Welcome to our English lesson on making comparisons! If you’re learning English, especially for everyday conversations, knowing how to compare things is super useful. In this lesson, we’ll explore simple ways to compare things in English, perfect for A1+ level learners. We’ll focus on practical examples to help you start spoken English practice right away. Let’s make learning easy English comparisons fun and effective!

Why Learn to Compare Things?

When we talk, we often need to say if something is bigger, smaller, faster, or slower than something else. Comparing things helps us describe the world around us more clearly and express our opinions. Imagine you want to tell your friend about two cars. You might say, “This car is faster than that car.” That’s a comparison! Learning to make comparisons is a key part of English grammar for beginners and will significantly improve your spoken English skills.

Simple Ways to Make Comparisons in English

For beginners, we’ll focus on three main ways to make simple comparisons:

1. Using “as…as” for similar things
2. Using “er” with “than” for shorter adjectives
3. Using “more” with “than” for longer adjectives

Let’s look at each one in detail.

1. Comparing Similar Things with “as…as”

We use “as…as” to say that two things are the same in some way. It’s a great way to start making easy English comparisons. The structure is:

as + adjective + as

Here are some examples:

• A cat is as small as a mouse. (They are similar in size – both are small)
• My book is as interesting as your book. (Both books are interesting)
• The weather today is as cold as yesterday. (The temperature is similar)
• He is as tall as his brother. (Their height is similar)

Notice how we put the adjective (small, interesting, cold, tall) between “as” and “as“. You can use this to compare many things that are similar!

2. Comparing with “er” and “than” (for shorter adjectives)

When we want to say something is more of a quality than something else, we often use “-er” at the end of short adjectives and add “than“. This is another fundamental aspect of English grammar for beginners when comparing things.

The structure is:

adjective + er + than

Let’s see some examples:

• A car is faster than a bicycle. (A car has more speed)
• My house is bigger than yours. (My house has more size)
• Winter is colder than autumn. (Winter has more coldness)
• An elephant is stronger than a dog. (An elephant has more strength)

For most short adjectives (like fast, big, cold, strong, tall, short, small, etc.), we just add “-er“. Remember to use “than” after the adjective to complete the comparison.

Important Note: Spelling Changes

Sometimes, we need to change the spelling of the adjective a little before adding “-er”.

• If the adjective ends in “-y“, change the “y” to “i” and add “-er“.
  • Example: easy -> easier (English grammar is easier than math for me.)
  • Example: happy -> happier (I am happier than I was yesterday.)
• If the adjective is short and ends in a vowel + consonant (like big), double the consonant and add “-er“.
  • Example: big -> bigger (An elephant is bigger than a cat.)
  • Example: hot -> hotter (Summer is hotter than spring.)

3. Comparing with “more” and “than” (for longer adjectives)

For longer adjectives (adjectives with more than two syllables, like “interesting”, “beautiful”, “expensive”), we usually use “more” before the adjective and “than” after it. This is a key point for improving English vocabulary and making more complex comparisons.

The structure is:

more + adjective + than

Here are some examples:

• Learning English is more interesting than learning math for some people. (English has more interest for them)
• A car is more expensive than a bicycle. (A car has a higher price)
• Classical music is more beautiful than loud rock music, for some. (Classical music has more beauty, in their opinion)
• My new phone is more modern than my old phone. (The new phone has more modern features)

For longer adjectives, using “more…than” is the common and correct way to make comparisons. This helps make your spoken English sound more natural and fluent.

Common Adjectives for Comparisons

Here are some common adjectives you can use when comparing things. Try to use them in sentences using “as…as“, “-er than“, and “more…than“. This is great spoken English practice!

• Tall – taller
• Short – shorter
• Big – bigger
• Small – smaller
• Fast – faster
• Slow – slower
• Strong – stronger
• Weak – weaker
• Heavy – heavier
• Light – lighter
• Old – older
• Young – younger
• Happy – happier
• Sad – sadder
• Easy – easier
• Difficult – more difficult
• Interesting – more interesting
• Beautiful – more beautiful
• Expensive – more expensive
• Cheap – cheaper
• Good – better (irregular!)
• Bad – worse (irregular!)

Notice “good” and “bad” are irregular! “Good” becomes “better than” and “bad” becomes “worse than“. For example:

• My English is better than my French.
• The weather today is worse than yesterday.

Let’s Practice Making Comparisons!

Fill in the blanks to complete the sentences using the correct form of comparison (“as…as”, “-er than”, “more…than”). This is excellent practice for improving English vocabulary and your understanding of compare and contrast concepts.

1. A lion is ______ (big) ______ a cat.
2. My coffee is ______ (hot) ______ yours.
3. This book is ______ (interesting) ______ that movie.
4. She is ______ (tall) ______ her brother.
5. My old car was ______ (expensive) ______ my new car. (Think carefully!)
6. Summer is ______ (good) ______ winter for me.
7. Learning English is ______ (easy) ______ learning Chinese for many people.
8. A bicycle is ______ (slow) ______ a motorbike.
9. This chair is ______ (comfortable) ______ the sofa.
10. He is ______ (young) ______ his sister.

Answers to Practice Exercises

1. A lion is bigger than a cat.
2. My coffee is hotter than yours.
3. This book is more interesting than that movie.
4. She is as tall as her brother.
5. My old car was more expensive than my new car. (Old cars are often cheaper!)
6. Summer is better than winter for me.
7. Learning English is easier than learning Chinese for many people.
8. A bicycle is slower than a motorbike.
9. This chair is less comfortable than the sofa. (Or: This chair is not as comfortable as the sofa.)
10. He is younger than his sister.

Practice Speaking Comparisons with Lingofrnd

Now that you know how to make simple comparisons, it’s time to practice speaking! The best way to get comfortable with spoken English and using comparisons in conversations is to actually speak.

Lingofrnd.com is your AI spoken English teacher that can help you practice making comparisons and much more! With Lingofrnd, you can have conversations, get feedback, and build your confidence in speaking English. It’s like having a friendly English tutor available anytime you want to practice.

Ready to start speaking and improve English vocabulary related to comparisons?

Visit Lingofrnd.com today and Download App to take your English speaking skills to the next level! Start practicing making comparisons in real conversations and see how quickly you improve. Happy learning!