Modifying Comparatives
Learn how to use words like 'slightly', 'significantly', and 'far' to make your comparisons more precise.
- check_circleI can modify comparatives to show small differences.
- check_circleI can modify comparatives to show large differences.
Discover
Meet today's English in a real situation — no rules yet. Read it once and try to guess the pattern in the words in bold. Underlined words open a short definition.
Mark: What do you think about the second house we saw today?
Sarah: It was significantly more spacious than the first one. I really loved the big kitchen.
Mark: Me too. But the first house was a bit closer to the city center, and it fits our budget better.
Sarah: True, but the second house is far quieter because it’s further from the main road. The neighborhood felt much more peaceful.
Mark: That’s a good point. However, the first house has those beautiful wooden cabinets. The ones in the second house were nowhere near as nice.
Sarah: We can always renovate the kitchen later. I think having extra space is slightly more important for us right now.
Learn
Now the rules behind what you just saw — explained simply, with examples. Underlined words open a short definition — hover on desktop, tap on a phone.
When we compare two things, we often want to be more specific than just saying one is “bigger” or “better.” We can use modifying words before comparative adjectives to show how much difference there is.
Small Differences
To express that a difference is small, use words like slightly, a bit, or a little before the comparative adjective.
- This new laptop is slightly faster than my old one.
- The restaurant is a bit more expensive than I expected.
- She seems a little happier today.
In formal writing, prefer slightly over a bit or a little.
Large Differences
When the difference is very noticeable, use words like significantly, far, much, or a lot.
- The project was significantly more difficult than we anticipated.
- Traveling by train is far better for the environment than flying.
- This book is much more interesting than the movie.
Do not use “very” with comparatives.
He is very taller than his brother.- He is much taller than his brother.
Expressing No Difference or Similarity
Sometimes, things are almost the same. We can express this using nearly as … as or nowhere near as … as (for a big negative difference).
- The sequel is nowhere near as good as the original movie.
- My current job is nearly as demanding as my previous one.
- Small differences: slightly, a bit, a little + comparative (e.g., slightly better)
- Large differences: significantly, far, much, a lot + comparative (e.g., much bigger)
- Similarities/Negatives: nearly as…as, nowhere near as…as
- Rule: Never use “very” with a comparative adjective!
Practice
Try it yourself. You'll see right away whether you got it right, plus a short explanation of why.
Use It
Now make the language yours in a real task. Use the prompt below — the editor keeps a simple word count, and nothing is saved or graded.
Before you finish — be honest. Can you do these now?