COMPARISONS C1 EOI 2023 Feb

COMPARISONS
General rules for comparatives and superlatives:
Adjective or Comparative Superlative

adverb
One-syllable Tall Taller Tallest
adjectives/adverbs Fast Faster Fastest
Big Bigger Biggest
Most adjectives and Beautiful More/less beautiful Most/least beautiful
adverbs with two or more Thoughtful More/less thoughtful Most/least thoughtful
syllables
Two-syllable adjectives Happy Happier Happiest
ending in -y (change it to Gentle Gentler Gentlest
-i) / -e (take only -r/-st)
Some two-syllable adjectives form comparative and superlative forms in

both ways (either form is correct):
Adjective Comparative Superlative

Clever Cleverer Cleverest
More/less clever Most/least clever
Simple Simpler Simplest
More/less simple Most/least simple
Quiet Quieter Quietest
More/less quiet Most/least quiet
Narrow Narrower Narrowest
More/less narrow Most/least narrow
Common Commoner Commonest
More/less common Most/least common
Healthy Healthier Healthiest
More/less healthy Most/least healthy
Friendly Friendlier Friendliest
More/less friendly Most/least friendly
The comparative form of adjectives and adverbs is followed by than when we compare
two people, animals, things, ideas or situations:
● Your car is faster than mine.

● Living with our family can be easier than living on your own.
The superlative form of adjectives and adverbs is followed by the…. (of/in) when we
compare one person, animal, thing, idea or situation with several of the same kind:
● That’s the most ridiculous idea I’ve ever heard.

● Peter is the tallest boy in his class.
BUT
In formal language, most can be used without the in the superlative form to mean
very/extremely:
● It was most kind of you to see me at such short notice.
When we compare two people or things, we can use the + comparative (not the +
superlative):
● This is the better of the two suggestions.
Irregular forms
Positive form Comparative Superlative

Good / well Better Best
Bad Worse Worst
Much / many More Most
Little Less Least
Far *Farther / further *Farthest / furthest
*Farther/farthest are used only for distances. Further/furthest are used for distance
but they also mean more/most:
● Today we walked farther/further than we did yesterday.

● There are no further details available yet.
Elder, eldest or older, oldest?
Elder and eldest mean the same as older and oldest, but we use them to describe
relationships within a family:
● My elder brother is studying in England.
● Jack is the eldest of four brothers.
My brother is older than me (NOT elder).

The town hall is by far the oldest building in the whole region (NOT eldest).
Other forms of comparison
1. AS + ADJ/ADV + AS (to show similarity)
She’s as tall as her sister.

You have to unwrap the present as carefully as you can.
2. NOT SO/AS + ADJ/ADV + AS (to show difference)
It’s not as far as we thought.

She is not singing as loudly as she can.
3. AS + ADJ + A/AN + NOUN + AS (to show similarity)
Mr. Davis is as good a boss as anyone could wish for.

She is as stubborn a person as her sister.
4. NOT AS + ADJ + A/AN + NOUN + AS (to show difference)
Our town is not as lively a place as it used to be.

She isn’t as interesting a person as you think.
Or
5. NOT SUCH + A/AN + ADJ + NOUN + AS
Our town is not such a lively place as it used to be.
To contrast two similar qualities, we can say:
● Tina found the course NOT SO MUCH demanding AS uninteresting (=Tina found
the course more uninteresting than demanding).
THE + COMPARATIVE, THE + COMPARATIVE (to describe two actions or situations, one
of which comes as a result of the other):
● The higher they climbed, the colder it got.

● The faster you drive, the more dangerous it is.
● The bigger the house is, the more cleaning it will need.
COMPARATIVE + AND + COMPARATIVE (to indicate continual change):
● The car was going faster and faster.

● Everything is getting more and more expensive.
Other expressions:
His car is exactly the same as mine.

Teenagers are much the same throughout the world.
The food at the restaurant was good, not like the last time we ate there.
Unlike my friends, I don’t like pizza with pineapple.
My friend and I are alike in many ways and people think we are sisters.
Even though we are brothers, we are unalike in appearance.
He acts similar to his elder brother.
Eating healthy and exercising are equally important.
In comparison to / Compared to my other mobile phone, this one is more complicated
to use.
Modifying comparisons:
We can use adverbs of degree with comparatives, superlatives and as…as to modify
their meaning.
Adverbs of degree Type of comparison

Much/many, far, a lot, Comparative form His car was far more
considerably, a great deal, expensive than mine.
rather, somewhat, slightly,
a bit, hardly… It’s a bit colder today.
You should dress

somewhat more
professionally.
The little girl is hardly

more than five.
Much, by far, easily, Superlative form You are by far the best
almost, quite, nearly, player in the team.
possibly, just about…
He is just about the best
golfer in the world.
That film was much the

worst I’ve ever seen.
Nearly, almost, just, about, as…as Jack is almost as tall as his
half, twice, three times, brother.
not nearly, nothing like,
nowhere near… The new painting isn’t half
as good as the first one.
Learning a foreign
language isn’t nearly as
easy as many people
might think.
Watch out!
Twice can only be used with as…as (not with the comparative form). Two times three
times, four times, etc. can be used both with as…as and with the comparative form.
● She earns twice as much as I do. (NOT: She earns twice more than I do.)
● She earns three times as much as I do / She earns three times more than I do.

COMPARISONS C1 EOI 2023 Feb

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

COMPARISONS C1 EOI 2023 Feb

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

COMPARISONS

General rules for comparatives and superlatives:

Adjective or Comparative Superlative

Some two-syllable adjectives form comparative and superlative forms in

Adjective Comparative Superlative

● Your car is faster than mine.

● That’s the most ridiculous idea I’ve ever heard.

● It was most kind of you to see me at such short notice.

● This is the better of the two suggestions.

Positive form Comparative Superlative

● Today we walked farther/further than we did yesterday.

Elder, eldest or older, oldest?

My brother is older than me (NOT elder).

1. AS + ADJ/ADV + AS (to show similarity)

She’s as tall as her sister.

2. NOT SO/AS + ADJ/ADV + AS (to show difference)

It’s not as far as we thought.

3. AS + ADJ + A/AN + NOUN + AS (to show similarity)

Mr. Davis is as good a boss as anyone could wish for.

4. NOT AS + ADJ + A/AN + NOUN + AS (to show difference)

Our town is not as lively a place as it used to be.

5. NOT SUCH + A/AN + ADJ + NOUN + AS

Our town is not such a lively place as it used to be.

To contrast two similar qualities, we can say:

● The higher they climbed, the colder it got.

● The car was going faster and faster.

His car is exactly the same as mine.

Adverbs of degree Type of comparison

You should dress

The little girl is hardly

That film was much the

You might also like