UNIT 106. Comparison 2 (much better/ any better/ better and better/ the sooner the better) ENGLISH GRAMMAR IN USE FOR INTERMEDIATE

ENGLISH GRAMMAR IN USE FOR INTERMEDIATE

UNIT 106. Comparison 2 (much better/ any better/ better and better/ the sooner the better)

A	Before comparatives you can use: much a lot far (=a lot) a bit a little slightly (= a little) √ Let's go by car. It's much cheaper. (or a lot cheaper) ·How do you feel now?' ·Much better, thanks.' Don't go by train. It's a lot more expensive. (or much more expensive) Could you speak a bit more slowly? (or a little more slowly) This bag is slightly heavier than the other one. Her illness was far more serious than we thought at first. (or much more serious /a lot more serious) √ √ √ √ √
B	You can use any and no+ comparative (any longer I no bigger etc.): √ I've waited long enough. I'm not waiting any longer. (=not even a little longer) √ We expected their apartment to be very big, but it's no bigger than ours.     Or ... it isn't any bigger than ours. (=not even a little bigger) √ How do you feel now? Do you feel any better? This hotel is better than the other one, and it's no more expensive. √
C	Better and better /more and more etc. We repeat comparatives (better and better etc.) to say that something changes continuously: √ Your English is improving. It's getting better and better. The city has grown fast in recent years. It's got bigger and bigger. As I listened to his story, I became more and more convinced that he was lying. These days more and more people are learning English. √ √ √
D	The …… the ….. You can say the (sooner/bigger/more etc.) the better: √ ·what time shall we leave?' ‘The sooner the better.' (=as soon as possible) √ A: What sort of box do you want? A big one? B: Yes, the bigger the better. (=as big as possible) √ When you're travelling, the less luggage you have the better. We also use the ... the ... to say that one thing depends on another thing: √ The warmer the weather, the better I feel. (=if the weather is warmer, I feel better) The sooner we leave, the earlier we will arrive. The younger you are, the easier it is to learn. The more expensive the hotel, the better the service. The more electricity you use, the higher your bill will be. The more I thought about the plan, the less I liked it. √ √ √ √ √
E	Older and elder The comparative of old is older: √ David looks older than he really is. You can use elder (or older) when you talk about people in a family. You can say (my/your etc.) elder sister/brother/daughter/son: √ My elder sister is a TV producer. (or My older sister ...) We say ‘my elder sister', but we do not say that ·somebody is elder': √ My sister is older than me. (not elder than me)

EXERCISES

106.1	Use the words in brackets to complete the sentences. Use much /a bit etc. + a comparative form. Use than where necessary. 1 Her illness was ___much more serious than _______ we thought at first. (much /serious) 2 This bag is too small. I need something _________________. (much /big) I liked the museum. It was _________________I expected. (much /interesting) It was very hot yesterday. Today it's _________________. (a bit /cool) I'm afraid the problem is _________________it seems. (far /complicated) 3 4 5 6 You're driving too fast. Can you drive _________________? (a bit /slowly) It's _________________to learn a language in a country where it is spoken. (a lot / easy) I thought she was younger than me, but in fact she's _________________. (slightly /old) 7 8
106.2	Complete the sentences using any/no+ comparative. Use than where necessary. 1 I've waited long enough. I'm not waiting ______any longer_____________. 2 I'm sorry I'm a bit late, but I couldn't get here ___________________________. This shop isn't expensive. The prices are ___________________________ anywhere else. I need to stop for a rest. I can't walk ___________________________. The traffic isn't particularly bad today. It's ___________________________usual. 3 4 5
106.3	Complete the sentences using the structure in Section C (... and ...). 1 It's getting _______more and more difficult_____ to find a job. (difficult) 2 That hole in your sweater is getting _______________________. (big) My bags seemed to get _______________________ as I carried them. (heavy) As I waited for my interview, I became _______________________. (nervous) As the day went on, the weather got _______________________. (bad) 3 4 5 6 Health care is becoming _______________________. (expensive) Since Anna went to Canada, her English has got _____________. (good) As the conversation went on, Paul became __________________. (talkactive) 7 8
106.4	Complete the sentences using the structure in Section D (the ... the ...). 1 I like warm weather. The warmer the weather, ______the better I feel______. (feel) 2 I didn't really like him when we first met. But the more I got to know him, _________________________. (like) 3 If you're in business, you want to make a profit. The more goods you sell, _________________________. (profit) 4 It's hard to concentrate when you're tired. The more tired you are, _________________________. (hard) 5 Kate had to wait a very long time. The longer she had to wait, _________________________. (impatient I become)
106.5	Use the words on the right to complete the sentences.

ANSWER KEY