Grammar-Quizzes › Clauses › Comparative Clauses
Comparative Clauses
Express similarity or difference
A comparative
- expresses
- a comparison of difference based on judgment or a standard of measurement: He is faster than I am. He is faster than me.
- a comparison of relative equality (similarity, sameness) based on judgment or a standard of measurement: He walks as fast as I do. (about the same) He the same speed as I (do). (equal)
- takes form — as, than, , like, of, from or to— in a paired expression with an adjective phrase or adverb phrase followed by a prepositional phrase. (He walks as fast as I walk. He walks faster than I walk. He walks the fastest of us all. He walks a different route from us / than we do. His route is similar to our route.)
- the preposition (as, than, , like, of, from or to) serves as the "head" of the adjunct prepositional phrase. The preposition may take a noun, noun phrase or clause as its complement. He is as tall as I am. He is taller than me.
- reduction of the clausal complement optionally omits the verb but may keep the auxiliary. He walks as fast as I walk. He works as fast as I do. He works as fast as I. (Huddleston 2 §12, 13)
adjunct (Adj) — is a structure that is added to the main clause but not required for the clause to make sense, an extra structure.
See Connector Overview for sources.
Comp. Word Forms
Word Forms (age: young/old)
Adj -er except. (good/better)
Adj -est except. (good/best)
Adv -er except. (well/better)
Adv -est except. (well/best)
Comparative Clauses
Summary of Practices
Comparisons: express similarity and difference
Intermediate–Advanced ESL, Native Speakers
Compare/Contrast–Connective Adv
Practice 1 – multiple choice
Practice 2 – multiple choice
Practice 3– edit for errors
The apple is similar to the orange.
The color of the apple is unlike the color of the orange.
This While the orange is high in fiber, the apple is not.
On the one hand, oranges are high in vitamin C; on the other hand, they are very acetic to the stomach.
Comparative Clauses—Equivalence (Same or Like)
Same…as / As ... as: compare the similarities of two items
Intermediate–Advanced ESL, Native Speakers
Practice 1 – multiple choice
Practice 2 – multiple choice
The apple is the same weight as the orange.
The apple is as heavy as the orange.
The apple is as light as the orange.
You are the same age as I am.
You are the same age as I / me.
Comparative Clauses—Nonequivalence (Different)
More / -er: compare the quality of two items or the manner of two actions
Beginning–Intermediate ESL, Native Speakers
This apple is better than that one (is). (good - better)
This is a better apple than that one (is).
This apple is more beautiful than that one (is).
This is a less tasty apple than one (is).
He drives faster than she does.
*He drives faster than her.
Much & More: add to the amount of something
Beginning–Intermediate ESL
More with Count vs. Noncount Nouns
[Much / Far / A Bit / Rather / Way] Too
Practice – multiple choice
People have much more knowledge about eating right than they did in the 1900s.
Many more people are eating healthier diets than before.
People eat too much fat, sugar and salt.
People eat too many chips, cookies and candy bars.
He is much too old for her.
She is far too young for him.
Less vs. Fewer : specify a barely sufficient or smaller quantity
Beginning–Intermediate ESL
Fewer (count) / Less (noncount)
Practice 1 – multiple choice
Practice 2 – formal / informal
Practice 3 – read and edit
*Do you want less lines and wrinkles on your face?
fewer lines than before / less wrinkling than before
We use fewer toxic chemicals. (number)
We use less toxic chemicals. (percentage, composition)
Less is more (noun)
Like vs. As: express description or manner
Intermediate–Advanced ESL, Native Speakers
Grammar Notes (opinions on "like" used instead of "as")
Practice 1 – complete sentence (MC)
Practice 2 – edit paragraph
My brother is like me. (Prep. + N)
My brother thinks as I do. (Prep. + Cls)
He's smart like a fox.
He is as smart as a fox.
Farther vs. Further: express comparative distance
Intermediate.–Advanced ESL, Native Speakers
Farther vs. Further (physical v figurative)
Practice 1 – multiple choice paragraph
Practice 2 – read & edit
The shop is farther down the street. physical distance
The shop is further down the street. physical distance
What you say couldn't be further from the truth! figurative
Do you need any further assistance? ("more")
We'll help them further their cause. ("advance") verb
Most / -est: compare one item to the rest
Beginning–Intermediate ESL, Native Speakers
The Granny Smith apple is the tastiest apple for baking.
The Red Delicious apple is the most flavorful apple.
The Jonathan apple is the least flavorful apple.
The cheetah runs the fastest of all mammals.
The sloth moves the least fast of all mammals.
Rather than: compare preferences
Intermediate– Advanced ESL, Native Speaker
Prefer X to Y (coordinator)
Rather than–preference (coordinator)
Rather than–avoidance (subordinator)
We would rather walk to work than drive. (coordinator: X and not Y)
We walk to work rather than drive. (X and not Y)
We walk to work rather than get caught in traffic. (subordinator: choosing X to avoid Y)
(than–adjunct prepositional phrase)
The more, the more: express that two things vary together
Beginning–Intermediate ESL
Practice 1 – multiple choice
Practice 2 – multiple choice
The more we saw, the less we could believe.
The bigger, the better.
The bigger they are, the harder they fall.
(The more important or powerful a person is, the more difficult it is for him/her when losing power or importance.)