The comparative form is -er or more
| We use -er for short words(one syllable): cheap → cheaper fast → faster large → larger thin → thinner | We use more ... for longer words (two syllables or more): more serious more often more expensive more comfortable |
| We also use -er for two-syllable words that end in -y (-y → ier): lucky → luckier early → earlier easy → easier pretty → prettier | We also use more ... for adverbs that end in -ly: more slowly more seriously more quietly more carefully |
| Compare these examples: | |
| • You're older than me. • The exam was fairly easy - easier than I expected. • Can you walk a bit faster? • I'd like to have a bigger car. • Last night I went to bed earlier than usual. | • You're more patient than me. • The exam was quite difficult - more difficult than I expected. • Can you walk a bit more slowly? • I'd like to have a more reliable car. • I don't play tennis much these days. I used to play more often. |
| You can use -er or more ... with some two-syllable adjectives, especially: clever narrow quiet shallow simple • It's too noisy here. Can we go somewhere quieter / more quiet? |
A few adjectives and adverbs have irregular comparative forms:
good / well → better
• The garden looks better since you tidied it up.
• I know him well - probably better than anybody else knows him.
bad / badly → worse:
• 'How is your headache? Better?' 'No, it's worse."
• He did very badly in the exam - worse than expected.
far → further (or farther):
• It's a long walk from here to the park - further than I thought. (or farther than)
Further(but not farther) can also mean 'more' or 'additional':
• Let me know if you hear any further news. (= any more news)
Ex. 1. Complete the sentences using a comparative form (older / more important etc.).
1. It's too noisy here. Can we go somewhere quieter ?
2. This coffee is very weak. I like it a bit _____________________.
3. The hotel was surprisingly big. I expected it to be _____________________.
4. The hotel was surprisingly cheap. I expected it to be _____________________.
5. The weather is too cold here. I'd like to live somewhere _____________________.
6. My job is a bit boring sometimes. I'd like to do something _____________________.
7. It's a pity you live so far away. I wish you lived _____________________.
8. I was surprised how easy it was to use the computer. I thought it would be _____________________.
9. Your work isn't very good. I'm sure you can do _____________________.
10. Don't worry. The situation isn't so bad. It could be _____________________.
11. I was surprised we got here so quickly. I expected the journey to take _____________________.
12. You're talking very loudly. Can you speak a bit _____________________?
13. You hardly ever phone me. Why don't you phone me _____________________?
14. You're standing too near the camera. Can you move a bit _____________________ away?
15. You were a bit depressed yesterday, but you look _____________________ today.
Comparison 2 (much better / any better / better and better / the sooner the better)
Before comparatives you can use:
much a lot far (= a lot) a bit a little slightly (= a little)
• Let's go by car. It's much cheaper. (or a lot cheaper)
• 'How do you feel?' 'Much better, thanks.'
• Don't go by train. It's a lot more expensive. (or much more expensive)
• Could you speak a bit more slowly? (or a little more slowly)
• This bag is slightly heavier than the other one.
• Her illness was far more serious than we thought at first. (or much more serious / a lot more serious)
Better and better / more and more etc.
We repeat comparatives(better and better etc.) to say that something changes continuously:
• Your English is improving. It's getting better and better.
• The city is growing fast. It's getting bigger and bigger.
• Cathy got more and more bored in her job. In the end she left.
• These days more and more people are learning English.
The ... the ...
You can say the (sooner/bigger/more etc.)the better:
• 'What time shall we leave?' 'The sooner the better.' (= as soon as possible)
• A: What sort of box do you want? A big one?
B: Yes, the bigger the better. (= as big as possible)
• When you're travelling, the less luggage you have the better.
We also use the ... the ... to say that one thing depends on another thing:
• The warmer the weather, the better I feel. (= if the weather is warmer, I feel better)
• The sooner we leave, the earlier we will arrive.
• The younger you are, the easier it is to learn.
• The more expensive the hotel, the better the service.
• The more electricity you use, the higher your bill will be.
• The more I thought about the plan, the less I liked it.
Older and elder
The comparative of old is older:
• David looks older than he really is.
You can use elder(or older)when you talk about people in a family. You can say(my/your etc.) elder sister/brother/daughter/son:
• My elder sister is a TV producer. (or My older sister ...)
We say 'my elder sister', but we do not say that 'somebody is elder':
• My sister is older than me. (not elder than me)
Ex. 1. Use the words in brackets to complete the sentences. Use much / a bit etc. + a comparative form. Use than where necessary.
1. Her illness was much more serious than we thought at first. (much / serious)
2. This bag is too small. I need something ____________________________. (much / big)
3. I'm afraid the problem is ____________________________ it seems. (much /complicated)
4. It was very hot yesterday. Today it's ____________________________. (a bit/cool)
5. I enjoyed our visit to the museum. It was ____________________________ I expected. (far/ interesting)
6. You're driving too fast. Can you drive ____________________________? (a bit / slowly)
7. It's ____________________________ to learn a foreign language in a country where it is spoken. (a lot / easy)
8. I thought she was younger than me, but in fact she's ____________________________. (slightly /old)
Практичне заняття № 2
Тема заняття: Я – студент Факультету…
I am a student of the … faculty. Our faculty is one of the largest faculties in the University. We study a lot of different subjects: … and many others. Besides these subjects we study … and English. We study English to be able to communicate with people on different competitions.
Students are acquainted with all branches of …. They are lectured in various subjects.
During the first two years we attend lectures on … and …. In the third year more narrow specialization begins. We have several specialized courses and additional practical and research work in the subject they have chosen as their future specialty. Besides attending lectures we may join some scientific circle and choose a problem to work on according to our bents. All of us know that biology is the science of glorious past and great future. We do our best to acquire as much knowledge as possible.
Graduates of the … faculty are assigned to work as …, … and others.
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