B2 – Upper Intermediate
Modifying comparisons means adding words or phrases to fine-tune the degree of difference or similarity between things.
They answer questions like:
- How much more?
- How much less?
- To what extent are they similar or different?
Basic Structure
Comparisons usually follow:
- comparative adjective/adverb + than
- faster than, more complex than
Modifiers come before the comparative form.
Common Types of Modifiers
A. Degree Modifiers (Strength of Difference)
Strong increase:
- much / far / a lot / significantly / considerably
- This solution is far more effective than the previous one.
- She works significantly faster than her colleagues.
Small difference:
- slightly / a bit / a little / marginally
- The new model is slightly cheaper than the old one.
- He arrived a bit earlier than expected.
Emphatic precision:
- by far
- This is by far the best option available.
B. Exact Measurement Modifiers
Exact measurement modifiers are used for precise, measurable differences.
- twice / three times / half / double
- X percent / X times / X units
Examples:
- The new engine is twice as powerful as the old one.
- This building is three meters taller than that one.
- Sales are 30% higher than last year.
C. Minimizers and Negative Comparisons
- no / not any
- This version is no better than the original.
- He is no more reliable than his predecessor.
Note: These often imply disappointment or equality in a negative sense.
D. Parallel Comparison Modifiers
Parallel comparison modifiers are used in structures like:
“as…as” with modifiers:
- just as / almost as / nearly as / not quite as
- She is just as capable as her peers.
- This task is not quite as difficult as I expected.
Advanced Structures
A. “The + comparative…, the + comparative…”
This structure shows proportional change.
- The more you practice, the better you become.
- The less he sleeps, the more irritable he gets.
Modifiers can be added:
- The much harder you try, the more rewarding it feels. (This is less common and more stylistic.)
B. Comparative Correlatives with Nouns
- There are far more people attending this year.
- We have slightly fewer options than before.
C. Ellipsis in Comparisons
Advanced users often omit repeated elements:
- She is much more experienced than I (am).
- The results were far better than expected.
D. Comparisons with “ever” and “still”
- This is even better than before.
- The situation is still worse than we anticipated.
Note: “Even” and “still” act as intensifying modifiers.
Subtle Meaning Differences
“Much” vs “Very”
- x: very better
- o: much better
Note: “Very” does NOT modify comparatives.
“A lot” vs “much”
- Informal: a lot better
- More formal: much better
“No more than” vs “Not more than”
- No more than 10 people attended (= only 10)
- Not more than 10 people attended (= maximum 10, neutral)
Stylistic and Academic Use
In formal/academic English, you’ll often see:
- considerably more significant
- markedly less efficient
- substantially higher
- marginally lower
Note: These are preferred over informal forms like a lot.
Common Errors
x: more easier than
o: easier than
x: very more effective
o: much more effective
x: twice more than
o: twice as much as / twice as many as