CAE. Comparative Structures - MyEnglishness
CAE. Comparative Structures - MyEnglishness
CAE. Comparative Structures - MyEnglishness
3 With other English adjectives of two syllables and more, you can't change their endings. Instead, you should use more + adjective.
For example, handsome – more handsome; beautiful – more beautiful and so on.
6 When you want to say one thing is less than another, you can either use 'less than' or 'not as – as'.
For example, "This programme is less interesting than I thought" or "This programme is not as interesting as I thought."
7 Remember that some adjectives are irregular and change form when you make comparisons.
For example, good – better; bad – worse; far – further.
When you use these qualifying expressions in English, remember the rules about using -er. If the adjective is one syllable, or ends in -y, add -er:
"He's far taller than her." (NOT "He's far more taller…")
"I'm much lazier than you!"
When the adjective is two syllables and more, you need either "more" or "less":
"He's a little more prepared for the exam than she is." (NOT "He's a little prepareder…")
The tone of these examples is inappropriate to academic writing. However, the Cambridge Academic Corpus shows that comparatives are often used in academic writing.
Examples:
The drug has in fact been shown to be far more effective than expected in its early trials.
A simple soil bacterium could become by far the best solution to dealing with toxic waste.
Most of the prototypes being exhibited are slightly smaller than final products will be.
Unlike cardboard, plastic is waterproof and not nearly as heavy to transport, either.
The long-term effects on the environment are a good deal more serious than first claimed.
Contents
1. Inequality: adjectives
2. Inequality: verb + adverbs
3. inequality: quantity
4. Inequality: noun phrases
5. Inequality: modifying with adverbs nearly, quite, nowhere near
6. Equality: adjectives, adverbs, quantity
7. Equality: modifying with adverbs nearly and quite
0. Core
It isn't (It's not) as big as the old one
It doesn't work as well as we'd hoped
It isn't (It's not) such a big problem as you might think
1. Inequality: adjectives
We can show that two things are not equal using not + as + adjective + as
When we use this structure, the first thing mentioned is 'less' than the second thing. (The order of the things you are comparing is opposite to that used in comparisons with
comparative adjectives.)
This one isn't as big as the old one. (The old one is bigger than this one.)
Jenny's new flat isn't as nice as her old one. (Jenny's old flat is nicer than her new one.)
Paris isn't as big as Tokyo (Tokyo is bigger than Paris.)
Contractions You can contract the subject / verb to be / not in two ways:
It isn't as big as... OR It's not as big as...
(There is no difference in meaning)
It doesn't work as well as we'd hoped. (We'd hoped it would work better than it does.)
Michael didn't play as well this week as he did last week. (Michael played better last week than he did this week.)
3. Inequality: quantity
The as...as structure is often used with quantity expressions such as 'much' and 'many'.
This phone doesn't have as many features as the other one. (The other phone has more features than this one.)
My ticket didn't cost as much as yours. (Your ticket cost more than mine.)
The journey to London doesn't take such a long time as it used to. (The journey to London used to take longer.)
I don't have such an interesting job as Julia. (Julia has a more interesting job than I do.)
There aren't nearly as many people here today as there were yesterday.
There are nowhere near as many people here today as there were yesterday.
(There were far more people here yesterday than there are today.)
Setting up a business isn't nearly such a complicated process now as it used to be.
Setting up a business is nowhere near such a complicated process now as it used to be.
(Setting up a business used to be a much more complicated process than it is now.)
Adjectives
My cooking is as good as yours. (The quality of my cooking is the same as yours.)
Adverbs
I can sing as well as you can. (My ability to sing is the same as yours.)
Quantity
There are as many people here who can speak Chinese as English. (The numbers of people here who can speak Chinese and English are the same.)
This phone is quite as good as that one even if it does cost less.
Quiz
1. He is __ me.
older
more old than
older than
For adjectives of one syllable, add -er to the adjective. Remember to use 'than' afterwards when you compare two things or people.
8. Milan is __ Rome.
more beautiful as
as beautiful than
less beautiful than
Grammar Notes
Note that any, no, a bit and a lot are not normally used to modify comparatives before nouns.
There are much better shops in the city. (NOT ... a bit/a lot better ...)
Quite is not normally used with comparatives, but it is possible in the expression quite better, meaning 'recovered from an illness'.
Superlatives can be modified by much and by far, and by other adverbs of degree such as quite and almost.
She is by far the oldest in the firm.
He is quite the most stupid person I have ever met.
Summa
as - as
Structure = ><
as + adj./adv. + as ... A car is as fast as a bus.
Alice is as beautiful as Mary.
Tom is as tall as Harry.
not so + adj./adv. + as ... Tom is not as/so tall as Harry.
not as + adj./adv. + as ... A car is not as/so fast as a train.
Alice is not as/so beautiful as Susie.
no other + noun + to be + as + adj. No other girl is as intelligent as Alice.
+ as ... No other metal is as useful as iron.
No other river is as long as the Niles.
as much/many + noun + as ... I earn as much money as you.
as few/little + noun + as ... Alice has as many children as Mary.
Tom earns as much as Harry.
We have as many cars as them.
They have as few visitors as we have.
They have as little money as we have.
-/- (informal) I earn as much money as he does.
We have as many children as they have.
than
Converting structures
(Compact Advanced U2 Speaking. Making comparisons)
The British drink just as much tea as they did in the past. -> (small diff)
The British don’t drink as less tea as they did in the past.
The British don’t drink any less tea than they did in the past.
They carry umbrellas because rain is a lot more frequent there. -> (big diff)
They carry umbrellas because it rains a lot more frequently there.
The USA has slightly fewer public holidays than some other countries. -> (small diff)
The USA doesn’t have quite as many public holidays as some other countries.
The USA doesn’t have quite so many public holidays as some other countries.
Having a lot of brothers and sisters isn’t nearly as common as it used to be. -> (big diff)
Having a lot of brothers and sisters is far less common than it used to be.
Having a lot of brothers and sisters is much less common than it used to be.
Having a lot of brothers and sisters is a lot less common than it used to be.
Years ago, people were far more likely to marry young than they are today. -> (big diff)
Today, people are not nearly so likely to marry young as years ago.
Today, people are not nearly as likely to marry young as years ago.
Diwali is a great deal more widely celebrated internationally than it was. -> (big diff)
20 years ago, Diwali was nowhere near as widely celebrated internationally as nowadays/it is now.
20 years ago, Diwali was nowhere near so widely celebrated internationally as nowadays.
Some think April Fool’s Day is twice as much fun as St Valentine’s Day. -> (big diff)
Some think St Valentine’s Day isn't half as much fun as April Fool’s Day
Analytical approach
see the sentence above
o1 = o2 neg Some think April Fool’s Day is not much more fun than St Valentine’s Некоторые думают, что День дурака не веселее чем День Святого Валентина.
Day. = такой же унылый = оба унылые
o1 = o2 neg Some think April Fool’s Day is not less fun than St Valentine’s Day. Некоторые думают, что День дурака не менее веселый чем День Святого
(litotes) Валентина.= такой же веселый = оба веселые
o1 < o2 neg Some think April Fool’s Day is not as much fun as St Valentine’s Day. Некоторые думают, что День дурака не такой веселый (праздник) как День
Святого Валентина. = унылый
o1 > o2 neg Some think April Fool’s Day is not as less fun as St Valentine’s Day Некоторые думают, что День дурака не такой унылый (праздник) как День
(litotes) Святого Валентина. = веселый
o1 > o2 neg Some think April Fool’s Day is not twice as much fun as St Valentine’s Некоторые думают, что День дурака не сильно (не в два раза) веселее Дня
o1 < 2*o2 Day. Святого Валентина. = веселее, но не сильно = small diff
o1 < o2 neg Some think April Fool’s Day is not half as much fun as St Valentine’s Некоторые думают, что День дурака даже в половину не такой веселый как
o1 < 1/2*o2 Day. День Святого Валентина. (= намного более унылый = big diff)
(-hyperbole)
o1 < o2 neg Some think April Fool’s Day is not nearly as much fun as St Некоторые думают, что День дурака намного менее веселый чем День
(-hyperbole) Valentine’s Day. Святого Валентина. (= намного более унылый = big diff)
Some think April Fool’s Day is nowhere near as much fun as St
Valentine’s Day.
o1 > o2 neg Some think April Fool’s Day is not nearly as less fun as St Valentine’s Некоторые думают, что День дурака даже близко не такой унылый как День
(litotes) Day. Святого Валентина. (= намного более веселый = big diff)
Some think April Fool’s Day is nowhere near as less fun as St
Valentine’s Day.
Some think April Fool’s Day is twice as much fun as St Valentine’s Day
= Some think St Valentine’s Day isn't half as much fun as April Fool’s Day
= Some think St Valentine’s Day is not nearly as much fun as April Fool’s Day
= Some think St Valentine’s Day is nowhere near as much fun as April Fool’s Day
is - positive
is not - negative
much fun - positive
less fun - negotive
half - neg?
twice - pos
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