Comparative structures revision
As we have covered in previous lessons, it is pos8sible to make adjectives stronger or weaker by using some
expressions before them.
Comparative adjectives Superlative adjectives
Making meaning stronger Making meaning weaker Making meaning Making meaning
stronger weaker
-Even -a little -by far -one of
-Very much -slightly -easily -some of
-Far -a bit
-A lot -somewhat
-Considerably
Examples Examples
Stronger Weaker Stronger Weaker
Motorola even more Carpinchos are slightly River is by far the best team Cats are one of the loveliest
expensive than the bigger than dogs. (= in Argentina. (= no other pet animals. ( they are very
Samsung. (= Motorola is Carpinchos are just a bit team is better than River) lovely but there may be
very expensive in biger) more)
comparison to Samsung) Gallardo is easily the best
My handwriting a bit more football coach in Argentina These are some of the best
Fiat far more unreliable than legible than last year. (= My (= no other coach is better books for the course (the
Peugeot. (= Fiat is very handwriting has improved than him) book is very good but there
unreliable in comparison to just a bit) may be more)
Peugeot)
Boca`s new team is
Buenos Aires is somewhat better than that in
considerably bigger than 2017. (= The new team is
Salta. (= Buenos Aires just a bit better than the
much bigger than Salta) previous one)
*** Note that all the expressions go before the comparative and the superlative not after it.
Moving on, it is also possible to do the same when it comes to modifying some comparative structures. Let`s
have a look at how this works. In this paper we will have a look at them and also revise the structure, meaning and use of
this type of sentences.
Combined comparison:
How do we form it? The + comparative + ___________ + the + comparative + ____________
When do we use it? To describe that one situation depends on the other or to say that one situation is transformed
to some extent by another one.
For example: The more difficult the exam, the more we have to study. (= if the exam is more difficult we need to
study more)
Progressive comparison:
How do we form it? Comparative + and + comparative
When do we use it? One situation increases or decreases.
For example: After we adopted it, the cat grew fatter and fatter. (= Our cat got fatter and fatter after we adopted it,
its weight increased a lot)
Contrastive comparison:
How do we form it? more + adjective + than + adjective
When do we use it? To contrast two related qualities. Remember that all adjectives, including the short ones, take
"more" to form the comparison in this structure.
For example: I am more tired than bored. (= I am tired not bored)
It is also possible to use any of the following structures, remember that in all the cases, the first element/adjective is
stressed over the second one.
a- Not so much + adjective + as + adjective
I am not so much tired as bored (= I am tired not bored)
b- Adjective + rather than + adjective
I am stressed rather than angry. (= I am stressed not angry)
Negative comparison:
How do we form it? Noun + not as + adjective + as + noun
Noun + not so + adjective + as + noun
When do we use it? To show dissimilarity and stress the difference between two nouns.
For example This pandemic is not as lethal as the Spanish flu.
Language is not so difficult as grammar.
We can make meaning stronger using “nearly” in this structure: Noun + not nearly so + adjective + as + noun. For
example: This exam is not nearly so difficult as the previous one (= the previous exam was much more difficult than this
one)
We can make meaning weaker using “quite” in this structure: Noun + not quite as + adjective + as + noun. For example:
The concert was not quite as successful as the previous one. (= the previous concert was slightly better than this one)
In informal English it is also possible to use the following structures to make meaning stronger: “not anything like” or “
nothing like”.
a. Noun + not anything like as + adjective + as + noun.
This phone is not anything like as luxurious as this one. (= the second cellphone is much more luxurious than the
first one)
b. Noun + nothing like as + adjective + as + noun.
This computer is nothing like as expensive as the this one. (= the second computer is much more expensive than
the first one)
Showing equality:
How do we form it? As + adjective + as
When do we use it? To say that two things are equal.
For example: This car is as unreliable as the old one. (= Both cars are equally unreliable)
Meaning can be made more emphatic by adding “just” in the structure Just as + adjective + as. For example: Dogs are just
as lovely as cats. (= They are equally lovely)
Meaning can be made weaker by adding “almost, about, and nearly” in the structure almost, about, nearly as + adjective +
as. For example: Dogs are almost as cute as cats. (= dogs are slightly cute as cats)
Other structures that we can use to indicate equality are the following:
a. No + comparative + than + noun
For example: This car is no more reliable than the old one. (= The are equally reliable)
b. Not any+ comparative + than + noun
For example: This car is not any more reliable than the old one. (= the old car and thi9s care are equally reliable)
Show results:
So+ adjective+ that+ clause
E.g. The traffic was so heavy that I arrived late. (= because the traffic was heavy I arrived late)
The music was so loud that I could not hear anything. (= I could not hear because the music was very
loud)
The exam was so difficult that I couldn’t solve it. (= I could not do it because it was very difficult)
Too+ adjective+ for someone (to do something)
E.g. The exam was too difficult for me (to do.) (= I did not do it because it was too difficult)
The song was too difficult for children (to understand.) (= they did not understand it because it was too
difficult)
The class was too boring for the students (to stay awake) (= they fell asleep because it was boring)
Too+ adjective + to do something
E.g. I could not see because it was too dark to find my glasses! (= I could not find them because it was
very dark)
I didn’t enter because it was too late. (= It was very late to enter and I did not do it )
I didn’t rest because it was too noisy to sleep. (= It was very noisy and I could not sleep)
(not)+ adjective+ enough + for someone (to do something)
E.g. The explanations were not clear enough for students to do the activities. (= They did not do it
because the explanations were very unclear)
The activities were not simple enough for students. (= the students could not solve them because they
were extremely difficult)
The class was not attractive enough for students to participate. (= they did not participate because the
class was not attractive)
(not) + adjective + enough + to do something
E.g. The explanations were not clear enough to do the activities. (= the activities could not be done
because the explanations were not clear)
The activities were not simple enough to be understood. (= the activities could not be understood because
of the explanations)
The class was not attractive enough to participate. (= they did not participate because the explanations
were not clear)
Such :
How is it formed? Such+ a+ adjective+ noun+ as (= to show similarity)
Such + a +adjective + noun + that + clause (= to show result)
When is it used? It can be used to show equality or result using any of this pattern
For example: It was such a difficult exam that almost no one passed. (=showing result)
It was such noisy class as a group of young children (comparing)
