COMPARATIVE EXERCISES

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 compare:

 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 comparative 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
One syllable adjectives
ending in –e: wide, nice
Two syllable adjectives
ending in –y, -er, -ow ,-le:
dirty, simple, clever, narrow
Other adjectives with two or
more syllables: honest,
modern, comfortable
Irregular adjectives: good,
bad, far, old
Older, faster, cleaner, The oldest, the fastest, the
longer cleanest, the longest
Wider, nicer The widest, the nicest
Dirtier, simpler, The dirtiest, the simplest,
cleverer, narrower the cleverest, the narrowest
More honest, more The most honest, the most
modern, more modern, the most
comfortable comfortable
Better, worse, The best, the worst, the
farther/further, farthest/the furthest, the
older/elder(only with oldest/the eldest (only with
family members) family members)

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Useful expressions : Before comparatives you can use

Much a lot far (= a lot) a bit a little slightly (= a little)

For example:

 Let’s go by car, it’s much cheaper.(it’s a lot cheaper)

 Don’t go by train, it’s 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)
 I’ve waited long enough. I’m not waiting any longer.
 This hotel is better than the other one and it’s 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
 It’s becoming harder and harder to find a job
 Your English is improving. It’s 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

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 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. I’m 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 she’s ……….(slightly/old)
EXERCISE 2: Complete the sentences using an/no + a comparative
1. I’m fed up with waiting. I’m not waiting…………….. (long)
2. This shop isn’t expensive. The prices are ……………. Anywhere else(cheap)
3. The traffic isn’t particularly bad today. It’s ……………… usual (bad)
EXERCISE 3: Complete the sentences using “Double” Comparatives
1. It’s 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. It’s hard to concentrate when you are tired. The more tired you are ……….
(hard/concentrate)
3. She had to wait a very long time. The longer she waited,………….. (impatient/become)

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EXERCISE 5: Match the two halves containing the structure “the ……the……”

the earlier we leave the faster you’ll learn

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 more you have to pay
the sooner we’ll arrive
the more profit you’ll 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 expensive
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 most 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? –I’m 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. It’s 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 just finished 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
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14. China is the country with…………………..population.
A. the larger B. the more large C. the largest D. the most large
15. She sat there quietly, but during all that time she was getting…………….Finally she exploded.
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 grandfather’s 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. earlier 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. Nobody is happy than Miss Snow is. ( happier)

22. He needs many more sugar than I do. (much)
23. Does Mary feel weller today than she did yesterday? (better)
24. It’s becoming hard and harder to find a job. (harder)
25. 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...................................................................

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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 and 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 more cities )
 The............................................................................, the...................................................................
16. Many people didn't realise how dangerous it was to lie in the sun.(is how sun. 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. songs 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 Nowadays, and
less less are personal)
 The............................................................................, the...................................................................

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