Comparatives

1. Making comparisons with as as:

Examples: She is 32 years old. He is 32. She is as old as he is. She works as quickly as she can.

As ... asis used to say that the two parts of a comparison are either equal or the same. As+ adjective + as As + adverb + as

Negative form: Not as as Also possible: Not so as

She is not as old as he is.

Common modifiers of as as: Just as as. (Exactly)

Not quite as as (a small difference) Not nearly as as (a big difference) Nearly/almost as as

Quite & nearly are often used with the negative.

2. Comparative & superlative:

She is older than he is. She is the oldest. He is more courageous than she is. He is the most courageous.

The comparative compares this/ these to that/ those by using -ER or MORE.

A comparative is followed by THAN.

The superlative compares one part of a whole group to all the rest of the group by using -EST or MOST. A superlative begins with THE.

3. Comparative & superlative forms of adjectives & adverbs:

3.1. Adjective:

One syllable: -ER than / The EST Two syllables: MORE than / The MOST For an adjective that end in y, we use: ER/ -EST Some two-syllable adjectives use ER/-EST or MORE/MOST Able, angry, clever, friendly, common, cruel, gentle, handsome, narrow, pleasant, polite, quiet, simple, sour. Three or more syllables (long adjectives): MORE / MOST Irregular adjectives: They have irregular forms. - Good: better the best - Bad: worse, the worst

3.2. Adverbs:

-Ly adverbs: MORE / MOST. Except early: earlier/ the earliest One syllable: -ER / -EST Irregular adjectives: They have irregular forms.

- Well: better, the best - Badly: worse, the worst - Far: farther/further, the farthest/the furthest

Farther/farthest: for distance & information Further/furthest: for information (additional) only

Early is an adjective and an adverb.

4. Using comparatives:

She is younger than her sister. She is younger than he is. She is younger than him. (Informal) She works better than he does. She drew clearer than they did.

A subject pronoun (He) follows than in very formal English. Frequently, an auxiliary verb follows the subject after than. In informal spoken English, an object pronoun (Him) follows than.

She is much / far / a lot younger than he is.

He travels much/ a lot / far more frequently than he used to. He is a little friendlier than she is (her). She drives less carefully than he does.

Very modifies adjectives and adverbs. But Very is not used to modify comparative adjectives and adverbs. Instead, they are modified by: Much, far or a lot.

Other common modifiers:

Much a lot far, A little a little bit. The opposite of er/most is: not as as or LESS. Less is not used with one-syllable adjectives or adverbs.

5. Using MORE with nouns:

More before a noun expresses: additional (not than with). They needed some more friends.

We use than to make comparisons. They have seen more birds than stars in the sky.

When the meaning is clear, the noun is omitted. She will send to him some money that he asks her. She ask him after if he need more.

6. Repeating a comparative:

He traveled farther and farther. His situation became more and more difficult. Something becomes progressively greater (in quality, quantity and intensity)

7. Using double comparatives:

The more developed, the more complicated. The sooner, the better. The double comparative has two parts. Both parts begin with: The. The second part is the result of the first.

8. Using superlatives:

Alaska is the largest state in The United States. (+ In a place) He has about seven ideas to figure out the problem. One of them is the best (idea) of all. (+ Of all) He met the person the most interesting he has never seen. (+ Adjective clause) There are many modals in the language, but shall is the least important to use. (+ Adjective clause)

We use often the superlative in these cases: - Superlative + in a place. - Superlative + of all. - Superlative + adjective clause.

The least has the opposite meaning of the most.

9. Using the same, similar, different, like & alike:

9.1. The same, similar & different:

They had the same ideas. The two ideas are the same. She and he had similar cars. The cars were similar. Call off and cross out have different meaning. The meaning is different. The always precedes same. The same, similar & different are used as adjectives. This car is the same as that one. (as) This car is similar to that one. (to) This car is different from that one. (from or a clause after) This car has the same price as that one. (Noun between same and as)

9.2. like & alike:

This car is like that one. This car and that car are alike.

Noun + be like + noun Noun and noun + be alike. The woman looks like girl.

The soup tastes like soup. Those cars look alike They smell alike.

Like follows be. Like follows also some verbs mainly those dealing with the senses: look, sound, feel, smell, taste, act, seem.