Chunks
Comparatives
Band 4-5The full list of 20 words in this set. Open any word for its pronunciation, collocations, a band 8 sentence and the mistakes Vietnamese learners make.
Learn this set with flashcards20 words
- 1
as + adjective + asgrammar
Express equality between two things using 'as ... as'.
“She is as tall as her older sister.”
- 2
A + adjective + -er + than Bgrammar
Compare two things using the -er form of short adjectives.
“My phone is cheaper than yours.”
- 3
more + adjective + thangrammar
Use 'more + adjective + than' to compare with longer adjectives or where -er is not used.
“This task is more difficult than the last one.”
- 4
not as/so + adjective + asgrammar
Express that something is not equal to or less than something else in degree using 'not as/so ... as'.
“The movie was not as interesting as I expected.”
- 5
the + superlative + (noun)grammar
Used to say that someone or something has the highest degree of a quality in a group.
“She is the most experienced teacher in our school.”
- 6
in contrast to + noun/clause, S + Vgrammar
Used to introduce a contrasting idea in academic writing or formal speech.
“In contrast to previous studies, our research focuses on longitudinal data.”
- 7
The + comparative + S + V, the + comparative + S + Vgrammar
Use 'The + comparative ... , the + comparative ...' to show a cause-effect or proportional relationship (the more..., the more...).
“The more you practise, the better you get.”
- 8
as much/many + noun + asgrammar
Used to say that two things have an equal amount or number of something (as many for countables, as much for uncountables).
“She has as many books as her sister.”
- 9
much/far + comparative + thangrammar
Use 'much' or 'far' before a comparative to intensify the comparison (much better than, far more interesting than).
“This version is much better than the previous one.”
- 10
less + adjective + thangrammar
Used to say that something has a lower degree of a quality than something else.
“City parks are less crowded than they used to be.”
- 11
unlike + noun/clause, clausegrammar
Used to show contrast: something is different from something else.
“Unlike his colleagues, he prefers to work evenings.”
- 12
would rather + V + than + Vgrammar
Used to express preference for one action over another in the present or future.
“I would rather stay at home than go to the party.”
- 13
as + adjective + as possiblegrammar
Used to say 'to the greatest extent or degree that is possible' (use as many/as much depending on countability).
“Try to finish the draft as quickly as possible.”
- 14
compared with / compared to + noun/clausegrammar
Used to make a comparison between two things. 'Compared with' often suggests detailed contrast; 'compared to' can suggest analogy or general likeness.
“Compared with last year, this year's sales have increased markedly.”
- 15
prefer + noun/gerund + to + noun/gerundgrammar
Used to express liking one thing more than another (prefer + noun/gerund + to + noun/gerund).
“I prefer tea to coffee.”
- 16
be similar to + noun/gerundgrammar
Used to say that one thing has likeness or resemblance to another (structure: be similar to + noun/gerund).
“Her situation is similar to mine.”
- 17
be more likely to + V + than + ...grammar
used to say that something has a higher probability of happening in one situation than another
“Young drivers are more likely to be involved in accidents than older drivers.”
- 18
far from + adjective/noun/gerundgrammar
Used to emphasize that something is not at all like the description or is the opposite (far from + adj/noun/gerund).
“The new policy is far from effective.”
- 19
no more thangrammar
Used to say 'only' or 'not more than' — often to downplay something or state a small amount/limit.
“The article was no more than a rumor.”
- 20
take precedence over + noun/gerundgrammar
to be considered more important than something else and therefore be dealt with first
“In emergency planning, saving lives must take precedence over protecting property.”