20 = Making comparisons Comparative adjectives © Comparatives with -er | One-syllable adjectives, and two-syllable adjectives ending in -y, generally add -er to | make the comparative form (with y changing to i). Adjectives ending in -e add only -r. | small, smaller early, earlier late, later © Comparatives with more Other adjectives of two or more syllables, use more or less more /less modern — more / less interesting ‘© Comparatives with -er or more ‘A small group of two-syllable adjectives have both forms. Examples are: clever, common, narrow, polite, quiet, simple, tired. ‘polite, politer / more polite © Irregular comparatives Irregular comparatives are: good, better bad, worse far, farther / further Note that further has two meanings: a normal meaning of more far, and another meaning of just more. How much further do we have to go? (more far) I can't really advise you any further. (more) Ol has a regular form older, and an irregular form elder that is used as an adjective for people, especially members of a family. ‘This is my elder sister. Superlatives Superlatives follow similar rules to comparatives in paragraphs 1 and 2 above. One- syllable adjectives use (the) -est and longer adjectives use (the) most. ' small, smaller, the smallest early, earlier, the earliest late, later, the latest interesting, more interesting, the most interesting Irregular forms are: good, the best bad, the worst Comparatives of adverbs © Adverbs follow the same rules as adjectives. ‘One syllable: fast, faster, the fastest ‘Two syllables ending -y: early, earlier, the earliest ‘Two or more syllables: efficiently, more / less efficiently, the most / least efficiently © The adverbs well and badly are irregular. be well, better, the best badly, worse, the worst |GRAMMAR 20 MAKING COMPARISONS Making comparisons © The simplest kind of comparison uses than. You look younger than your brother. © Comparatives can be repeated to suggest continuing change. ‘This lesson seems to be getting longer and longer. Jim started feeling more and more tired. © Comparatives can be made stronger or weaker by using these words: stronger: much far alot weaker: abit alittle This book is much / a little more expensive. © Note this construction that repeats the word the. The faster you drive, the more petrol you use. © Expressions with best: Sorry, but this is the best I can do. tried my best. May the best man win. (this can refer to two or more people) Comparative clauses © With than Food here is more expensive than I thought. © With not as... as or not so ... as Being a nurse is not as interesting as being a doctor. © With (just) as... as Living in the country is just as expensive as living in London, © With such ... as Tve never been to such a good party as that one, © With a superlative adjective and present perfect simple, often with ever. This is the worst film I've ever seen. © When we compare actions we can use an auxiliary at the end of the sentence. Ican swim a lot better than Jack, ORI can swim a lot better than Jack can. You paid more for your car than me. OR You paid more for your car than I did. Note how modals like can are repeated, but other verbs use a form of do. More and most describing quantity © We also use more and most as comparative and superlative forms of many or much, Most people enjoy going to the beach. I've got more time than you have. 137FIRST CERTIFICATE LANGUAGE PRACTICE 1 Put one suitable word in each space. My brother is two years older .MQesusun ME. The train takes jUSt .onon-nnn long as the bus. I thought the second hotel we stayed in was... .. more friendly. Unfortunately we are .. . well-off than we used to be. Do you think you could make a less noise? ‘These exercises seem to be getting harder and .... Jean doesn't need as much help as Harr David didn’t enjoy the match as much as... aVauaone 2. Rewrite each sentence, begini 1. Jill can run faster than Peter. \ Peter 2anck.nan.as fasta. Jill. (ean | 2 Tthought this journey would last longer than it did | ‘This journey didn’t osu . | 3. Ididn’t arrive as early as I expected. \g as shown. Do not change the meaning. Tarrived .. 4. You are working too slowly. You'll have to... : 5. Thave a brother who is older than me, Thave an... a 6 Martin thought the second part of the film was more interesting. ‘Martin didn't think the first. 7 Paula's work is less careful than before. Paula has been working .... 8 There arentt any trains earlier than this one. This is... ae 9. All other cafés are further away. This café. 10 Is this the best price you can offer? Can't you 138GRAMMAR 20 MAKING COMPARISONS 3 Complete each sentence with the most suitable word or phrase. 1 really think that apologizing is .. you can do. Anotas muchas Balittle C the least Das far as | 2. can’t stand this weather. It’ getting ...uunmene Amore and more Bworse and worse Ccoldestand _D further and \ coldest further | 3. Although Brenda came last, everyone agreed she had ... her best. Adone Bmade Chad D got | 4 wish Charles worked as hard as Mary .. =e | Adid Bean Cwill Ddoes 5 The more you water this plant, the .. _ it will grow. A best Beall C wetter Diaster 6 From now on, we won't be able to go out as much as we... se Awere Bhad Cused to Dwill 7 ve never owned ... . independent cat as this one! Aamorethan — Bsuchan Caso Das much an 8 Brian has been working since he was promoted. Amuchharder Bas harder Cjust as hardly D more hardly 9 Ive been feeling... tired lately, doctor. Asucha B the most Cmore and more D much 10. This exercise will give you .. . practice. A farther B much more Cas betier Dalot 4 Put one suitable word in each space, beginning with the letter given. 1 Is William feeling any bétter......... today? Everyone ate a lot, but Chris ate the m, What’ the 1. news about the situation in India? Td feel aloth.. . if you let me help, Graham has been sinking dno. into debt lately. It’s 35 degrees today! It must be the h sv day so far this year. Only £45? Is that all? Oh well, it b.. .. than nothing. He had to wait a ... two months before he got his promotion. Ruth wore her b. dress to her sister's wedding. Harry has got over the w.... of his cold. Seers4usen 139FIRST CERTIFICATE LANGUAGE PRACTICE 5 Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word given, 1 Your car was cheaper than mine. cost Your car .20st.Léss.tham.mine.... 2. Tm notas good at maths as you are, better | You oe Tam, 3. Keith is slightly taller than Nigel. | little | Keith oe osstastsseee Nigel. | 4 Bill was growing angrier all the time. and Bill Ms vevenenen 5. Sally tried as hard as she could. did Sally... 6 [thought this film would be better. as ‘This film 7 = so 7 This is the bumpiest road I’ve ever driven along! such T've never cs . 8 When you eat a lot, you get fat. more The : seen 9 George said he couldn't do any better. could George said it... ee oe 10 This year’s exam and last year’s exam were equally difficult. just ‘This year’s exam ... did. 1 angrier, best. expected. road, sme YOU get. do, . last year’s exam. 140GRAMMAR 20 MAKING COMPARISONS 6 Complete the text with a word or phrase from the box. Use each word once only. a as £ convenient k fastest p more D as fast as g dangerous 1 fitter q more and more © best h easiest m further r most di better i efficient n healthier s than € cheapest j faster © just as t the | | | | | | First of all, walking is sometimes (1) quickest means of travelling short distances, it can also be the (2) .. ina city centre, and is obviously the @). too, unless you count the cost of shoes! Of course, the (4) sss: you have to go, the (5) tired you become, Although you might think that walking is (6) ........- than travelling by bus or car, since you get more exercise, in fact it can be (7) .....s.0 unhealthy, because you breathe in poisonous fumes as you walk along the road, and it is probably more (8) 1... being @ pedestrian (9) .. being a driver or passenger. Of course, travelling by car is often (10) ......... and more (11) . than going on foot, but as cities become more and more crowded, parking is getting harder and harder and the traffic is travelling (12) ......... slowly, Generally speaking public transport is more (13)... 8 @ BUS oF tram carries more people, though it probably isn't (14) .. using a car. On the other hand, cars cause (15) vase OF the pollution in cities, 50 it is (16) ......... to avoid using your car if possible. Ina city, the (17) ........... way of travelling Is probably on a bike, which keeps YOU (18) wuss and is not SO Noisy (19) ...sseene @ Motorbike oF a car, but this can also be dangerous, and you can still have a problem with poisonous fumes. Perhaps the (20) ........« thing to do is to stay at home!FIRST CERTIFICATE LANGUAGE PRACTICE 7 Rewrite each sentence, beginning as shown. Do not change the meaning. 1. That’ the best meal I've ever eaten. Ive never eaten a ..peter.neeal 2. Fish and meat are the same price nowadays. Fish costs just 3. Ivenever enjoyed myself so much, Tve never had ... 4 Ifyou run allot, you will get fitter. - The More wr. 5 The doctor cant sce you earlier than Wednesday, Im afraid, Wednesday is... 6 [must have a rest. I can’t wall any more, I must have a rest. I can’t go 7 Mobile phones used to be much more expensive. Mobile phones arent... = 8 I don’t know as much Italian as Sue does, Sue knows 9 Tthought that learning to drive would be difficult, bat it isnt Learning to drive is 10 Barbara can skate just as well as John can, John isn't..... “Key points i ae ‘Check spelling rules for oe and ape i In one-syllable ae ending with one consonant, “double the Sat ‘consonant. “big bigger” the biggest hay hae ee : ‘Adverbs form comparatives: and superlatives | ic aaiecis st faster the fastest 9 SEE ALSO Pee ae aes Consolidation 142