English Grammar Lab

← A2

Comparing two people or things

You will be able to Form comparative adjectives and use than.

Explanation

Short adjectives normally take -er. Longer adjectives normally use more.

Examples

Detailed course

Understand the grammar point

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Detailed explanation

This lesson focuses on comparing two people or things. The structure helps learners describe events and plans, and it should always be interpreted as part of a complete message rather than as an isolated formula. Before selecting a form, identify the subject, time reference, clause relationship, and the information that receives emphasis.

Formation is central. Short adjectives usually add -er, longer adjectives usually use more, and than introduces the second item. Irregular forms include better and worse. Build the sentence in stages: identify the grammatical subject, choose the auxiliary or main verb form, and complete the clause in normal English word order. In negatives and questions, check whether the structure supplies its own auxiliary or requires another one.

The pattern can help users compare situations, ask for practical information, and connect form with time and quantity. These purposes may overlap, so context decides which interpretation is natural. Time expressions, determiners, linking words, and punctuation often provide evidence for the correct choice.

A useful contrast prevents overgeneralisation. As ... as expresses equality, while a superlative compares one item with a larger group. Ask how the nearest alternative would change time, certainty, focus, politeness, or register. A grammatically possible sentence may still communicate the wrong relationship if that contrast is ignored.

The guided examples are complete messages. Notice how the target structure agrees with its subject and how the surrounding vocabulary makes the intended meaning clear. When producing a new example, preserve the relationship between form and meaning while changing the people, place, and lexical details.

A reliable self-check is to paraphrase the sentence in simpler language. If the paraphrase changes the time relationship, degree of certainty, or focus, review the original form. Compare the sentence with the common mistakes and explain why the corrected version is preferable.

How to form it

Short adjectives usually add -er, longer adjectives usually use more, and than introduces the second item. Irregular forms include better and worse.

Use the structure to describe events and plans.

Use the structure to compare situations.

Use the structure to ask for practical information.

Use the structure to connect form with time and quantity.

As ... as expresses equality, while a superlative compares one item with a larger group.

Guided examples

The city bus is cheaper than the express train.

Cheap is a short adjective, so it adds -er: cheaper.

The express train is faster than the city bus.

Fast is a short adjective, so it adds -er: faster.

The station café is more comfortable than the kiosk.

Comfortable is a longer adjective, so it uses more instead of an -er ending.

This route is better than the road through the centre.

Good has an irregular comparative form, better, not gooder.

The morning service is busier than the evening service.

Busy changes y to i before adding -er: busier.

Walking is less expensive than taking a taxi.

Less is used with a longer adjective to show the opposite comparison to more.

Common mistakes

Not: The city bus is more cheap than the express train.

Use: The city bus is cheaper than the express train.

Cheap is a short adjective, so it takes -er (cheaper), not more.

Not: The express train is more fast than the city bus.

Use: The express train is faster than the city bus.

Fast is a short adjective, so it takes -er (faster), not more.

Not: The station café is comfortabler than the kiosk.

Use: The station café is more comfortable than the kiosk.

Comfortable is a longer adjective, so it needs more, not an -er ending.

Not: This route is gooder than the road through the centre.

Use: This route is better than the road through the centre.

Good has an irregular comparative form, better; gooder does not exist.

Before you practise

  • Identify the communicative purpose.
  • Check the subject and required verb or auxiliary.
  • Confirm the time reference and clause order.
  • Compare the sentence with the nearest alternative.
  • Read the complete sentence and verify the meaning.

Reading text

Two Ways Across Town

About 188 words

Mona and her uncle met at the streets beside the river because they needed to choose the best way to reach the clinic. Traffic blocks the main road. The tram is faster than the bus today. At first, the group looked at a tram map and a bus ticket and made a quick list. The bus is cheaper than a taxi. One person checked the door while another checked the table. Walking is quieter than waiting in traffic. The plan changed a little, but nobody lost time. The river path is longer than the main road. They wrote the important details in a notebook. Before leaving the streets beside the river, they checked the list again. The result was clear: the work is finished. Mona and her uncle look at a tram map and a bus ticket again before they move on. One helper writes the next step on a small card. The group speaks quietly, and the plan becomes clear. No one hurries, because the small details matter. The place feels calmer when the task is almost finished. At the end, everyone knows what to do next.

Reading comprehension

  1. Who is involved in the reading?

    Show answer

    Mona and her uncle

  2. Where does the reading take place?

    Show answer

    the streets beside the river

  3. What task are the people trying to complete?

    Show answer

    choose the best way to reach the clinic

  4. What problem makes the task less simple?

    Show answer

    traffic blocks the main road

Grammar in the text

  1. The tram is faster than the bus today.

    Fast is a short adjective that adds -er to compare two things.

  2. The bus is cheaper than a taxi.

    Cheap is a short adjective that adds -er: cheaper.

  3. Walking is quieter than waiting in traffic.

    Quiet adds -er to compare the two activities: quieter.

  4. The river path is longer than the main road.

    Long is a short adjective that adds -er: longer.

Key point

Use this pattern when the meaning needs it in the reading: adjective-er/more adjective + than. In short, comparatives compare two people, places, or things. Example: "The tram is faster than the bus today."

Practice

  1. Complete the sentence from the same situation: "The tram ____ faster than the bus today."

    Show answer

    The tram is faster than the bus today.

  2. Complete the sentence from the same situation: "The bus ____ cheaper than a taxi."

    Show answer

    The bus is cheaper than a taxi.

  3. Complete the sentence from the same situation: "Walking ____ quieter than waiting in traffic."

    Show answer

    Walking is quieter than waiting in traffic.

  4. Complete the sentence from the same situation: "The river path ____ longer than the main road."

    Show answer

    The river path is longer than the main road.

Listening practice

Watch a TEDx talk

“The power of introverts” — Susan Cain (TED). Listen for clear, natural English and pick up new vocabulary while you review this grammar point.

Check your understanding

What does Susan Cain say Western culture, especially in the United States, tends to favor?

Check your understanding

Which of these is one of Susan Cain's three calls to action at the end of her talk?

Practice

Choose the correct answer. This bag is ___ than that one.

Practice

Choose the correct answer. English is ___ for me than German.

Practice

Choose the correct answer. A train is usually ___ than a bus.

Written practice

Produce the answer yourself. Capitalisation and final punctuation do not affect validation, but the grammar and word order must be correct.

Grammar transformation

Written practice

Compare the red bike with the blue bike using than.

The blue bike is fast. The red bike is faster.