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IELTS Grammar | more comparisons


English Grammar | More ways of comparing

We use less / the least to mean the opposite of more / the most

You might imagine that the General Training IELTS test would be less difficult to pass.
The morning I sat my exam was probably the least enjoyable time I've ever head.

We can add emphasis with words like even, far, a great deal, a little, a lot, much + comparative:

A reading comprehension test requires much greater concentration than simply reading a book.

In formal English with words like slightly, considerably, significantly + comparative:

The number of exam candidates in 2013 is significantly higher than that for the year 2012.

The number of women sitting Academic IELTS to enter into higher education is only slightly lower than the number of men.

We cannot use very with comparatives (not the number of women was very lower).

We can say two things are the same or similar with as + adjective / adverb + as:

My exam preparation course is as good as yours. (= the two courses are of the same quality)

Male exam candidates are as likely to achieve an excellent IELTS score as female exam candidates. (= they have the came chance of achieveing this)

We can add to the meaning by using just, almost, nearly, half, twice, three times etc.:

Last month the test center was almost as full as for the first session of the year.

There's a man in my test preparation course who can read twice as fast as anyone else.

We can say two things are different with not as + adjective/adverb + as:

Most people consider that the IELTS General Training Reading and Writing is not as difficult as the IELTS Academic test.

We can show that a change is happening over time by repeating the comparative:

Each year the test scores in China are getting better and better.

The IELTS test is being done by more and more candidates every year.

It seems less and less likely that my friend will get the IELTS score he needs to go to Australia.

We use the + comparative + the + comparative to show that two things vary or change at the same time:

It would seem that the longer you practice IELTS the greater your chances of getting a high IELTS score are.

I'm waiting for my IELTS scores - the sooner I get them the better, then I'll be able to make plans.

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