables: honest, modern, comfortable More honest, more modern, more comfortable The most honest, the most modern , the most comfortable Irregular adjectives: good, bad, far, old Better, worse, farther/further, older/elder(only with family members) The best, the worst, the farthest/the fu rthest, the oldest/the eldest (only with family members) Useful expressions : Before comparatives you can use Much a lot far (= a lot) a bit a little slightly (= a little) For example: Lets go by car, its much cheaper.(its a lot cheaper) Dont go by train, its a lot more expensive.( much more expensive) Could you speak a bit more slowly? Her illness was far more serious than we thought at first. This bag is slightly heavier than the other one. Comparing more than two things: ... the (largest) in the world, in the class, in the group, of all ... the (best) that I have ever eaten/seen/drunk/tried ... You can use any and no + comparatives (any longer/ no bigger, etc) Ive waited long enough. Im not waiting any longer. This hotel is better than the other one and its no more expensive DOUBLE COMPARATIVES: bigger and bigger We repeat comparatives (.. and ..) to say that something is changing continuously, that something is increasing. More and more people travel from England Its becoming harder and harder to find a job Your English is improving. Its getting better and better.

THE . THE BETTER Note this construction: the + a comparative+ the better The bigger the better, the cheaper the better When we want to talk about a change in one thing causing a change in another we use the construction the+a comparative followed by the+ a different comparative The sooner we leave the sooner we will arrive The younger you are, the easier it is to learn The more electricity you use, the higher the bill will be EXERCISES A EXERCISE 1: Use the words in brackets to complete the sentences. Use much/ a bit etc.+ a comparative. 1. Her illness was . We thought at first (much/serious) 2. This bag is too small. I need something . (much/big) 3. Im afraid the problem is .. it seems.(much/complicated) 4. You looked depressed this morning but you look .. now(a bit/happy) 5. I thought she was younger than me but in fact shes .(slightly/old) EXERCISE 2: Complete the sentences using an/no + a comparative 1. Im fed up with waiting. Im not waiting.. (long) 2. This shop isnt expensive. The prices are . Anywhere else(cheap) 3. The traffic isnt particularly bad today. Its usual (bad) EXERCISE 3: Complete the sentences using Double Comparatives 1. Its becoming .. to find a job (hard) 2. The hole in your pullover is getting .. (big) 3. My bags seemed to get . As I carried them (heavy) 4. As I waited for my interview, I became .. (nervous) 5. As the day went on the weather got . (bad) 6. Travelling is becoming .. (expensive) 7. As the conversation went on, he became (talkative) 8. Since she has been in England, her English has got ..(good) EXERCISE 4: Finish these sentences using a comparative structure 1. I like warm weather. The warmer the weather, .. (good/ feel) 2. Its hard to concentrate when you are tired. The more tired you are . (hard/c oncentrate) 3. She had to wait a very long time. The longer she waited,.. (impatient/become ) EXERCISE 5: Match the two halves containing the structure the the the earlier we leave the longer he waited the more I got to know him the more you practise your English the longer the phone call the more goods you sell the faster youll learn the more you have to pay the sooner well arrive the more profit youll make the more impatient he became the more I liked him EXERCISES B 1. Of the four dresses, which is ..expensive? A. the best B. the most C. the more D. the greater 2. The larger the apartment, the................... the rent. A. expensive B. more expensive C. expensively D. most expensiv e 3. The faster we walk,.. we will get there. A. the soonest B. the soon C. the more soon D. the sooner 4. Why did you buy these oranges? They were ... I could find.

A. cheapest B. cheapest ones C. the cheapest ones D. the m ost cheapest 5. She plays the piano as she sings. A. as beautifully B. more beautifully C. as beautiful D. the most beautifully 6. The streets are getting more and these days. A. crowded B. less crowded C. more crowded D. most crowded 7. The larger the city, the crime rate. A. highest B. higher C. the highest D. the higher 8. You must explain your problems .... A. as clear as you can B. as clearly as you can C. as clear than you are D. as clearly as you are 9. Pil is person we know. A. the happier B. the happiest C. happier D. happiest 10. Which woman are you going to vote for? Im not sure. Everyone says that Joan is. A. smarter B. the smarter C. more smarter D. more smart 11. Bill is A. lazier and lazier B. more and more lazy C. lazier and more lazy D. more lazy and lazier 12. Its too noisy here. Can we go somewhere ? A. noisier B. more quiet C. more noisy D. quieter 13. ..the time passes, .I feel ! The deadline of my thesis is coming, but I have hed half of it. A. The faster / the nervous B. The more fast / the nervous C. The fast / the more nervous D. The faster / the more nervous 14. China is the country with..population. A. the larger B. the more large C. the largest D. the most larg e 15. She sat there quietly, but during all that time she was getting.Finally she explo ded. A. more and more angry B. the more angry C. angrier and angrier D. the most angry 16. For .., it is certain that in the future some things will be very different. A. the better or the worse B. the good or the bad C. good or bad D. better or worse 17. Her grandfathers illness was..we thought at first. A. more seriously as B. as seriously as B. more serious than D. as serious than 18. My brother was feeling tired last night, so he went to bed..usual. A. more early than B. as early as C more earlier as D. earli er than 19._______ you study for these exams, _______ you will do. A. The harder / the better B. The more / the much C. The hardest / the best D. The more hard / the more good 20. His house is _______ mine. A. twice as big as B. as twice big as C. as two times big as D. as big as twice 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. Nobody is happy than Miss Snow is. ( happier) He needs many more sugar than I do. (much) Does Mary feel weller today than she did yesterday? (better) Its becoming hard and harder to find a job. (harder) The more you have, the most you want. (The more)

Combine the ideas given into a double comparative: 1-As he got older, he became more and more bad-tempered. The , the 2- He worked hard. He felt very bad. The , the 3- When we think of the exam, we get more and more excited.

The , the 4- As this road gets busier, it becomes more and more dangerous. The , the 5- When you get near to the Equator, the temperature becomes high. The , the 6- If she stays in England a long time, her English will be very good. The , the 7- When I write fast, my writing becomes illegible. The , the 8- She sings well. A lot of people admire her. The , the 9- She visited many countries. She had lots of friends The , the 10- He works harder. He feels more tired. The , the 11. There are a few tourists from Asia. (tourists from more are Asia. There more and ) The , the 12. A lot of immigrants came from Europe. (immigrants come more from Europe. and More ) The , the 13.Australian wine wasn t that good in the past. (better better. Australian is a nd wine ) The , the 14. Surfing used to be less popular.(Surfing more and more is popular. ) The , the 15. Coastal cities used to be less populated.(are and Coastal populated. more mo re cities ) The , the 16. Many people didn t realise how dangerous it was to lie in the sun.(is how su n. more and dangerous realise the lie to it More in people ) The , the 17. Children spend a lot of time watching TV. (spend watching and time more TV. Children more ) The , the 18. There are not many French songs on French radio. (French and fewer radio. so ngs There fewer French are on ) The , the 19. It is difficult to find a parking place. (find to difficult a is It and more parking place. more ) The , the 20. Nowadays, personal computers are not very expensive. (expensive. computers N owadays, and less less are personal) The , the ------THE END------