5-3 Making Comparisons

ENGL120 - Unit 5
A: What kind of fabric are you going to use to make the dress?
B: I'm just going to use cotton. It's not as soft as silk, but it's a lot
cheaper.
Adjectives
➔ Adjectives are words that describe
nouns:
Examples
- The house is big.
- The expensive makeup was on sale.
- I ate some spicy chips.
- She bought a beautiful blouse.
Adverbs
➔ Adverbs can describe adjectives, verbs,
or other adverbs.
➔ In Grammar 5-3, we will focus on adverbs
that describe verbs:
Examples
- She sings beautifully.
- He can run fast.
- I went to bed late last night.
- Susan dresses fashionably.
As + Adjective / Adverb + As
➔ We can use this pattern to say that both
parts of the comparison are equal or the
same.
➔ Almost or nearly are commonly used
with this pattern:
Examples
- Steve can run as fast as Jim.
- You look as tall as me.
- I ate as much as I could last night.
- Today, it is almost / nearly as hot as it
was yesterday.
Not + As + Adjective / Adverb + As
➔ The negative version of this pattern is
used to say that the two are not equal.
In this sense, the first noun is less in
some way than the second.
➔ That is to say, the second noun is more
in some way than the first.
Examples
- I tried the chicken but it didn't taste as
good as the beef.
- Today, it doesn't feel as warm as it did
yesterday.
- I can't jump as high as you.
- My computer isn't as new as yours.
Comparative & Superlative
Adjectives & Adverbs
➔ Additionally, we can make comparisons
using the comparative or superlative
forms of adjectives and adverbs.
Adjectives & Adverbs with One
Syllable
➔ Adjectives and adverbs with one syllable
take er in their comparative form and est
in their superlative form:
 Hot Cold Big Warm Old Fast

Comparative hotter colder bigger warmer older faster

Superlative the the the the the the

hottest coldest biggest warmest oldest fastest
Adjectives Ending in "y"
➔ If an adjective ends with the letter y, we
usually change the y to ier for its
comparative form and iest for superlative:
 Easy Busy Pretty Happy

Comparative easier busier prettier happier

Superlative the the the the

easiest busiest prettiest happiest
Adjectives with Two or More
Syllables
➔ If an adjective has two or more syllables,
we do not change the adjective.
➔ Instead, the comparative form is made
with the adjective and the word more.
➔ Most is used to make the superlative
form:
 Nervous Interesting Fashionable Boring

Comparative more more more more

nervous interesting fashionable boring

Superlative the most the most the most the most

nervous interesting fashionable boring
Exceptions
➔ For some adjectives, both er or more can
be used to make the comparative form
and est and most for the superlative. Both
ways are okay:
 Friendly Simple Quiet Narrow Clear

Comparative more more more more more

friendly simple quiet narrow clear

friendlier simpler quieter narrower clearer

Superlative the most the most the most the most the most
friendly simple quiet narrow clear

the the the the the

friendliest simplest quietest narrowest clearest
Adverbs Ending in "ly"
➔ If an adverbs ends with the letters ly, its
comparative form uses more and
superlative form uses most:
 Beautifully Carefully Slowly

Comparative more more more slowly

beautifully carefully

Superlative the most the most the most

beautifully carefully slowly
Irregular Adjectives & Adverbs
➔ Some adjectives and adverbs have
irregular comparative and superlative
forms:
 Good Bad / Badly Far

Comparative better worse farther /

further

Superlative the best the worst the fartherst /

furthest
Using Comparative Adjectives &
Adverbs
➔ Below are some examples of sentences
containing adjectives and adverbs in their
comparative form:
Examples
- I met his sister last night. She seems
nicer.
- You did well, but you can do better.
- Could you please speak more slowly?
Examples
- Canada is big, but Russia is bigger.
- It feels warm today, but it is going to
feel warmer tomorrow.
➔ We often use than when comparing
two or more things:
Examples
- My class is more interesting than your
class.
- She can run faster than you.
- The weather today seems nicer than it
was yesterday.
Examples
- You are not a bad singer. I sing much
worse than you do.
- My older brother is lazier than me.
➔ Notice the difference in using
comparative adjectives and adverbs
with the not as ... as:
Examples
- Cotton isn't as expensive as silk.
- Silk is more expensive than cotton.
- Cotton is cheaper than silk.
Examples
- Peter isn't as tall as Phil.
- Phil is taller than Peter.
- Peter is shorter than Phil.
➔ Comparatives can be modified with
much, far, a lot, way (informal), a bit, a
little, and slightly:
Examples
- Brazil is a big country, but China is
much bigger.
- Could you speak a bit more slowly,
please?
Examples
- My new car is way better than my old
one. (spoken / informal English)
- I live slightly farther from school than
you do.
Using Pronouns When Comparing
➔ When using pronouns, in informal
English, we can use object pronouns
(me, him, her, etc.) after than or as. In
more formal English, we prefer using a
subject pronoun and (auxiliary) verb:
 Informal / Spoken Formal / Written
- You did better than me. - You did better than I did.

- She can't type as fast - She can't type as fast as I

as me. can.

- He is going to arrive - He is going to arrive

earlier than her. earlier than she is.
 Informal / Spoken Formal / Written

- They dress more - They dress more

fashionably than us. fashionably than we
do.

- I didn't do as well on - I didn't do as well on

the test as you. the test as you did.
Using Superlative Adjectives &
Adverbs
➔ Look at examples below of superlative
adjectives and adverbs.
➔ Notice the use of the:
Examples
- Jim is the tallest student in the class.
- There are many great Italian
restaurants in town, but this one is the
best.
Examples
- Shelly is one of the nicest people I
have ever met.
- That is one the most expensive cars
you can buy.
➔ Superlative adjectives are often used
after one of...:
Examples
- It is one of the hottest days of the
year.
- She has one of the most beautiful
voices I have ever heard.
- This is one of the most difficult things I
have ever done.