B2Adjectives and adverbs

Modifying comparatives

Strengthen or soften comparisons and express proportional, repeated and superlative relationships with appropriate modifiers.

Overview

What this grammar does

Strengthen or soften comparisons and express proportional, repeated and superlative relationships with appropriate modifiers.

Form and rules

How it works

Much, far, a lot and considerably strengthen comparatives: far more efficient.

A bit, a little, slightly and marginally soften comparatives: slightly cheaper.

By far commonly strengthens superlatives: by far the best; easily can have a similar function in some contexts.

More and more / increasingly describes gradual change; the more..., the more... links correlated changes.

Use nowhere near/not nearly as...as for a large difference and almost/nearly as...as for a small difference.

A closer look

Meaning and use

More and more / increasingly describes gradual change; the more..., the more... links correlated changes.

Use nowhere near/not nearly as...as for a large difference and almost/nearly as...as for a small difference.

Examples

See the pattern in complete sentences

The new system is far more reliable.

This version is slightly cheaper.

It's by far the most useful feature.

The process is becoming increasingly complex.

The first option is nowhere near as flexible as the second.

Common mistakes

What to avoid

The redesign is very more effective than the original.

The redesign is considerably more effective than the original.

Considerably can strengthen a comparative.

This route is only very longer.

This route is only slightly longer.

Slightly softens a comparative difference.

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.

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