Modifiers A2 B1

Comparison

Compare people, things, and actions with comparative, superlative, as...as, and less/least forms.

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Por ahora, se muestra la lección original en inglés.

Guía visual

Comparison: put things on one scale

ONE SCALE
less / lower  ←──────────────→  more / higher

TWO POINTS: different level  →  ... than ...
Mark ●────────────● Lena
Lena is taller than Mark.

TWO POINTS: same level       →  as ... as
blue shirt ●──────● black one
The blue shirt is as comfortable as the black one.

TWO POINTS: lower level      →  less ... than
route ●────────────● highway  (busy)
This route is less busy than the highway.

WHOLE GROUP: end point       →  the ... in/of ...
shop models:  ○  ○  ○  ● highest price
This phone is the most expensive model in the shop.

Choose the frame by the scale picture: different level, same level, lower level, or the end of a group.

Introduction

What comparison does

Comparison helps you place people, things, and actions against one another. Use a comparative for two sides, a superlative for one item at the top or bottom of a group, as...as for equality, and less/least for a lower point on the scale. Lena is taller than Mark. This phone is the most expensive model in the shop. The blue shirt is as comfortable as the black one. This route is less busy than the highway. Before you choose a form, ask two questions: What quality or action am I measuring, and am I comparing two sides or choosing one item inside a group?

Core Gramática A2 Vocabulario A1 Neutral

Lena is taller than Mark.

A simple comparative adjective compares two people.

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Lee la oración en bloques de significado, no palabra por palabra.

Lena

compared_subject

The person being compared.

is taller

comparative_phrase

The comparative form shows a higher point on the tall scale.

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than Mark

comparison_point

Introduces the person Lena is compared with.

Core Gramática A2 Vocabulario A2 Neutral

This phone is the most expensive model in the shop.

Use the most with longer adjectives in superlatives.

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This phone

compared_subject

The item being selected from a group.

is the most expensive

superlative_phrase

Marks the top point on the expensive scale.

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model in the shop

group

The group where the phone is being compared.

Core Gramática A2 Vocabulario A1 Neutral

The blue shirt is as comfortable as the black one.

As...as compares two equal levels.

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Lee la oración en bloques de significado, no palabra por palabra.

The blue shirt

compared_subject

The first item in the equality comparison.

is as comfortable as

equality_phrase

Shows that the two shirts have the same level of comfort.

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the black one

comparison_point

The second item in the equality comparison.

Core Gramática A2 Vocabulario A2 Neutral

This route is less busy than the highway.

Less + adjective shows a lower degree.

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Lee la oración en bloques de significado, no palabra por palabra.

This route

compared_subject

The thing being compared.

is less busy

lower_comparative_phrase

Shows a lower level on the busy scale.

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than the highway

comparison_point

Introduces the route used as the comparison point.

Cognitive metaphor

The scale idea

Think of comparison as a scale. The adjective or adverb names the scale: tall, bright, carefully, expensive. A comparative moves one point above or below another point. A superlative marks the highest or lowest point inside a set. Equality puts two points at the same height. The small room is not as bright as the kitchen. This suitcase is the heaviest in the car. This scale idea also explains why the comparison word stays close to the adjective or adverb: more carefully, less busy, as bright as, the most expensive.

Negative Gramática A2 Vocabulario A1 Neutral

The small room is not as bright as the kitchen.

Not as...as often means less than.

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The small room

compared_subject

The first point on the bright scale.

is not as bright as

negative_equality_phrase

Shows that the level is lower, not equal.

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the kitchen

comparison_point

The second point on the bright scale.

Core Gramática A2 Vocabulario A1 Neutral

This suitcase is the heaviest in the car.

A short adjective usually takes -est in the superlative.

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This suitcase

compared_subject

The item being compared with all others in the group.

is the heaviest

superlative_phrase

Marks the highest point on the heavy scale.

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in the car

group

The group or place used for comparison.

Core pattern

Core sentence patterns

Use these practical sentence frames. For difference, say A is comparative than B, or A does something more/less adverb than B. Is this train faster than the bus? She drives more carefully than her brother. He answered less confidently than usual. For equality, say A is as adjective or adverb as B; the first as starts the frame and the second as introduces the comparison point. For the top or bottom of a group, say A is the superlative in/of the group. That was the least expensive option we found. These frames work for people, objects, places, and actions.

Question Gramática A2 Vocabulario A1 Neutral

Is this train faster than the bus?

Comparatives work naturally in questions.

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Is this train

question_frame

Begins a yes/no question about the subject.

faster than

comparative_phrase

Asks whether one thing has a higher speed than another.

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the bus

comparison_point

The transport being compared with the train.

Core Gramática A2 Vocabulario A2 Neutral

She drives more carefully than her brother.

Use more with many -ly adverbs when comparing actions.

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Lee la oración en bloques de significado, no palabra por palabra.

She drives

compared_subject_action

Names the person and action being compared.

more carefully than

comparative_adverb_phrase

Compares how the action is done.

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her brother

comparison_point

The person used as the comparison point.

Core Gramática B1 Vocabulario B1 Neutral

He answered less confidently than usual.

Less can compare adverbs as well as adjectives.

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Lee la oración en bloques de significado, no palabra por palabra.

He answered

compared_action

Names the action being compared.

less confidently than

lower_comparative_adverb_phrase

Shows a lower degree in how the action was done.

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usual

comparison_point

The normal level used as the comparison point.

Core Gramática A2 Vocabulario A2 Neutral

That was the least expensive option we found.

The least + adjective means the lowest degree in a group.

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That

evaluated_item

Refers to the option being selected.

was the least expensive

lowest_superlative_phrase

Marks the bottom point on the expensive scale.

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option we found

group

The set of options being compared.

Form variations

Choosing -er, -est, more, or most

Form depends mainly on word shape. Short adjectives usually take -er and -est: small, smaller, smallest. If a short adjective ends in consonant plus y, change y to i: happy, happier, happiest. Longer adjectives and most -ly adverbs use more/most and less/least. This box is smaller than that one. The flight was more expensive than the train. Your plan is better than mine. Common irregular forms are good/better/best, bad/worse/worst, and far/farther or further/farthest or furthest. A few short adverbs pattern like adjectives: fast, faster, fastest.

Core Gramática A2 Vocabulario A1 Neutral

This box is smaller than that one.

Short adjectives often take -er in comparatives.

Bloques de significado

Lee la oración en bloques de significado, no palabra por palabra.

This box

compared_subject

The item being compared.

is smaller than

comparative_phrase

Uses -er for a short adjective.

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that one

comparison_point

The second item in the comparison.

Core Gramática A2 Vocabulario A2 Neutral

The flight was more expensive than the train.

Longer adjectives usually use more instead of -er.

Bloques de significado

Lee la oración en bloques de significado, no palabra por palabra.

The flight

compared_subject

The thing being compared.

was more expensive than

comparative_phrase

Uses more with a longer adjective.

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the train

comparison_point

The travel option used for comparison.

Exception Gramática A2 Vocabulario A1 Neutral

Your plan is better than mine.

Good changes to better, not gooder.

Bloques de significado

Lee la oración en bloques de significado, no palabra por palabra.

Your plan

compared_subject

The first item in the comparison.

is better than

irregular_comparative_phrase

Better is the irregular comparative of good.

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mine

comparison_point

Means my plan.

Usage rules

Comparison points and groups

Than introduces the comparison point after a comparative or after less. The superlative normally uses the: the fastest, the most useful, the least crowded. Use in for a place, organization, or group imagined as a container; use of for a set of separate items or a number. With pronouns after than, everyday speech often uses object forms such as than me or than her. A fuller clause such as than I am or than she does can sound clearer or more formal. When the context is obvious, the second side can be omitted in conversation, but the listener must still be able to recover it.

Sentence xray

Sentence X-ray

Look inside the sentence to see the jobs. In Maya works more slowly than Leo, Maya works names the action, more slowly places that action higher on the slow scale, and than Leo gives the comparison point. In Of all the drivers, she drives the most carefully, of all the drivers sets the group, she drives gives the action, and the most carefully marks the top of the scale. This same logic works with adjectives: subject, comparison phrase, and comparison point or group.

Core Gramática A2 Vocabulario A1 Neutral

Maya works more slowly than Leo.

The adverb phrase sits close to the action it compares.

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Maya works

compared_subject_action

Names the person and action being compared.

more slowly than

comparative_adverb_phrase

Compares how the action is done on the slow scale.

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Leo

comparison_point

The person used as the comparison point.

Core Gramática B1 Vocabulario A2 Neutral

Of all the drivers, she drives the most carefully.

Superlative adverbs can rank actions inside a group.

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Of all the drivers

group

Sets the full group being compared.

she drives

compared_subject_action

Names the person and action being ranked.

the most carefully

superlative_adverb_phrase

Marks the top level for how the action is done.

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Contrast

Comparative or superlative

The closest common confusion is comparative versus superlative. Use a comparative when you compare two sides, even if each side is a group. Use a superlative when one person or thing is inside a larger set and stands out. Alex is taller than Sam. Alex is the tallest person on the team. Do not mix the signals: a comparative normally wants than, while a superlative normally wants the and a group phrase such as in the class or of the three. This is why taller than Sam and the tallest on the team feel complete in different ways.

Contrast Gramática A2 Vocabulario A1 Neutral

Alex is taller than Sam.

A comparative compares two sides.

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Alex

compared_subject

The person being compared.

is taller than

comparative_phrase

Compares Alex with one other person.

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Sam

comparison_point

The other person in the two-side comparison.

Contrast Gramática A2 Vocabulario A1 Neutral

Alex is the tallest person on the team.

A superlative selects one item inside a group.

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Alex

selected_subject

The person selected from the group.

is the tallest

superlative_phrase

Ranks Alex at the top of the tall scale.

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person on the team

group

The group Alex is compared within.

Danger zone

Common mistakes to avoid

Do not double the comparison. English normally chooses either -er/-est or more/most, not both. Mistake: This coffee is more hotter than mine. Corrected: This coffee is hotter than mine. Also avoid using a superlative for a simple two-side comparison or a comparative for one winner in a group. Less and least are already comparison words, so do not add more or most to them. Be careful with spelling: than is for comparison; then is for time. In speech they may sound close, but their sentence jobs are different.

Mistake Gramática A2 Vocabulario A1 Neutral

This coffee is more hotter than mine.

Do not combine more with an -er comparative.

Corrected Gramática A2 Vocabulario A1 Neutral

This coffee is hotter than mine.

Choose one comparative marker: hotter, not more hotter.

Bloques de significado

Lee la oración en bloques de significado, no palabra por palabra.

This coffee

compared_subject

The drink being compared.

is hotter than

comparative_phrase

Uses the -er comparative without more.

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mine

comparison_point

Means my coffee.

Summary

Comparison in one view

To make a comparison, choose the scale, choose the relationship, then choose the form. For two sides, use a comparative with than. For equality, use as...as, or not as...as for a lower level. For one item at the top or bottom of a group, use the superlative. For longer adjectives and most adverbs, more/most and less/least do the comparison work. Keep the comparison point clear, and do not combine two comparison markers in the same word phrase.

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Empresa & Soporte

Comparison

Comparison: put things on one scale

What comparison does

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The scale idea

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Core sentence patterns

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Choosing -er, -est, more, or most

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Comparison points and groups

Sentence X-ray

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Comparative or superlative

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Common mistakes to avoid

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Comparison in one view

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Herramientas

Recursos

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