Unit 105. Comparison 1 (cheaper, more expensive etc.)

Unit 105; Part A

Study these examples:
How shall we travel? By car or by train?
       Let's go by car. It's cheaper.
       Don't go by train. It's more expensive.

Cheaper and more expensive are comparative forms.
After comparatives you can use than (see Unit 107):
    •   It's cheaper to go by car than by train.
    •   Going by train is more expensive than going by car.

Unit 105; Part B

The comparative form is -er or more ....

We use -er for short words (one syllable): cheap → cheaper fast → faster large → larger thin → thinner	We use more ... for longer words(two syllables or more): more serious more often more expensive more comfortable
We also use -er for two-syllable words that end in -y (-y → ier): lucky → luckier early → earlier easy → easier pretty → prettier	We also use more ... for adverbs that end in -ly: more slowly more seriously more quietly more carefully
Compare these examples:
• You're older than me. • The exam was fairly easy - easier than I expected. • Can you walk a bit faster? • I'd like to have a bigger car. • Last night I went to bed earlier than usual.	• You're more patient than me. • The exam was quite difficult - more difficult than I expected. • Can you walk a bit more slowly? • I'd like to have a more reliable car. • I don't play tennis much these days. I used to play more often.
You can use -er or more ... with some two-syllable adjectives, especially: clever narrow quiet shallow simple *• It's too noisy here. Can we go somewhere quieter / more quiet?*

Unit 105; Part C

A few adjectives and adverbs have irregular comparative forms:

good / well → better
    •   The garden looks better since you tidied it up.
    •   I know him well - probably better than anybody else knows him.
bad / badly → worse:
    •   'How is your headache? Better?'    'No, it's worse."
    •   He did very badly in the exam - worse than expected.
far → further (or farther):
    •   It's a long walk from here to the park - further than I thought. (or farther than)
Further (but not farther) can also mean 'more' or 'additional':
    •   Let me know if you hear any further news. (= any more news)

Exercises

1 Complete the sentences using a comparative form.

Complete the sentences using a comparative form (older / more important etc.).

1    It's too noisy here. Can we go somewhere    quieter    ?
2    This coffee is very weak. I like it a bit _____________________.
3    The hotel was surprisingly big. I expected it to be _____________________.
4    The hotel was surprisingly cheap. I expected it to be _____________________.
5    The weather is too cold here. I'd like to live somewhere _____________________.
6    My job is a bit boring sometimes. I'd like to do something _____________________.
7    It's a pity you live so far away. I wish you lived _____________________.
8    I was surprised how easy it was to use the computer. I thought it would be _____________________.
9    Your work isn't very good. I'm sure you can do _____________________.
10 Don't worry. The situation isn't so bad. It could be _____________________.
11 I was surprised we got here so quickly. I expected the journey to take _____________________.
12 You're talking very loudly. Can you speak a bit _____________________?
13 You hardly ever phone me. Why don't you phone me _____________________?
14 You're standing too near the camera. Can you move a bit _____________________ away?
15 You were a bit depressed yesterday, but you look _____________________ today.

2 Complete the sentences.

Complete the sentences. Each time use the comparative form of one of the words in the box. Use than where necessary.

big crowded early easily high important
interested peaceful reliable serious simple thin

1    I was feeling tired last night, so I went to bed     earlier    usual.
2    I'd like to have a    more reliable    car. The one I've got keeps breaking down.
3    Unfortunately her illness was _______________ we thought at first.
4    You look _______________. Have you lost weight?
5    I want a _______________ flat. We don't have enough space here.
6    He doesn't study very hard. He's _______________ in having a good time.
7    Health and happiness are _______________ money.
8    The instructions were very complicated. They could have been _______________.
9    There were a lot of people on the bus. It was _______________ usual.
10 I like living in the countryside. It's _______________ living in a town.
11 You'll find your way around the town _______________ if you have a good map.
12 In some parts of the country, prices are _______________ in others.

3 Read the situations and complete the sentences.

Read the situations and complete the sentences. Use a comparative form (-er or more ...).

1    Yesterday the temperature was six degrees. Today it's only three degrees.
     It's    colder today than it was yesterday .
2    The journey takes four hours by car and five hours by train.
     It takes _______________________________.
3    Dave and I went for a run. I ran ten kilometres. Dave stopped after eight kilometres.
     I ran __________________________________.
4    Chris and Joe both did badly in the test. Chris got 30%, but Joe only got 25%.
     Joe did ________________________________.
5    I expected my friends to arrive at about 4 o'clock. In fact they arrived at 2.30.
     My friends _____________________________.
6    You can go by bus or by train. The buses run every 30 minutes. The trains run every hour.
      The buses _____________________________.
7    We were very busy at work today. We're not usually as busy as that.
      We ____________________________________.

Unit 104 Unit 105 Unit 106

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