The Rules For Comparisons

The rules for comparisons. The rules for comparisons are quite simple but even native speakers seem to make mistakes. three syllable or more adjectives : put 'more' in front expensive ----- more expensive two syllable adjectives not ending in 'y' : put 'more' in front stupid ----- more stupid two syllable adjectives ending in 'y' : replace the 'y' by 'ier' happy -----happier one syllable adjectives ending in one vowel and one consonant : double the consonant and add 'er' big -----bigger other one syllable adjectives: add 'er' tall -----taller Exceptions good -----better bad -----worse far -----further/farther old -----older/elder little -----less With a few exceptions, adverbs normally add 'more' slowly -----more slowly easily -----more easily These are the exceptions early -----earlier late -----later fast -----faster

hard -----harder near -----nearer soon -----sooner Nothing very complicated in any of that but listen to native speakers and you will hear mistakes. Let's hope you don't make any in the following exercise! 'like' and 'as'

Both of these can be used to talk about things which are similar. The rules about their use are quite clear but, as we will see later, in informal modern English the rules appear to be changing.

'like' is a preposition and is followed by a noun or a pronoun --I look like my father. --It's not like him to be late.

'as' is a conjunction and is used before a clause. --My son is a good tennis player, as I was when I was young. --Oliver died as he lived, drunk.

'as' is also used before prepositional expressions --In Paris, as in Berlin, the bankers are worried about the state of the Euro. --Today, as in the 1960's, London is very fashionable.

In more formal English, we often invert the word-order after 'as' --I'm good at playing golf, as is my son. --He went to Cambridge University, as did his father.

We also use 'as' with jobs, roles and functions --I got a Summer job as a waiter. --He uses my house as his own.

In modern informal American and British English, some people sometimes use 'like' as a conjunction in the place of 'as' . --You don't love her like I do.

They also use 'like' to mean 'as if' --He treats my house like it was his.

These are both considered 'incorrect' by many people but they are becoming so frequently used that it seems to me that the grammar rules are changing.