Comparatives

20 words

1. 1

   the extent to which + clausegrammar

   used to talk about how much something affects or is true of something else

   “The essay should discuss the extent to which technology has changed daily life.”

2. 2

   by contrast, + clausegrammar

   used to introduce a statement that shows a clear difference from what was previously said

   “Urban unemployment fell last year. By contrast, rural unemployment rose.”

3. 3

   equally + adjective + to + noun/clausegrammar

   used to say two things have the same degree of a particular quality

   “Education and healthcare are equally important to long‑term development.”

4. 4

   To what extent + clausegrammar

   A question frame asking about the degree or scope of something (asks 'how much' or 'how far').

   “To what extent do you agree that governments should regulate social media?”

5. 5

   when it comes to + noun/gerund, S + Vgrammar

   used to introduce a specific topic or aspect being discussed

   “When it comes to environmental policy, this country is a regional leader.”

6. 6

   both + A + and + B + Vstructure

   used to say that two things are both true or involved

   “Both economic growth and social policy influence health outcomes.”

7. 7

   no sooner + had + S + past participle + than + clausegrammar

   Says that one event happened immediately after another (usually in the past); formal.

   “No sooner had the teacher left than the students started chatting.”

8. 8

   There is little to choose between + A + and + Bgrammar

   A comparative frame meaning the two options are almost equal — there is hardly any difference, so it's difficult to choose between them.

   “There is little to choose between the two candidates in terms of experience.”

9. 9

   hardly + had + S + past participle + when + clausegrammar

   Indicates that one action happened immediately before another; often used in the past with inversion.

   “Hardly had I sat down when the phone rang.”

10. 10

    what + distinguishes + A + from + B + is + noun/clausestructure

    used to point out the main feature that makes A different from B

    “What distinguishes renewable energy from fossil fuels is its lower greenhouse-gas footprint over time.”

11. 11

    not until + clause + did + S + Vgrammar

    Shows that something happened only after a particular time or event; used for emphasis and requires inversion.

    “Not until she apologised did he speak to her again.”

12. 12

    ranging from + noun + to + noungrammar

    used to list a series or range of things, from one extreme to another

    “The city's attractions range from museums to lively street markets.”

13. 13

    little + did + S + Vgrammar

    Used at the start of a sentence to emphasise that something rarely happened; followed by inversion (did + S + V).

    “Little did I know that the trip would change my life.”

14. 14

    only when + clause + did + S + Vgrammar

    Emphasises that something happened only after a certain condition or time; requires inversion in the main clause.

    “Only when the experiment was repeated did the scientists accept the results.”

15. 15

    neither + A + nor + B + Vstructure

    used to say that not one and not the other of two things is true

    “Neither the evidence nor the witnesses supported his claim.”

16. 16

    so + adjective + as to + Vgrammar

    Indicates degree leading to a result; followed by an infinitive (so + adjective + as to + verb); formal style.

    “The proposal was so ambitious as to be unrealistic.”

17. 17

    to a lesser extent + clausegrammar

    used to indicate that something is true but to a smaller degree compared with something else

    “Government policy influences employment, and market forces do so to a lesser extent.”

18. 18

    be preferable to + noun/gerundstructure

    to be considered a better option than something else

    “It would be preferable to invest in education rather than cut funding.”

19. 19

    A is no more + adjective + than + Bstructure

    used to say that A is not any more (adjective) than B; denies a difference in degree

    “He is no more qualified than his colleague for that senior role.”

20. 20

    no less + adjective + than + Bstructure

    used to emphasise that A is at least as (adjective) as B; often rhetorical

    “The discovery was no less remarkable for its simplicity than for its implications.”