9 structures · CEFR A2–B2
English comparatives and superlatives
Comparing is three shapes: bigger than, the biggest, and as big as. Which one you use depends on the length of the adjective, not on its meaning — one syllable takes -er, three syllables take "more", and two syllables go both ways. The double comparative, "more better", is the mistake this family exists to remove.
Common comparing things mistakes
Every one of these is a sentence Indian-English speakers genuinely produce — not a textbook example.
| Commonly said | Correct English |
|---|---|
This is more cheaper. | This is cheaper. Use one or the other, never both. Comparatives → |
He is best player. | He is the best player. A superlative needs "the". Superlatives → |
She is as tall than her sister. | She is as tall as her sister. The pair is "as … as" — "than" belongs to comparatives. as … as → |
There were less people today. | There were fewer people today. People can be counted, so careful English uses "fewer". less / the least → |
This one is very better. | This one is much better. A comparative takes "much" or "far", never "very". much bigger, a bit cheaper → |
The traffic is becoming more bad and bad. | The traffic is getting worse and worse. "Bad" has an irregular comparative — worse — and it is the comparative that repeats. better and better → |
More you practise, more you improve. | The more you practise, the more you improve. Both halves need "the" in front of the comparative. The more you practise… → |
He works like a teacher, at the government school. | He works as a teacher at the government school. "Like" would mean he is not one — his real job takes "as". like or as? → |
All 9 comparing things structures
Grouped by CEFR band so you can start where you actually are, rather than at the top.
A2 · Everyday
3 structures at this level.
B1 · Independent
3 structures at this level.
B2 · Confident
3 structures at this level.
Dimmed tiles are structures whose example bank is still being written. The explanation and the mistake are there; the sentences are not, yet.
Reading it is not the same as saying it.
CoCap turns comparing things into practice you can actually do: a Hindi sentence, your English answer, and one correction at a time.
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