COMPARATIVE STRUCTURES (ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS)

►one syllable adjectives and one syllable adverbs => + ER / +EST

deep - deeper - the deepest; short - shorter - the shortest; slow - slower - the slowest
-one syllable adjectives with short vowel => double the final consonant +ER / + EST
big - bigger - the bigget; wet - wetter - the wettest; fat - fatter - the fattest
-one syllable adjectives ending in "e" => drop the "e" + ER / + EST : nice - nicer - the nicest
►two syllable adjectives ending in "er", "y", "ow", "le"=> + ER / + EST
clever - cleverer - the cleverest; narrow - narrower - the narrowest; noble - nobler - the noblest
two syllable adjectives ending in consonant +"y"=> "i" + ER / + EST: easy - easier - the easiest
two syllable adverbs that have the same form as the adjectives => +ER / + EST: early - earlier - the
earliest
►the rest of the two syllable adjectives, adjectives with more than two syllables and adverbs that do
not have the same form as the adjectives : MORE + adj. / adv. / THE MOST + adj./ adv. _____
adjectives: playful - more playful - the most playful; beautiful - more beautiful - the most beautiful
adverbs: easily - more easily - the most easily

OBS: some adjectives may form the comparative and superlative both ways (+ER / + EST or MORE / THE
MOST): clever, common, cruel, friendly, gentle, pleasant, polite, shallow, simple, stupid, quiet
-irregular adjectives: good - better - the best; much / many - more - the most; little - less - the least
-irregular adverbs : well - better - the best

-AS + ADJ. / ADV. + AS (tot atât de ..... ca și ) = EQUALLY + ADJ. / ADV. (la fel de ..... )
A magnolia is as beautiful as a water lily. = The two flowers are equally beautiful.
Tom runs as fast as Jim. They run eqully fast.
-LESS + ADJECTIVE / ADVERB (mai puțin ... decât....): She is less adventurous than her brother.
-THE LEAST + ADJ. / ADV. (cel mai puțin ....) : This is the least interesting book I have ever read.
-MUCH / A LOT / FAR + COMPARATIVE (cu mult mai ..... decât ...)
A car is much / a lot / far slower than a plane. This book is much / a lot / far more expensive than I thought.
This book is much / a lot / far less expensive than I thought. (= much / a lot / far cheaper)
-A LITTLE / A BIT / SLIGHTLY + COMPARATIVE (un pic mai .... decât..)
This cake is a little / a bit / slightly sweeeter than it should be.
This exercises is a little / a bit / slightly more difficult than I expected.
-NOT NEARLY AS + ADJ./ADV. + AS (nici pe departe atât de .... ca și)
The book is not nearly as expensive as I thought.
-COMPARATIVE + COMPARATIVE (din ce în ce mai ....)
It is getting hotter and hotter. The English classes are becoming more and more interesting.
The child seemed less and less interested in school.
-THE + COMPARATIVE ..... THE + COMPARATIVE (cu cât ..... cu atât...)
The sooner, the better. The more frequent rains are, the higher the water level gets.
-BY FAR + SUPERLATIVE (de departe cel mai ... )
He is by far the best student in the class.
Travelling by plane is by far the fastest means of transport.
For some students Mathematics is by far the least interesting subject.
This is by far the most expensive hotel in town.
-TOO + ADJECTIVE / ADVERB (prea ....)
This exercise is too difficult for me to solve.
He is running too fast for me to catch him up.
-ADJECTIVE / ADVERB + ENOUGH (destul de ...)
He is not clever enough to solve the exercises. He doesn't run fast enough.
-ENOUGH + NOUN : There is enough space for a big table in my room.
-SO + ADJECTIVE / ADVERB (așa de ....): How can you be so rude? How can he run so fast?
-SUCH + A(N) + (ADJECTIVE) + NOUN IN THE SINGULAR:How can you read such a (boring) book?
-SUCH + (ADJECTIVE) + NOUN IN THE PLURAL / UNCOUNTABLE NOUN:
They are such good friends! How could you use such words!
-AT MOST = NO MORE THAN
This tree can grow two metres in height at most.
This tree can grow no more than two metres in height.
-AT LEAST = NO LESS THAN
I need at least two weeks to do that.
I cannot do that in less than two weeks.

Compare and contrast the pictures

using the following words /phrases:
• unlike • to be different from ≠ to be similar to
• while / whereas • to resemble (no prep.) ≠ to differ from
• as opposed to • to resemble (no prep.) = to look like
• both…..are / seem • to be as…..as = to be equally …..
• both……and…… • far / a lot / much ……..…er than
are / seem • far / a lot / much more…… than
• the (main) • slightly / a little / a bit……er than
difference between • slightly / a little / a bit more…… than
the pictures is…..
• by far the ……est / the most ………
• not nearly as ……….. as

The city is MUCH / A LOT / FAR noisier than the countryside, WHILE / WHEREAS the countryside in not
NEARLY as noisy as the city.

AS OPPOSED TO / UNLIKE the city, WHICH is not NEARLY as peaceful as the countryside, the
countryside is WAY / MUCH / FAR / A LOT more peaceful.

The city is MUCH / FAR / A LOT more polluted than the countryside, WHEREAS / WHILE the
countryside is MUCH / FAR / A LOT less polluted than the city. (= The countryside is not NEARLY as
polluted as the city.)

AS OPPOSED TO / UNLIKE the city, WHICH is WAY / MUCH / A LOT / FAR more crowded than the
countryside, the countryside is not NEARLY as crowded as the city. (= The countryside is WAY / MUCH /
A LOT / FAR less crowded than the city.)