Bigger and more expensive are only the start. This topic covers the other ways Americans compare things: saying two things are equal with as...as, saying how big a difference is, and linking two changes with the more..., the better.
The pattern
My commute is as long as yours.
The sooner we leave, the better.
01Equal or not: as...as
Use as + adjective or adverb + as when two things are equal. Add just for emphasis. Use not as...as when the first thing is less. Not so...as is also correct, but it's less common in American English.
With nouns, use as much (uncountable) or as many (plural) + noun + as.
- Her apartment is just as small as mine.
- The train isn't as fast as the plane.
- I don't have as much free time as I used to.
- We don't get as many snow days as Chicago does.
02How big is the difference?
For multiples, put a number before as...as: twice as expensive as, three times as big as, half as long as. Before a normal comparative, add a word that shows the size of the difference. Never use very: say much better, not very better. Way is very common in casual American speech, but keep it out of formal writing.
| big difference | small difference |
|---|---|
| much cheaper | a bit cheaper |
| far more useful | a little more useful |
| a lot faster | slightly faster |
| way better (casual) | not much better |
03The same as
Use the same as for things that are equal in every way, or the same + noun + as for one feature: the same size as, the same price as. Never say the same like or the same than.
- My phone is the same as yours.
- Her shoes are the same color as her bag.
04The more..., the better
Use two comparatives with the to show that one change causes another. Each half has its own clause, and a comma separates them. Short fixed forms are common in speech: The sooner, the better. The more, the merrier.
- The more you practice, the easier it gets.
- The bigger the apartment, the higher the rent.
- The less I sleep, the worse I feel.
05Colder and colder
Repeat a comparative with and to show a change that keeps going: colder and colder. For long adjectives, repeat only more: more and more expensive.
- It's getting colder and colder.
- Rent is getting more and more expensive.
06Common mistakes
She's as smart than her sister.
She's as smart as her sister.
As...as always takes as twice. Than goes with comparatives.
My rent is the same like yours.
My rent is the same as yours.
The same always takes as.
More you practice, more you improve.
The more you practice, the more you improve.
Each half needs the before the comparative.
It's getting more cold and more cold.
It's getting colder and colder.
Short adjectives take -er, repeated with and.