Comparision using comparative adjectives and adverbs

Filed in English Grammar

To say that people, things etc are unequal in a particular way, we can use comparative adjectives/adverbs.

• She is older than me.
• Tom is taller than his brothers.
• Iron is more useful than any other metal.
• He is cleverer than her.

In an informal style, object pronouns are used after than. In a more formal style, subject pronouns are used usually with verbs.

• He is cleverer than she is.
• He earns more than I do.

We can use double comparatives (…er and …er or more and more …) to say that something is changing.

• You are getting fatter and fatter.
• We are going more and more slowly.

The + comparative expression + subject + verb

We can use comparatives with the … the … to say that things change or vary together. Note the word order in both clauses.

• The more I study, the less I learn. (NOT … I learn the less.)
• The older I get, the happier I am. (NOT … I am the happier.)

More can be used with a noun in this structure.

• The more money he makes, the more useless things he buys.

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