FluencyLab
GrammarHub
Use paired comparatives to show that a change in one situation is linked to a change in another.
Overview
Use paired comparatives to show that a change in one situation is linked to a change in another.
Form and rules
Pattern: the + comparative clause, the + comparative clause: The more you practice, the easier it gets.
The here is part of the comparative construction, not the normal definite article.
Both short -er and more/less comparatives work: the faster..., the more carefully....
Nouns can appear in the pattern: The more time we have, the better.
The second clause often describes a result or correlated change, not necessarily direct causation.
A closer look
Nouns can appear in the pattern: The more time we have, the better.
The second clause often describes a result or correlated change, not necessarily direct causation.
Examples
The sooner we leave, the better.
The more you read, the more vocabulary you learn.
The less I sleep, the harder it is to concentrate.
The more expensive the hotel, the better the service usually is.
The longer we wait, the more impatient people become.
Common mistakes
The paired comparative begins the more...
The second half also uses a comparative: better.
Ready to practise?
The test combines multiple choice, gap completion, error correction, and sentence building so students have to recognise and produce the grammar, not simply reread the rule.