This structure is used to show

proportionate increase or
decrease.
 Double comparatives describe a
cause-and-effect process.

• The more education women get, the later they

marry.
• The better the quality of health care (is), the higher
the life expectancy (is).
 Note the word order in both
clauses: the + comparative
expression + subject + verb

The more I see him, the more I like him.

(NOT The more I see him I like him more)

The more I read, the less I understand.

The older we grow, the wiser we become.

The higher you climb, the colder it gets.

The more I study, the more I learn.

The more he earns, the less he saves.

 • More can be used with a noun in this
structure.
The more money he makes, the more useless
things he buys.

• A short form of this structure is used in

sentences ending the better.

‘How do you like your tea?’ ‘The stronger, the

better.’
• the more sport you practise, the fitter you get
• the more you eat, the fatter you get
• the more I study, the better marks I’ll get in the exam
• the longer I wait, the more impatient I get
• the more I drink, the less self-control I have
• the less I sleep, the more tired I am the following day
• the more work I have, the longer I have to work
• the more it rains, the better crops they get
• The more dangerous things are, the more I like it
• The older Mark gets, the more he looks like his grandfather
• The more I get to know him, the more I like him
• The longer she waited, the more impatient she got
• The older a chicken is, the tougher
• The more careful a student is, the fewer mistakes he makes
• The more perfect a diamond is, the more expensive
• the more ripen plums are, the sweeter
• The more coffee you drink, the more nervous you get
 Complete the sentences
• 1. The ____ you study for these exams, the ____ you will do.
hard - better
harder - more successfully
much - better
more - good
• 2. She doesn't really like vodka, so the ____ a bottle you find, the ____ it will be for us!
small - cheaper
smaller - cheap
smaller - good
smaller - cheaper
• 3. My neighbor is driving me mad! It seems that the ____ it is at night, the ____ he plays
his music!
later - more loud
late - louder
later - louder
more late - loud
• 4. He spent a year in India and loves spicy food. The ____ the food is, the ____ he likes
it.
hotter - more
hot - much
hotter - much
hot - more