Comparatives - More complex structures

More complex structures using comparatives

• Modulating comparisons
  

Look at the following examples:

1. Tuition fees are MUCH higher in the US than in France.   

2. He doesn’t study very hard. He’s FAR more interested in having a good time.

3. My course is a bit boring. I would like to do something A LITTLE more interesting.

4. Deciding which universities and courses to apply for was MUCH more complicated than I initially expected.

5. It’s A LOT easier to learn a foreign language in the country where it is spoken than in a classroom.

You can modulate the comparison by using:  Much – a lot – far – a bit – a little - slightly 

• More and more…

Look at the following examples:

1. It’s becoming harder and harder to find a job – even with a Master’s degree.

2. Your English is improving: it’s getting better and better.

3. These days, more and more young people are spending a year abroad.

We repeat comparatives like this (… and ….) to say that something is changing continuously.

• The more, the more…

1.      The younger you are, the easier it is to learn.

2.      The more qualified you are, the easier it is to find a job.

3.      The further away you live from your parents when at university, the more independent you become.

4.      The more you study, the better you will do.

We use the… the… (with two comparatives) to say that one thing depends on another thing:

Other common expressions:

The bigger the better.

The sooner the better.

The more the merrier.

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