There are some rules to help you make comparisons in English.
1 If the adjective (describing word) is one syllable, you can add -er.
For example, small - smaller; big - bigger; nice - nicer.
2 If the adjective has two syllables, but ends in -y, you can change the end to -ier.
For example, lucky - luckier; happy - happier.
3 With other English adjectives of two syllables and more, you can't change their endings. Instead, you should use more + adjective.
For example, handsome - more handsome; beautiful - more beautiful and so on.
4 When you compare two things, use 'than'.
"She's younger than me."
"This exercise is more difficult than the last one."
5 When you want to say something is similar, use 'as - as'.
For example, "She's as tall as her brother" or "It's as nice today as it was yesterday."
6 When you want to say one thing is less than another, you can either use 'less than' or 'not as - as'.
For example, "This programme is less interesting than I thought" or "This programme is not as interesting as I thought."
7 Remember that some adjectives are irregular and change form when you make comparisons.
For example, good - better; bad - worse; far - further.
Using qualifying expressions
You can vary the strength of the comparison by using "qualifying" expressions.
1. Comparing two things
You can use "a lot", "much", "a little", "slightly" and "far" before "more / less than":
"She's a lot more intelligent than him."
"This car is much faster than the other one."
"They are much less wealthy than they used to be."
"He's a little taller than his sister."
"She's slightly less interested in football than him.
"We are far more involved in charity than they are."
When you use these qualifying expressions in English, remember the rules about using -er. If the adjective is one syllable, or ends in -y, add -er:
"He's far taller than her." (NOT "He's far more taller…")
"I'm much lazier than you!"
When the adjective is two syllables and more, you need either "more" or "less":
"He's a little more prepared for the exam than she is." (NOT "He's a little prepareder…")
2. Saying how two things are similar
You can use "almost as … as", "not quite as … as", "(not) nearly as … as", "nowhere near as … as", "twice as … as" and "half as … as" to change the extent of the similarity.
"She's almost as good as you!"
"He's not quite as confident as Susie."
"I'm not nearly as intelligent as her!"
"This painting is nowhere near as famous as the first."
"She's twice as old as him!
"He's half as interesting as you!"
9 comments on “How to make comparisons in English”
I want ask your question
how do you know number of syllables in the word?
You need to count the syllables (which are the sound divisions of a word).
For example, "hot" has one syllable, but "hotter" (hot - ter) has two syllables.
Difficult has three syllables (di - ffi - cult) and so on.
To count the syllables in a word you need to see how many vowels this word has.
One syllable consists of one vowel (or a diphthong - like /ie/, /oi/ etc.; or even a triphthong - like /aue/, /aie/ etc.) and one or more consonants.
But we have to be careful and always keep in mind that several (let's say two) letters can make one sound, so here we need to know the basic rules of reading. It may help to consult the dictionary and read the transcription of the word.
We say: easier than, or more easy than?
We say "easier than".
We say : lesser intelligent than me ,or much less intelligent than me ???
Thank you for your help
You can say "less intelligent than me" or "much / a little less intelligent than me".
If we have this sentance :
It's a long journey by train, it's much quickly by road.
Is quickly correct here???
No. It should be "it's much quicker by road."
When we make comparison,we are comparing with subject or object?
He is taller than me ?
He is taller than I (am)?
Are both sentences correct?
I presume they are right though people claim the first one to be informally right and the second one is traditionally right.
You are right. I prefer the first for both informal and for written situations. If you have a verb form (such as "am"), then you need the subject pronoun, rather than the object pronoun.
Michael is the smartest of any boy in class.
Would this sentence need the word other after any?
No, the sentence is fine as it is. You could also say "Michael is the smartest boy in the class".
I like this class..you explain the things very easy
Can you say: "She is taller than me"
or does it have to be: "She is taller than I"
"She is taller than me" or "She is taller than I am".