1. Compare by
Recipe :
S + V + as + adj/adv + as + N/Pronoun
S + V + not + so/as + adj/adv + as + N/Pronoun
For example :
– She is as intelligent as her mother.
– He doesn’t run as fast as his father.
2. Comparative of greater and lesser
Recipe :
Short adj/adv (long, short, smart)
S + V + adj/adv + er + than + N/Pronoun
Long adj/adv (intelligent, beautiful)
S + V + more + adj/adv + than + N/Pronoun (comparative)
S + V + less + adj/adv + than + N/Pronoun (poor comparison)
For example :
– He is taller than his brother.
– A speaks English more fluently than B
– She visits her school more often than he does
3. Superlative/Poorest
Recipe :
Short adj/adv (long, short, smart)
S + V + the + adj/adv + est (+N)
Long adj/adv (intelligent, beautiful)
S + V + the most + adj/adv (+N)
S + V + the least + adj/adv (+N)
For example :
– I am the tallest in my family
– Banal is the most intelligent in his class
– That flight ticket is the least expensive of all
4. Compare multiple entities
Recipe :
S + V + the + compared (comparison) + of the + number + N
Of the + number + N, S + V + the + compared
2 entities – comparative
3+ entities – superlative
For example :
2 entities:
Nam is the taller of the two boys.
Of the two boys, Nam is the taller.
The red one is the shorter of the two shirts.
Of the two shirts, the red one is the shorter.
3 entities:
Of the three cars, the blue one is the most beautiful.
The blue one is the most beautiful of the three cars.
10 entities:
Of the 10 classmates, Mary is the most intelligent.
Mary is the most intelligent of the 10 classmates.
5. Compare multiples (double, triple, one and a half, quadruple)
Recipe :
S + V + multiple numbers + as + much/many/adj/adv + (N) + as + N/Pronoun
Multiple numbers: half, twice, three times, four times, fractions, percents
For example :
She types twice as fast as I do.
He is three times as big as me.
6. Double comparison
6.1. Same adjective/adverb
Recipe :
Short adj/adv : S + be + adj/adv + er + and + adj/adv + er
For example: The night gets darker and darker.
Long adj/adv : S + be + more and more + adj/adv
For example: Flowers become more and more beautiful.
6.2. Other adjectives/adverbs
Recipe :
The + comparative + S + V + comparative + S + V
For example :
– The hotter it is/The hotter the weather will be, the more uncomfortable I feel
– The more you study, the better you will be
– The more English words we know, the better we speak.
7. Comparison of nouns
7.1. Comparative
Recipe :
S + V + more/fewer/less + N + than + N/Pronoun
fewer people
less : uncountable noun (less sugar)
For example:
He has more time to do the test than his friend.
Lan drinks less milk than her sister.
7.2. Superlative
Recipe :
S + V + the most/the fewest/the least + N
For example :
There are the fewest days in February.
7.3. Horizontal comparison
Recipe :
S + V + as + many/much/little/few + Noun + as + Noun/Pronoun
For example :
I eat as much chocolate as my sister.
He earns as much money as his brother.
8. Shortening of comparison
When comparing equivalent entries (people with people, things with things), the comparison will be shortened.
There are 3 ways to shorten comparison:
That : singular
Those : plural
Possessive case: ‘s
For example : John’s car is more expensive than Mary’s car
-> John’s car is more expensive than Mary’s.
-> John’s car is more expensive than that of Mary.
Life in the city is more comfortable than life in the countryside.
-> Life in the city is more comfortable than in the countryside’s.
-> Life in the city is more comfortable than that of the countryside.
Students in the university are more mature than the students in high school.
-> Students in the university are more mature than in high school’s.
-> Students in the university are more mature than those in high school.
CONCLUSION
Above is an A-Z guide to the grammar theory section: Comparison.
Hopefully the help and advice from 2G Education below will somehow improve your learning process and review of IELTS Reading skills!
