LCH1109 Preparing for IELTS Grammar: Expressing Large and Small Differences

Grammar: Expressing Large and Small Differences

Examples Scientists have found that eating fish is far healthier than eating red meat.
1–4 Scientists have found that fish lovers live far more healthily than meat lovers.
Health risks for overweight people are considerably more substantial than for
people whose weight is normal.
Overweight people’s health risks may increase considerably more substantially than
those whose weight is normal.
far / considerably / a lot / much + comparative form of adjective / adverb =
express large differences
Examples The North European students are not nearly as stressed as the Hong Kong students.
5–6 The Hong Kong students do not study nearly as happily as the North European
students.
not nearly as + adjective / adverb + as = express large differences
Examples Slightly lower speed limits have led to considerable reductions in traffic accidents.
7–8 Scientists have found that by eating a little more slowly, stress levels are significantly
reduced.
slightly / a little / a bit + comparative form of adjective / adverb = express small
differences
Example The graph shows that consumption of chocolate was not quite as high in 2012 as in
9 1992.
not quite as + adjective/adverb + as = express small differences
Example Coffee drinking was nearly as popular in 2011 as in 2010.
10 nearly / almost as + adjective/adverb + as = express small differences
Examples A house in London may cost twice as much as a house in the north of England.
11 – 13 A house in the north of England may cost half as much as a house in London.
A house in the north of England may cost 50% as much as a house in London.
twice / half / 50% / a quarter / one-and-a-half times / three times / etc.
+ as much / many as = quantifying differences
Example Fuel prices in Western Europe are on average 40% higher than in North America.
14 40% / three times / four times / etc.
+ comparative form of adjective = quantifying differences
Examples The British import three times the amount of sugar as the Portuguese.
15 – 16 The Portuguese import a third the amount of sugar as the British.
three times / a third / double / twice / half time / four times / a quarter / etc.
+ the number / amount + of + as = quantifying differences
The British import three times the amount of sugar than the Portuguese. (WRONG)
The Portuguese import a third the amount of sugar than the British. (WRONG)
Example The Chinese medical system is completely different from the American one.
17 completely / totally / entirely / quite
+ different + from / to = saying things have no similarity
Example The Chinese and American medical systems bear no similarity to each other.
18 bear no similarity to each other / are not the same at all
= saying things have no similarity

Reference: Brook-Hart, G., & Jakeman, V. (2013). Complete IELTS bands 6.5-7.5 student’s book
with answers. Cambridge University Press. (p.113)

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