Course on Comparatives - TOEIC® Preparation

The comparative is used to compare two elements by specifying that a characteristic is more, less, or as pronounced in one than in the other. Its formation varies according to the length and nature of the adjective used.

1. Comparing 2 things with short adjectives

An adjective is considered short when it consists of:

• one syllable (small, big, tall).
• two syllables ending in -y (happy, easy, funny).

To form the comparative with short adjectives, here is the rule:

A. If the adjective is one syllable

In the comparative of superiority, simply add "er" followed by "than".

B. If the adjective is one syllable and ends with a consonant

In the comparative of superiority, for short adjectives of one syllable, when the word ends with a consonant + vowel + consonant structure, double the last consonant before adding "er".

C. If the adjective has two syllables and ends in -y

In the comparative of superiority, for adjectives of two syllables ending in "-y", replace the "y" with "i", then add "er" and "than".

• happy → happier than
  • She looks happier than yesterday.
• easy → easier than
  • This exercise is easier than the previous one.
• funny → funnier than
  • This comedian is funnier than the one we saw last week.

2. Comparing two things with long adjectives

An adjective is considered "long" when it has two syllables or more and does not end in "-y" (e.g., important, expensive, comfortable).

3. Irregular adjectives in the comparative

Some adjectives have irregular comparative and superlative forms that do not follow the previous rules. Here are the most common:

4. Different types of comparative

A. Comparative of inferiority: « less ... than »

To form the comparative of inferiority, use the structure less + adjective + than. This rule applies to all adjectives, regardless of their length.

• This chair is less comfortable than the armchair.
• He is less patient than his brother.

B. Comparative of equality: « as … as » / « as much … as »

The comparative of equality indicates that a characteristic is identical between two elements.

• With a noun: the same + noun + as
  • She bought the same dress as me.
• With an adjective: as + adjective + as
  • The task is as difficult as I thought.

Variations

There are some variations to express the comparative of equality:

• In the negative form: not as ... as (≃ less ... than)
  • It is not as effective as we expected
• Almost as ... as: almost / nearly as + adjective + as
  • The project is nearly as complex as the last one.
• Just as ... as: just as + adjective + as
  • This solution is just as practical as the first one.
• Twice as ... / half as ... (as ...): twice / half as … (as …)
  • This apartment is twice as big as my old one.
• N times as expensive (as ...): N times as expensive (as …)
  • This watch is five times as expensive as mine.

Comparing quantities

To compare quantities, use "as much as" with uncountable nouns and "as many as" with countable nouns.

• "As much as" is used with uncountable nouns:
  • She earns as much money as her colleague.
  • This recipe requires as much sugar as the other one.
• "As many as" is used with countable nouns:
  • He has as many responsibilities as his manager.
  • There were as many guests at the party as last year.

C. "Less and less..." and "more and more..."

To express a progression or a decrease over time, use the structure "comparative + and + comparative".

• It is getting colder and colder outside.
• The city is becoming more and more crowded.
• He is getting less and less interested in his job.

D. "The more you…, the more you…" and "The more you…, the less you…"

To express a cause and effect relationship between two elements, use the structure "the + comparative, the + comparative".

• The healthier you eat, the better you feel.
• The more experience you have, the easier it gets.
• The faster you run, the more exhausted you get.

E. Nuancing a comparison

To express a comparison with more precision, certain adverbs can be placed before the comparative, such as slightly, a bit, somewhat, much, far, a great deal.

• This jacket is slightly more expensive than the other one.
• The problem is far more complex than expected.
• This laptop is a bit faster than my old one.

With "even" for emphasis

• The situation is even worse than we thought.

With "any" or "no" to emphasize a lack of difference

• The new version is no better than the previous one.
• We can't wait any longer for an answer.

F. Comparing quantities (countable and uncountable nouns)

To compare quantities and amounts, use more, less, fewer, not as much as, not as many as, etc.

• For countable nouns (fewer, more, many)
  • We need to hire more employees this year.
  • There are fewer opportunities in this industry than before.
  • She doesn't have as many tasks as her colleague.
• For uncountable nouns (less, more, much)
  • He has more patience than I do.
  • We should consume less sugar.
  • We didn't gain as much profit as last year.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the comparative in English allows you to compare two elements in different ways:

• The comparative of inferiority (less ... than) to express "less than"
• The comparative of equality (as ... as) to express "as ... as"
• Variations like "almost as" (almost/nearly as), "just as" (just as)
• Expressions of quantity with "as much as" (uncountable) and "as many as" (countable)
• Progressions with "more and more" (more and more) and "less and less" (less and less)
• Cause and effect relationships with "the... the" (the... the)

Other courses to prepare for the TOEIC®

• 🔗 Overview on the comparative and superlative for the TOEIC®
• 🔗 Complete course to prepare for the TOEIC®