1. MORE ABOUT COMPARISON NOVEMBER, 2009

2. OLDER-ELDER The comparative of old is older: Inma looks older than she really is You can use elder or older when you talk about people in a family: My elder sister is a nurse or My older sister is a nurse. But …..you cannot say that somebody is elder: My husband is older than me not My husband is elder than me.

3. The...the… We use the…the…to say that one thing depends on another thing: The warmer the weather, the better I feel.(=if the weather is warmer, I feel better) The sooner we leave, the earlier we will arrive. The younger you are, the easier it is to learn. The more expensive the restaurant, the better the service.

4. The sooner the better You can say the (sooner/bigger/more,etc) the better: « What time should we meet? » The sooner the better (as soon as possible) A: What kind of books do you read? Do you like the long ones? B:Yes, the longer the better.( as long as possible)

5. Better and better/more and more We repeat comparatives to say that something is changing continuously. It´s getting darker and darker. My sister´s children are growing fast. They are getting taller and taller. Nowadays more and more students are studying English and computer-aided design.

6. Much a lot far(=a lot) a bit a little slightly(=a little) Before comparatives you can use: much a lot far a bit a little slightly Let´s walk. It´s much healthier ( or a lot healthier) Don´t go by plane. It´s a lot more expensive. This unit is far more difficult than we thought. Josh, can you speak a bit more slowly, please? ( or a little more slowly) Alice´s bag is slightly heavier than Angeles´s bag.

7. any and no + comparative You can use any and no + comparative (any longer/ no bigger/no more expensive,etc) Remember: any ( the verb in negative and interrogative no ( the verb in affirmative) This sofa is better than the other one, and it´s no more expensive. Manuel has studied long enough. He is not studying any longer. How does Gaspar feel now? Does he feel any better?

8. That´s all, folks!!!!