Making comparisons

• We use comparatives to show how the

qualities of two people or things can be
compared
• We use superlatives to show how three or
more can be compared
 3 TYPES OF COMPARISON

• 1. to a higher degree (comparative form + than)

Bill is richer than John. He drives more carefully
than I do.
• 2. to the same degree (we use the structure as…
as) Jane is as clever as her sister. John didn´t do
as well as Helen in the exam.
• 3. to a lower degree (we use less + than and the
least) I´m less interested in reading than I used to
be. He usually buys the least expensive clothes.
 OTHER FORMS

• so … as can be used in negative statements

instead of as…as
Computers are not as / so expensive as they were.
She didn´t work as / so hard as she could to finish
early. Be careful: in positive sentences and in
questions you cannot use so…as but only as…as
Could you try and get here as quickly as you can,
please?
She worked as hard as she could to finish early.
 as much/many/little/few …
• as much/many/little/few …. as
• in comparisons we use this structure without a we cannot use
more/less/several etc.
Bill doesn´t have as much money as Josh. If she had as little
money as he did, she wouldn´t buy such expensive things.
 Bill doesn´t eat as many meals as she does. If she had as few
meals as Bill, she would be thinner. the same (as) – always
use the! you can use exactly to emphasis
 Their car is the same as ours. Their car is exactly the same as
ours.
repeating comparatives – is used to say that
sth is
• changing (increasing or decreasing) all the time,
usually with the Present Continuous comparative
adj+and+comparative adj = changing all the time:
She was getting more and more nervous.
the+comparative adj+verb+the+comparative
adj+verb = two things change at the same time:
The older I get, the wiser I become. the+comparative
adj+the+comparative adj = used in common phrases:
the bigger the better, the sooner the better
 one-syllable adjectives
•  most one-syllable adj. form the comparative by
adding - er and the superlative by adding –est
cheap – cheaper – the cheapest shy – shyer – the
shyest tall – taller – the tallest young – younger –
the youngest !! one-syllable adj. ending –ed
cannot take –er, -est. We use more/most: bored
– more bored – the most bored worried – more
worried – the most worried
 one-syllable adjectives
• 2. one-syllable and two-syllable adjectives ending
in –e form the comparative and superlative by
adding –r and – st safe – safer – the safest close –
closer – the closest gentle – gentler – the
gentlest polite – politer – the politest !!
• two-syllable adj. ending in –e also form the
comparative and superlative using more and
most gentle – more gentle – the most gentle
polite – more polite – the most polite
 one-syllable adjectives
• 3. one-syllable adj. ending in a short vowel
and a consonant form the comparative and
superlative by doubling the consonant and
then adding –er and –est big – bigger – the
biggest fat – fatter – the fattest !!but if the
vowel is long, do not double the consonant:
great – greater – the greatest late – later – the
latest cheap – cheaper – the cheapest
two (and more)-syllable adjectives
• most of these adj. form the comparative and
superlative with more and most common –
more common – the most common tired –
more tired – the most tired careless – more
careless – the most careless expensive – more
expensive – the most expensive !! two-
syllables adj. ending in – y first change y ˃ i
and add –er and –est angry – angrier – the
angriest busy – busier – the busiest
 irregular adjectives
• good – better – the best bad – worse – the
worst little – less – the least much – more –
the most many – more – the most far – farther
/ further – the farthest / the furthest old –
older – the oldest elder – the eldest (when
talking about people in a family)
  revise basics – one-syllable adverbs
• these take –er and –est (as adjectives)fast –
faster – the fastest, high – higher – the highest
late – later – the latest, near – nearer – the
nearest, slow – slower – the slowest loud –
louder – the loudest, hard – harder – the
hardest, early – earlier – the earliest (!!)
She arrived earlier (NOT more early) than
expected.
She arrived (the) earliest ofthem all.
 two or more syllables
• nearly all adverbs of two syllables or more use
more/less… and (the) most/(the) least… to form the
comparative and superlative !!!
• Even though they are of two syllables and end in – y
quietly – more/less quietly – (the) most/least quietly
often – more/less often – (the) most/least often
carefully – more/less carefully – (the) most/least
carefully beautifully – more/less beautifully – (the)
most/least beautifully
 revise basics – irregular adverbs
• well – better – best
• badly – worse – worst
• much – more – most
• little – less – least
• a lot – more – most
• far – further/farther – furthest/farthest