Comparatives
Adjectives
1. Comparatives of superiority
Comparatives of superiority are those used when we compare two elements. We express that one has a higher degree of the same characteristic than the other.
2. Comparatives of equality
We use comparatives of equality when two objects, animals or people share the same degree of a characteristic.
We can also make comparisons of equality with nouns using the same structure: as...as, by adding much before uncountable nouns and many for countable nouns.
We can omit the noun when we know who or what we are referring to. So, taking the previous examples, the sentences could be the following:
3. Comparatives of inferiority
Comparatives of inferiority are those used when we compare two elements. We express that one has a lower degree of the same characteristic than the other.
We can also make inferiority comparisons with nouns using the same structure by adding much for uncountable nouns and many for countable nouns.
.
Remember that we use comparatives to compare two elements. The subject can be a personal pronoun and the object can either be an object pronoun or a personal pronoun + auxiliary verb.
Lia is as kind as Joe. | Lia is as kind as him. | Lia is as kind as he is. |
Remember!
Form | Equality | Inferiority |
---|---|---|
ADJECTIVE |
as + adjective or adverb + as
|
not as + adjective or adverb + as
|
My dog is not as intelligent as yours. | ||
My car goes as fast as yours. |
less + adjective or adverb + than
|
|
My dog is less intelligent than yours. | ||
NOUN |
as + much + uncontable noun + as
|
not as + much + uncountable noun + as
|
My car doesn't consume as much petrol as yours. | ||
I have got as much food on my plate as you. |
less + uncountable noun + than
|
|
My car consumes less petrol than yours. | ||
as + many + countable noun + as
|
not as + many + countable noun + as
|
|
I don't have as many clothes as you. | ||
This house has got as many windows as the house next door. |
fewer + countable noun + than
|
|
I have fewer clothes than you. |