COMPARISONS

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I. Short, Long and Special adjectives/ adverbs:

1/ Short adjectives: are adjectives with
- one syllable: long , short, big, hot, fat ..
- two syllables with the endings: - y. E.g: happy, lazy, busy, .......
 Short adverbs: adverbs with one syllable: hard, late, soon, ... and the adverb “early”
2/ Long adjectives: Two syllables up, and those ended with –ed.
E.g: careful, beautiful, hard-working, careless, complicated, bored…
* Note: Adjectives ended with -er, -le, -ow, and -et, are considered both short and long
ones. E.g: clever, simple, narrow, quiet, …
 Long adverbs: are adverbs with two syllables up EXCEPT FOR early and badly
3/ Special adjectives/ adverbs: are those whose comparative pattern are different from
that of Short and Long adjectives/ adverbs. This group consists of: good, bad, well, ill,
old, far (adj), and well, badly, far, little, much (adv)

II. Degrees of comparisons:

1. Equal degree  S1 + be/ V + as + adj / adv + as + S2 + aux
E.g: He is as old as my father.
He drives as carefully as I (do).
 S1 + negative V + as/so + adj/adv + as + S2 + aux
E.g: He is not as/so old as my father.
He doesn’t drive as/so carefully as I (do).
 S1 + V1 + multiple words + as + adj/adv + as + N/S2 + V2
(twice, three times, etc.)
Ex: - This is three times as large as that.
(This is three times larger than that.)
- Your car is twice as fast as my car.

2.  S1 + be/ V + adj/ adv (short) + er + than + S2 + aux

Comparatives E.g: You are thinner than he (is).
He runs faster than I (do).
 S1 + V + more + adj/ adv (long) + than + S2 + aux
E.g: He is more intelligent than I (am).
He drives more carefully than I (do).

 Use TO instead of THAN with the following adjectives: senior (nhiều

tuổi hơn, chức cao hơn,…), junior (trẻ hơn, chức thấp hơn,…), superior
(tốt hơn, cấp cao hơn,…), inferior (thua kém, cấp thấp hơn…)
Ex: - Your car is much superior to me.
- In this company, she is senior to me.
  Comparatives can be modified by the following words: much, even,
far, still, a lot, slightly, a bit, no, any
Ex: - It is much colder today than it was yesterday.
- The sun rises even earlier in June.

 Use the form more + adjective for adjectives ending in the following
suffixes: -ed, -ful, -ing, -ish, -ous. (more useful, more boring, more
cautious, more tired, more selfish…)
 Double the final consonant of one-syllable adjectives which end in a
single consonant (except w, x ,and z ) and are preceded by a single
vowel. (big- bigger, hot- hotter, fat-fatter…)
 When an adjective ends in a consonant + y, change the y to i and add –
er ( happy- happier, pretty- prettier )
3. Superlatives  S + be/V + the + adj/ adv (short) + est
E.g: Nam is the tallest student in my class.
Cheetah runs (the) fastest in the world.
 S + be/ V + the most + adj/ adv(long)
E.g: He is the most intelligent student in my class.
Of the students in my class, Nam speaks English (the) most fluently.
 THE is used before a superlative. When there is no noun modified by
the superlative, THE can be omitted.
E.g: He ran fastest of all.
This picture is the most beautiful of the gallery.
4. Double  The adj/ adv (comparative) + S + V, the + adj/ adv (comparative)
comparatives + S + V (càng… càng…)
E.g: The more beautiful she is, the more modest she becomes.
The harder he studies, the wiser he becomes.
 More and more + adj/ adv (long)
Adj/ adv (short) + er and adj (short) + er: càng ngày càng ...
E.g: Life in the city is more and more stressful.
They work harder and harder.
5. Less & Least  S1 + be/ V + less + short adj/ adv + than + S2
comparisons  S + be/ V + the least + long adj/ adv
E.g: This film is less interesting than the one I saw yesterday.
He works least effectively in our group.
6. Comparions  S1 + V + as many/ much + N as S2 + aux
with nouns S1 + negative V as/ so few/ little + N as S2 + aux
E.g He earns as much money as I do.
I don’t have as/ so many friends as he does.
 S1 + V + more/ fewer/ less + N + than S2 + aux
E.g He has collected more stamps than I have.
I have collected fewer stamps than he has.
  S + V + most/ fewest/ least + N
E.g I have least free time in my family.
 S + V + the same + (N) + as + N/ Pronoun
E.g: My house is as high as his =My house is the same height as his.
He speaks the same language as she does.
 S + V + the comparative + of the two + (noun)
Or: Of the two + (noun) + S + V + the comparative.
E.g: Of the two shirts, this one is the prettier.
Harvey is the smarter of the two boys.

Special adjectives/ adverbs:

No Equal Comparative Superlative Meaning
degree
1. bad/badly/ ill worse worst Tồi, dở/ ốm yếu
2. good/ well better best Tốt, giỏi
3. much more most Nhiều
4. little less least Ít
5. far farther/ further farthest/ furthest Xa (distance) / Rộng (range)
old older/ elder oldest/ eldest Già, cũ (for all)/
6.
(brother/ sister)
E.g: Ms Anh is better at cooking than Ms Nhung.

EXERCISES
EXERCISE 1. Give the correct form of the adjectives and adverbs in brackets:
1. This chair is ..........................………………….. than that one. (comfortable)
2. Your flat is .....................………....... than mine. (large)
3. The weather today is ........................……… than it was yesterday. (hot)
4. The Nile is the ........................……………………….. river in the world. (long)
5. Chinese bicycles are ................…........……………….. than Japanese ones. (bad)
6. Mathematics is ........................…………………...….. than English. (difficult)
7. Ho Chi Minh is the ............................………………. city in Viet Nam. (big)
8. He drives ................................. .. ……………than his friend. (careful)
9. She sings ........................……………………….. in this school. (beautiful)
10. I read ............................……………………….. than my sister. (slow)
11. Grace is ...........................………………….. girl in our class. (old)
12. This exercise is .........................…….…………..than that one. (easy)
13. He is twice .........................…….…………..as you. (fat)
14. Nam is .........................…….………….. student of all. (noisy)
15. My cold is .........................…….………….. today than it was yesterday. (good)
16. John and his friends left___________(soon) as the professor had finished his lecture.
17. His job is ________________(important) than his friend’s.
18. He plays the guitar _______________(well) as Andres Segovia.
19. A new house is much ______________(expensive) than an older one.
20. Last week was _____________(hot) as this week.
EXERCISE 2. Choose the best option to complete the following sentences:
1. The more she smiles , ................ she becomes.
A. more graceful B. the most graceful C. most graceful D. the more graceful
2. Hotels have developed …………………… restaurants.
A. as rapidly as B. so rapidly as C. as rapid as D. more rapid
3. Can Tho bridge is the …………………… one in the South of Viet Nam.
A. long B. shortest C. longest D. longer
4. Albert Einstein’s contributions to scientific theory were ................ those of Galileo and
Newton.
A. important than B. more important
C. the most important D. as important as
5. Impalas cannot move as ................ cheetahs but they are more efficient runners.
A. faster than B. fast as C. fast D. are fast as
6. All are informative articles, but this one is ................ .
A. best B. the best C. most D. better
7. She is the .………… girl in our town.
A. more beautiful B. beauty C. most beautiful D. more beautifully
8. The harder you learn.............
A. The better is your English B. The better will be your English
C. The better becomes your English D. The better your English will be
9. Jim is the ................. in his class.
A. clever B. cleverest C. cleverer D. more clever
10. Of the two shirts, this one is ...................
A. the prettiest B. the most pretty C. prettier D. the prettier
11. Your house is ................. mine.
A. as bigger as B. many times as big as C. much big asD. many times big
12. Last year it wasn’t as cold as this year.
A. This year it is as colder than last year. B. This year it is colder than last year.
C. This year it isn’t as cold as last year. D. This year it isn’t colder than last year.
13. She is older than me.
A. I’m more younger than her. B. I’m as younger as her.
C. I’m more young than her. D. I’m younger than her.
14. The test is not …………………
A. as difficult as it was last month. B. so difficult as it was last month
C. more difficult as it was last month. D. Both A & B are correct
15. The Nile River is ………………… of all.
A. longer B. the longest C. long D. longest
16. .................. we read, .................. we know.
A. The most/ the most B. The more/ the more
C. Most/ most D. More/ more
17. It gets ................... Let’s go swimming.
A. hot and hot B. the more hot
C. more and more hot D. hotter and hotter
18. Peter usually drives .................. Mary.
A. more fast B. more fast than C. more fast D. faster
19. The problem seems to be ..................
A. more serious B. more serious than C. more serious as D. more and more
serious
20. Peter can not earn .................. his wife.
A. as many money as B. as much money as
C. as many money than D. as much money than
21. Prices get ..................
A. high and high B. highest and highest
C. more and more high D. higher and higher
22. The more manufacturers advise, .................. they sell.
A. the most products B. the products more
C. the more products D. most products
23. ................. a car is ................. it is.
A. The more expensive/ the comfortabler
B. The most expensive/ the most comfortable
C. The more expensive/ the more comfortable
D. The less expensive/ the more comfortable
24. Of the five students. Mary is .................
A. more intelligent B. the more intelligent
C. most intelligent D. the most intelligent
25. Steel is ................ than wood.
A. more heavy B. as heavy C. heavier D. more heavier
26. A super market is …………………… a shopping center.
A. less convenient as B. less convenient than
C. not so convenient than D. the most convenient as
27. Viet Nam becomes …………………… to foreign tourists.
A. more and most attractive B. the more attractive
C. much and more attractive D. more and more attractive
28. This car is …………………… than mine.
A. less expensive B. as expensive C. expensive D. not so expensive
29. Tim’s grades are …………………… than John.
A. worse B. worst C. as bad D. so bad
30. The …………………… we start, the sooner we will be back.
A. early B. earliest C. earlier D. more early
31. ______ we jog, _______ we are.
A. the most / the healthiest B. the most / the healthier
C. the more / the most healthy D. the more / the healthier
32. The winter is coming, it is getting _______.
A. more cold B. the most cold C. colder and colder D. the more cold
33. The _____ things are produced, the ______ prices are.
A. more / cheaper B. most / cheapest C. much / cheap D. many / cheaper
34. He learns English worse than we ______.
A. are B. have C. do D. were
35. The test is not ______ difficult ______ it was last month.
A. as / as B. so / as C. more / as D. A and B
36. _____ we read, ______ we know.
A. the most / the most B. the more / the more
C. most / most D. more/ more
37. It gets ______ . let’s go swimming.
A. hot and hot B. the more hot C. more and more hot D. hotter and hotter
38. Minh usually runs ______ Hung.
A. more fast B. more fast than C. the fastest D. faster than
39. The problem seems to be _____.
A. most serious B. more serious than
C. more serious as D. more and more serious
40. Your dress is longer than _____.
A. I B. me C. my D. mine
41. Prices get ______.
A. high and high B. highest and highest
C. more and more high D. higher and higher
42. The more waste paper we recycle, _______ .
A. the more trees we preserve B. the less trees we preserve
C. the most trees we preserve D. the least trees we preserve
43. There are ______ diseases being treated by laser beams.
A. more or less B. more than C. more and more D. less than
44. “We produce more food. It gets cheap. ”means _______.
A. the more food we produce, the cheaper it gets
B. the most food we produce, the cheapest it gets
C. the least food we produce, the less cheap it gets
D. most food we produce, cheapest it gets
44. The living room isn’t as big as the kitchen.
A. The living room is bigger than the kitchen.
B. The kitchen is smaller then the living room.
C. The kitchen is bigger than the living room.
D. The kitchen isn’t bigger than the living room.
45. I’ve never read a more romantic story.
A. This is a not romantic story.
B. This story is not so romantic as those I’ve ever read.
C. It’s not so romantic a story that I’ve never read.
D. It’s the most romantic story that I’ve ever read.
46. This train is more convenient than all the others.
A. This train is not the most convenient of all.
B. This train is the most convenient.
C. This train is not by far the most convenient of all.
D. This train is far less convenient than any other.
47. He’s twice as old as me.
A. I am older than he is. B. He is as old as I am.
C. He’s not older than me at all. D. He’s two times older than I am.
48. The journey took three times as long as I expected.
A. I had expected the journey would take much longer.
B. The journey took three times longer than I expected.
C. The journey was not shorter than I expected.
D. I had expected the journey would not take much longer.
49. That’s the best meal I’ve ever eaten.
A. I’ve never eaten a better meal.
B. I’ve just eaten a better meal.
C. This is the first time I’ve ever eaten a better meal
D. I’ve never eaten the best meal.
50. I don’t think anybody is as strange as Dan.
A. I think Dan is not strange at all.
B. In my opinion, Dan is as strange as anybody else.
C. I’ve never met such a normal person.
D. Dan is one of the strangest men I’ve ever met.
EXERCISE 3. Rewrite each of the following sentences in such a way that it has the
same meaning as the sentence printed before it.
1. My kitchen is smaller than yours.
 Your kitchen ……………………………………………………………………………
2. No one in the class is taller than Dave.
 Dave is …………………………………………………………………………………
3. Mum doesn’t speak English as well as Dad.
 Dad …………………………………………………………………………….………
4. Lan is better cook than Hoa.
 Hoa can’t ………………………………………………………………………...……
5. No restaurant in the city is better than that one.
 That restaurant is ………………………………………………………………………
6. This watch is worse than that one.
 That watch ……………………………………………………………………….……
7. My sister writes more carefully now than she used to do.
 My sister ………………………………………………………………………………
8. This story is more interesting than any other story that I have ever read.
 This is the ………………………………………………………………………………
9. She is the most beautiful girl I have ever known.
 I’ve never .......................................................................................................................
10. Peter does not drive so carefully as Tom.
 Tom ……………………………………………………………………………………
11. Richard is younger than he looks.
 Richard isn’t…………………….…………………….…………………….
12. I didn’t spend as much money as you.
 You…………………………….…………………….…………………….
13. The station was nearer than I thought.
 The station wasn’t ......................................................................................
14. The meal didn’t cost as much as I expected
 The meal cost………………………………….................…………………….....
15. I go out less than I used to.
 I don’t ……………………………………....……………………...........................
16. Karen’s hair isn’t as long as it used to be.
 Karen used to ………………………………………….............................
17. I know them better than you do.
 You don’t ………......................................……………………..........................
18. There are fewer people at this meeting than at the last one.
 There aren’t ......... …………………….……………………………………………….
19. Lan is a better cook than Hoa.
 Hoa can’t…………………………………………………….………………………….
20. This is the best cake I have ever eaten.
 I have never………………………………………………….…………………………
EXERCISE 4. Identify the mistake in each sentence by choosing a suitable option.
1. Mr. Mender learned English rapidly and easy.
A B C D
2. The maid was careful to keep the room cleanly.
A B C D
3. His knowledge of English grammar is quite well.
A B C D
4. The last story was as interested as the other one.
A B C D
5. Mr. Slater’s house is biger than ours.
A B C D
6. That brown chair is most comfortable than this one.
A B C D
7. Lan is the most pretty of all the girls.
A B C D
8. That lesson is a most difficult of all the lessons.
A B C D
9. Does your country have worse weather as this?
A B C D
10. This girl is the most beautiful of the two daughters that he has.
A B C D
11. Frank plays tennis worse of all the players.
A B C D
12. The most he tries, the more he succeeds.
A B C D
13. She can pronounce English words more correct than she could last term.
A B C D
14. In this class, the students are talking more loudlier than the teacher.
A B C D
15. This summer is hotter and windy than last summer.
A B C D
16. You should practise English oftener to be a better speaker of English.
A B C D
17. Ha Anh can now speak English more well than the last time I met him.
A B C D
18. She is much more intelligent than Nam does.
A B C D
19. The more rich he is, the more miserable he gets.
A B C D
20. The harder we studied, the most confused we got.
A B C D
B5. Viết lại câu sau dưới dạng so sánh kép ở cuối câu.

1. It was slowly getting (hot)

=> It was slowly getting hotter and hotter.

2. The man was getting (angry).=>

3. My chair was getting (comfortable).=>

4. Peter gets (selfish) all the time.=>

5. As he was afraid, he walk (fast).=>

6. She seems to be getting (thin)=>

7. The teacher is asking (difficult) question.=>

8. My brother is getting (strong).

9. Architects are building (tall) house.

10. The director has lots of work. He gets (busy) everyday.

11. Her daughter’s behavior is getting (bad).

B6. Viết lại câu sau dưới dạng so sánh kép ở đầu câu.

1. He works hard, he earns much.=> The harder he works, the more he earns.

2. I waited long, I got angry.=>

3. She drove fast, he became nervous.=>

4. The air is polluted, diseases are great.=>

B7. DOUBLE COMPARATIVE

1. The apartment is big. The rent is high.

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2. We set off soon. We will arrive soon.
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3. The joke is good. The laughter is loud.
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4. She gets fat. She feels tired.
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5. As he gets older, he wants to travel less.
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6. The children are excited with the difficult games.
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7. People dive fast. Many accidents happen.
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8. I meet him much. I hate him much
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9. My boss works better when he is pressed for time,
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10. As he has much money, he wants to spend much.
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11. If you read many books, you will have much knowledge.
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12. He speaks too much and people feel bored.
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13. The growth in the economy makes people’s living condition better.
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14. He learned a lot of things as he traveled far.
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