Comparison

Not as … as/not so …as	Less than …		As … as	The same as
Tom isn’t as old as he looks. (=he looks older than he is) Jenny didn’t do as well in the exam as she had hoped. (=she had hoped to do better) It is not warm but it isn’t so cold as yesterday. (=…it isn’t as cold as …)	I spent less money than you. The city centre was less crowded than usual.		I’m sorry I’m late. I got here as fast as I could. Let’s walk. It’s just as quick as taking the bus. There’s plenty of food. You can have as much as you like. twice as … as, three times as … as Petrol is twice as expensive as it was a few years ago. Their house is about three times as big as ours. He is twice as old. He is half my age. My room is half the size of yours. I paid for the book half as much as for the stamp. I have half as many English books as Italian.	(not the same like) Ann’s salary is the same as mine. or Ann gets the same salary as me. Tom is the same age as George (BUT: Tom is as old as George)
	Than me.. than I am You are taller than me. He is not as clever as her. (not she) (when there is no verb) You are taller than I am (but You are taller than me) They have more money than we have (but They have more money than us) I can run as fast as he can (I can run as fast as him)
- 2 things: This watch is cheaper than that one. This story is more interesting than that one.		- 3 things and more: This watch is the cheapest of all. This story is the most interesting of all stories ( that I have ever read)

Exercises

1. Add two more degrees of comparison of the following nouns.

• big………………………………………………………., busy……………………………………………………………

• dirty………………………………………….................., early……………………………………………………………

• hot………………………………………………, nice……………………………………………………………………..

• wonderful……………………………………………………..dangerous…………………………………………………,

• bad……………………………………………………, good………………………………………………………………, many……………………………………………………, much……………………………………………………………, late……………………………………………………., far……………………………………………………………….., little……………………………………………………., old……………………………………………………………….

II. Give the comparative and superlative degree of the following.

Model: a sharp pencil - a sharper pencil - the sharpest pencil

A funny story, a hard problem, a young lady, an important problem, a hot day, a favourite writer.

III. Model: This chair isn't good enough. Let me get you a better one.

Pencil - sharp; book - interesting; table - strong; picture - interesting; dress - nice;

fish - fresh; spoon - clean; story - interesting; newspaper - new; glass - big.

IV. Ask questions. Model: Minsk- Kiev? - Which is bigger, Minsk or Kiev?

January or March? paper or wood? honey or sugar? a cat or a dog? English or Chinese? the book or the film?

V. Complete the sentences using a comparative form.

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 in this country. I’d to live somewhere ________________________________.

6. My job is a bit boring sometimes. I’d like to do something ___________________________________.

7. I was surprised how easy it was to use the computer. I thought it would be_______________________.

8. Your work isn’t very good. I’m sure you can do ___________________________________________.

9. Don’t worry. The situation isn’t so bad. It could be __________________________________________.

10. You hardly ever phone me. Why don’t you phone me________________________________________?

11. You’re standing too near the camera. Can you move a bit _____________________________________?

VI. Complete the sentences. Each time use the comparative form of one of the words in the list.

Use than where necessary.

Big crowded easily early high important