structure · neutral
..., if not + comparative
used to add emphasis by suggesting that the statement might even be truer at an increased degree (e.g. 'X is good, if not better')
Examples
“This policy is effective, if not more effective, than the previous one.”
“The weekend market is busy, if not busier, than it was five years ago.”
“The new method is simple, if not simpler, to implement than the old one.”
Band 8 sentence
“Education should prioritize critical thinking, if not more so than rote memorization, to prepare students for real-world problems.”
Collocations
- X is Y, if not Z
- use 'if not' to soften or intensify claims
Word family
Common mistakes
X is important, if not than more important→X is important, if not more important
X is important if not more important→X is important, if not more important,
Say it for a higher band
5maybe even + comparative→6possibly more + adjective→7+..., if not + comparative
Synonyms
possibly even + comparative
Easily confused
if anything
“The book wasn't boring; if anything, it was slightly too short.”
Related words
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In Comparatives
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