Lesson 39 · Stage 3: Plans, requests & comparing
Comparative + much / a bit / far
IntermediateForm & use
much better, a bit cheaper, far more expensive — how big the difference is
1.Form
To say a lot more or a little more, put a word of degree right before the comparative (-er or more …).
| Difference | Word before it | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| big | much / a lot / far | much colder, a lot cheaper, far more expensive |
| small | a bit / a little / slightly | a bit taller, a little faster, slightly more expensive |
| exact | number + unit | two years older, ten minutes later, 50,000 dong cheaper |
I feel much better now, thanks.
My new flat is a lot bigger than the old one.
This phone is a bit cheaper online.
Very doesn't go before a comparative. Say much better, a lot better or far better — not very better.
2.When to use it
1. A big difference: much, a lot, far — much works in any style; a lot is informal and very common in speech; far is stronger. Very informal speech (especially American) also uses way: way better.
Hanoi is much colder than Ho Chi Minh City in January.
Living in the city is far more expensive than living in my village.
2. A small difference: a bit, a little, slightly — a bit is the most informal; slightly sounds neutral and suits writing too.
My sister is a bit taller than me.
Private lessons are slightly more expensive than group classes.
3. Even more: even — when the other thing is already hot, expensive, hard…
Yesterday was hot, but today is even hotter.
The second test was even harder than the first.
4. With nouns: much more / many more / a few more — much more + uncountable noun, many more + plural noun; a lot more works with both. For a small amount: a bit more + uncountable noun, a few more + plural noun.
You'll need much more time than that.
We need many more chairs for the party.
Can I have a few more minutes?
3.Very or much?
Very, much, a bit… don't all fit in the same places. The table shows which words go with a plain adjective and which go with a comparative.
| Word | + plain adjective | + comparative |
|---|---|---|
| very | very cold | — (not: very colder) |
| much / far / a lot | — (not: much cold) | much colder, far colder, a lot colder |
| a bit / a little / slightly | a bit cold, slightly cold | a bit colder, slightly colder |
Da Lat is very cold at night.
Da Lat is much colder than Nha Trang.
4.More patterns with comparatives
Repeating the comparative (-er and -er, more and more + adjective) means something keeps changing. Any + comparative is used in questions and negatives; no + comparative means “not at all more”. The pattern “the more…, the more…” has its own lesson: see “The more …, the more …”.
It's getting hotter and hotter.
Phones are getting more and more expensive.
not: more expensive and more expensive
I'm tired. I can't walk any further.
Are you feeling any better today?
The new model is no better than the old one.
To say something keeps changing, repeat the comparative: busier and busier. With long adjectives, repeat only more: more and more expensive.
5.Common mistakes
Your English is very better than last year.Your English is much better than last year.
Very doesn't go before a comparative.
This bag is much more heavier than mine.This bag is much heavier than mine.
Heavier is already a comparative; no more.
The second film was a bit more good than the first.The second film was a bit better than the first.
good → better.
Phones are getting more expensive and more expensive.Phones are getting more and more expensive.
With long adjectives, repeat only more.
We need much more chairs.We need many more chairs.
Chairs are countable → many more (or a lot more).
Da Lat is much cold at night.Da Lat is very cold at night.
Much doesn't go before a plain adjective.
Examples
- Is the bus much slower than the train?
- This phone is a bit cheaper than the old model, only 50,000 dong less.
- Hanoi is much colder than Ho Chi Minh City in January.
- My sister is a bit taller than me.
