Strengthening and Weakening Comparatives — Exercises
Practice modifying comparatives and superlatives: much/a lot/far for a big difference, a bit/a little/slightly for a small one, and by far/easily for superlatives.
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It's ___ colder today than yesterday — over ten degrees lower.
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much
Use 'much / far / a lot' with a comparative — never 'very colder' or 'so colder'.
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This jacket is ___ more expensive than that one — only €5 difference.
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a bit
'A bit / a little / slightly' weakens a comparative — 'a bit more expensive'. 'Much / far' would be a big difference.
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She is ___ the best player in the team — nobody comes close.
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by far
'By far' is the standard emphasis for a superlative — 'by far the best'.
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We arrived a ___ late — the meeting had already started.
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bit
'A bit late' is a natural mild description. 'A much / a very late' are not correct.
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He's ___ the most experienced chef in town — nobody comes close.
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by far
Superlatives take 'by far' or 'easily' for emphasis — not 'much' or 'very'.
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The weather is getting warmer and ___ every day.
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warmer
'Comparative + and + comparative' shows an increasing change — 'warmer and warmer'.
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The ___ you practise, the easier it gets.
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more
The structure is 'the + comparative ... the + comparative' — 'the more you practise, the easier'.
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She is ___ the most talented singer of her generation.
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easily
'Easily the most ...' and 'by far the most ...' are both standard ways to emphasise a superlative.
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This room is ___ smaller than the one upstairs — only a couple of square metres.
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slightly
'A bit / a little / slightly + comparative' shows a small difference.
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Choosing a holiday
A: Have you decided where to go on holiday yet?
B: Almost. We're choosing between two options. The first is a small village in Italy — very similar {1} the one we visited last year.
A: Sounds nice. And the other?
B: A bigger town in Spain. It's about twice {2} expensive as the village, but there's a lot more to do.
A: Twice the price? Is it really worth it?
B: I think so. It's by {3} the most exciting place we've considered. The food, the music, everything.
A: What about the weather?
B: Both are nearly the {4}, actually. Hot during the day, cool at night.
A: And accommodation?
B: The hotel in Spain is slightly {5} comfortable than the cottage in Italy, but not by much.
A: So Spain wins on most counts?
B: Pretty much. The only thing I prefer about Italy is that it's {6} crowded — there are far fewer tourists.
A: Less crowded counts for a lot. {7} for me, I'd choose Italy every time.Show answer
1. to — The standard structure is 'similar to'.
2. as — 'Twice as + base form + as' — 'twice as expensive as'.
3. far — 'By far the most ...' is a standard way to emphasise a superlative.
4. same — 'Nearly the same' = approximately equal.
5. more — 'Comfortable' uses 'more' for the comparative — 'slightly more comfortable than'.
6. less — 'Less + adjective' makes a downward comparison — 'less crowded'.
7. As — 'As for me' is a fixed phrase used to introduce your own opinion. Capitalised because it starts a sentence.
Strengthening and Weakening Comparatives and Superlatives
Comparative adjectives cannot be intensified with 'very' — 'very colder' and 'very bigger' are both ungrammatical. Instead, English uses a separate set of modifiers that attach specifically to comparative and superlative forms. Much, a lot, and far show a large difference; a bit, a little, and slightly show a small one; and by far or easily emphasise a superlative.
A Big Difference: much, a lot, far
The new flat is much bigger than the old one.
A Small Difference: a bit, a little, slightly
This room is slightly smaller than the one upstairs.
Emphasising a Superlative: by far, easily
He's easily the most talented singer of his generation.
Common Mistakes
✗ This jacket is much more expensive — only €5 difference. → ✓ This jacket is a bit more expensive.
✗ She is very the best player. → ✓ She is by far the best player.
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