Modifying Comparatives: Big and Small Differences
Core PathWay
1 Big Differences and Small Differences
You already know how to make comparisons. You can say ‘Australia is bigger than Britain.’ But sometimes you want to show HOW MUCH bigger. Is it a little bit bigger? Or is it much bigger?
Look at these examples:
Simple comparison: Australia is bigger than Britian.
BIG difference: Australia is much bigger than Britain. / Australia is a lot bigger than England. / Australia is far bigger than Britian
Simple comparison: This phone is more expensive than that one.
SMALL difference: This phone is slightly more expensive than that one. / This phone is a bit more expensive than that one. / This phone is a little more expensive than that one
See the difference? The words before the comparative adjective show the SIZE of the difference. This makes your English more exact and more natural.
2 Talking About Big Differences
When the difference between two things is big, you can use special words before the comparative adjective. These words make the difference clear.
The most common words are: much, a lot, lots, and far. They all mean the same thing — the difference is big.
Focus
- Use much, a lot, lots, or far BEFORE the comparative adjective
- These words show a BIG difference between two things
- You can ask ‘How much + comparative…?’ to ask about the size of difference
Rules
- Pattern: much/a lot/lots/far + comparative adjective + than
- Example: London is much bigger than Oxford.
- Question form: How much bigger is London than Oxford?
Examples
- This car is much faster than my old car.
- The new office is a lot more modern than the old one.
- How much more expensive is the new phone?
Common mistake
3 Talking About Small Differences
Sometimes the difference between two things is small. You want to say ‘yes, there is a difference, but it is not big.’ For this, use different words: slightly, a little, or a bit.
Focus
- Use slightly, a little, or a bit BEFORE the comparative adjective
- These words show a SMALL difference between two things
- This makes your comparison more polite and careful
Rules
- Pattern: slightly/a little/a bit + comparative adjective + than
- Example: This coffee is slightly hotter than that one.
- ‘A bit’ is more informal than ‘slightly’
Examples
- My new job is a little better than my old job.
- The train is slightly faster than the bus.
- This room is a bit warmer than the other room.
You can also say:
4 Sam and Jordan Compare Countries
Sam is from Australia. Jordan is from England. They work together in an office in London. Today they are talking about their countries.
‘Australia is much bigger than England,’ Sam said. ‘It takes 5 hours to fly from Sydney to Perth. How long does it take to drive across England?’
Jordan laughed. ‘About 3 hours! So yes, Australia is a lot bigger. But I think the weather in England is slightly better. It’s not too hot.’
‘Really?’ said Sam. ‘I think Australian weather is far better! We have beautiful beaches and sunshine.’
‘OK, but how much hotter is it in summer?’ Jordan asked.
‘In Sydney, summer is about 30 degrees. In London, it’s about 22 degrees. So it’s a bit hotter, but not too much,’ Sam explained.
Jordan smiled. ‘I think we can agree — both countries are great, but very different!’
Key Terms
5 Your Turn: Write Comparisons
Now practise what you learned. Write about the two airports in the image below.
Compare the two airports. Write about the changes in the runways, terminal buildings, gates, apron areas, and taxiways.
Use comparative forms with modifiers like: much bigger, a lot larger, slightly longer, a bit wider.
Write about 100 words.
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Module 1418
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