ComparingThings
far cheaper · not as good as · by far the best · the more… the more
Your level · You are here
Get Talking · Section 1
5 minStart the conversation
Compare two cities you know well. Which is far more expensive? Which is slightly more relaxed?
Name something that isn't as good as it used to be. What changed?
Finish this: 'The more I practise English, the more…'
Grammar · Section 2
8–10 minModifying comparatives and superlatives
Modifier + comparative: far/much/a lot (big gap), a bit/slightly (small gap), nowhere near (big negative gap).
- Plain comparatives ('cheaper', 'more interesting') only tell you the direction of a difference, not its size.
- MODIFIERS add precision.
- For a BIG difference: 'far/much/a lot cheaper', 'far more interesting'.
- For a SMALL difference: 'a bit/slightly cheaper', 'a little more interesting'.
- For 'almost none': 'nowhere near as cheap'.
- Note the grammar: far/much/a lot/a bit/slightly go directly BEFORE the comparative adjective ('much cheaper', NOT 'much more cheap').
- With SUPERLATIVES, 'by far' adds emphasis and goes before 'the': 'It's BY FAR the best restaurant in town.' EQUAL comparisons use AS + adjective + AS: 'This flat is as expensive as that one.' Negative equal comparisons use NOT AS + adjective + AS (more common in speech than 'less…than'): 'It's not as expensive as I expected' = it's cheaper than expected. 'Nowhere near as' makes this negative comparison much stronger: 'It's nowhere near as good as the old version' = it's much worse.
- Finally, THE MORE… THE MORE… links two changes together: 'The more you practise, the more confident you become.' Both halves use comparative forms, and the second clause can be a full clause or a short one ('The sooner, the better.').
- far/much/a lot + comparative — to show a big difference ('far cheaper').
- a bit/slightly + comparative — to show a small difference ('slightly cheaper').
- as + adjective + as — for an equal comparison ('as good as').
- not as + adjective + as / nowhere near as — for a negative comparison ('not as good as', 'nowhere near as good').
- by far + the + superlative — to emphasise a clear winner ('by far the best').
- the + comparative, the + comparative — to link two changes ('the more…, the more…').
e.g. The more you practise, the more confident you become.
| Modifier | Strength | Example |
|---|---|---|
| far / much / a lot | big difference | far more expensive |
| a bit / slightly / a little | small difference | slightly more expensive |
| nowhere near as | big negative gap | nowhere near as good |
| just as | equal | just as good as |
| by far the | clear superlative winner | by far the best |
This flat is far more expensive than the last one.
It's only slightly cheaper here — not really worth the trip.
The new phone isn't nowhere near as good as they promised.
This café is just as good as the one in town.
It's not as busy as I expected on a Friday.
It's by far the best decision I've made this year.
The more you practise, the more natural it feels.
Not this
It's much more good than the last one.
Say this
It's much better than the last one.
Modifiers go before the comparative FORM, but irregular comparatives (good→better, bad→worse) still change form; don't say 'more good'.
Memory tip
Big gap = FAR/MUCH. Small gap = A BIT/SLIGHTLY. Almost no gap (negative) = NOWHERE NEAR.
Natural English
In spoken British English, 'not as… as' is far more common than 'less… than'. Saying 'it's less expensive' sounds correct but slightly formal; 'it's not as expensive' is what people actually say.
Question 1.Which sentence shows a SMALL difference?
Question 2.Which is correct?
Question 3.Which expresses an EQUAL comparison?
Question 4.Which sentence uses the double comparative correctly?
Build the sentence → spot the natural chunks → say it aloud → reply like a real conversation.
1.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
2.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
3.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
4.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
Quick check 1.Best word for a big difference in price:
Vocabulary · Section 3
5–7 minWords & phrases to learn
Far/much cheaper
modifier showing a big difference
In context
"The train is far cheaper than the flight."
Now try it yourself
Compare two ways of travelling using 'far cheaper'.
A bit/slightly better
modifier showing a small difference
In context
"This café's coffee is slightly better than the one next door."
Now try it yourself
Compare two similar things using 'slightly'.
Nowhere near as good as
a strong negative comparison
In context
"The sequel is nowhere near as good as the original film."
Now try it yourself
Compare a sequel, remake or update to the original.
Just as… as
equal comparison
In context
"This laptop is just as fast as the more expensive model."
Now try it yourself
Compare two products that are surprisingly similar in quality.
Not as… as I expected
reality differs from expectation
In context
"The exam wasn't as hard as I expected."
Now try it yourself
Describe something that wasn't as good/bad as you expected.
By far the best
clearly the best, no close competitor
In context
"She's by far the best candidate we've interviewed."
Now try it yourself
Say something that is, in your opinion, by far the best of its kind.
The more… the more…
two things change together
In context
"The more you earn, the more you spend."
Now try it yourself
Complete your own 'the more…, the more…' sentence.
The sooner, the better
shortened double comparative
In context
"We need to decide — the sooner, the better."
Now try it yourself
Use a shortened double comparative about a decision at work or home.
Twice as expensive
multiplier comparison
In context
"Flights in August are twice as expensive as in May."
Now try it yourself
Compare prices using a multiplier (twice as, three times as).
A world of difference
an enormous difference
In context
"A good night's sleep makes a world of difference."
Now try it yourself
Describe something that makes a world of difference in your life.
Pick at least three words from above and use each one in a sentence about your real life. Say each one aloud before you write.
Ask your teacher (or a partner) a question that uses one of today's words. They reply using a different word.
Rank today's words from most to least useful for you this week. Defend your top choice.
Finish: "Honestly, I'd say…" using one of today's words.
Tip: aim to reuse at least two of these words later in the Speaking and Writing tasks.
Tap an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.
Pronunciation · Section 4
3–4 minStress on the modifier; weak 'as' in 'as…as'
In modified comparatives, the stress usually falls on the MODIFIER, not the adjective: 'It's FAR cheaper' / 'It's SLIGHTly better'. This tells the listener how big the difference is before they even hear the adjective. In 'as…as' comparisons, the first 'as' is weak (/əz/) and unstressed, while the adjective carries the stress: 'It's as GOOD as the original.' In 'by far the best', 'far' is stressed for emphasis: 'It's by FAR the best.'
- • It's FAR cheaper than I thought.
- • It's only SLIGHTly better.
- • It's as GOOD as the original.
- • It's by FAR the best option.
Reading · Section 5
8–10 minWhy 'a bit better' matters more than 'better'
Learners often reach the comparative form early — 'cheaper', 'more interesting', 'better' — and then stop. But plain comparatives leave out crucial information: how big is the difference? Telling a friend that a flat is 'more expensive' says almost nothing useful. Telling them it's 'far more expensive' or only 'slightly more expensive' changes the whole decision.
Modifiers do exactly this job. Far, much and a lot signal a large gap: 'This model is far more reliable than the last one.' A bit, slightly and a little signal a small one: 'It's slightly heavier, but not enough to notice.' At the negative end, nowhere near as is one of the most useful — and most under-used — phrases in English. 'The new café is nowhere near as good as the old one' communicates real disappointment far more naturally than 'the new café is much worse'.
Equality matters too. As…as lets you say two things are the same without repeating adjectives twice: 'This bus is just as slow as the last one.' Its negative form, not as…as, is actually more common in everyday speech than 'less…than'. Saying 'it's not as expensive as I thought' sounds completely natural; 'it's less expensive than I thought' sounds like something from a report.
Finally, there's the double comparative — the more…, the more… — which native speakers reach for constantly, often without noticing. 'The more you use a word, the more natural it feels.' 'The longer you wait, the harder it gets.' Short versions like 'the sooner, the better' appear everywhere, from business meetings to casual chats about weekend plans.
Once you can control these modifiers confidently, your comparisons stop being flat statements and start carrying real information — exactly the kind of precision that separates an intermediate speaker from a fluent one.
Question 1.According to the text, what does a plain comparative like 'more expensive' fail to communicate?
Question 2.What does the text say about 'not as…as' compared to 'less…than' in everyday speech?
Question 3.Why does the text say 'nowhere near as good as' is under-used?
Question 4.What does the text imply is the real value of mastering comparison modifiers?
Q1.The text claims 'less expensive than' sounds more natural in casual speech than 'not as expensive as'.
Q2.The text says short forms like 'the sooner, the better' are common in business and casual talk.
Listening · Section 6
8–10 minChoosing between two flats
Listening audio
Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.
Show transcript
Leah:So, what did you think of the second flat compared to the first one?
Dan:Honestly, it's far nicer. Bigger kitchen, more light, and it's much closer to the station.
Leah:Is it much more expensive, though?
Dan:Only slightly — about forty pounds a month more. Nowhere near the jump I expected.
Leah:That's not bad at all. What about the first one — was it as quiet as they said?
Dan:Actually, no. It's nowhere near as quiet as the listing claimed. There's a bus route right outside.
Leah:So the second flat is by far the better option, then?
Dan:I'd say so. It's just as central, it's slightly more expensive, but it's far quieter and far brighter.
Leah:And the landlord — was he as difficult to deal with as the last one?
Dan:No, a lot easier actually. He replied to every message within an hour.
Leah:The more I hear, the more I think we should just take it.
Dan:Exactly — the sooner we decide, the better, before someone else takes it.
Leah:Fair enough. It's by far the best option we've seen this month.
Dan:Agreed. Let's call him back today.
Question 1.How much more expensive is the second flat, according to Dan?
Question 2.What does Dan say about the first flat's noise level compared to the listing?
Question 3.What can we infer about the new landlord compared to the old one?
Question 4.What does Leah mean by 'the more I hear, the more I think we should just take it'?
Exam tip · Section 7
5 minSpeaking — Cambridge B1 Preliminary Part 3 / IELTS Part 2-3 (comparing options)
Task
Compare two options (two jobs, two cities, two products) for 90 seconds. Use at least 5 modified comparatives, one 'as…as' or 'not as…as' structure, and one 'the more…, the more…' sentence.
Strategy
Examiners reward precision, not just correct grammar. (1) Don't just say 'more expensive' — grade it: 'slightly more expensive' or 'far more expensive'. (2) Use 'not as…as' for natural negative comparisons instead of always using 'less than'. (3) Finish with a clear superlative statement using 'by far' to signal your conclusion. (4) A 'the more…, the more…' sentence near the end sounds notably fluent and is easy to prepare in advance.
Example
Comparing the two jobs, the first one pays far more, but it's nowhere near as flexible — I'd have to be in the office five days a week. The second job isn't as well paid, but it's just as interesting, and it's much closer to home. Honestly, the more I think about it, the more I lean towards the second one — for me, flexibility is by far the most important factor.
Practice · Section 8
8–10 minFill in the blank
Question 1.This flat is ____ more expensive than the last one — a big difference.
Question 2.It's only ____ cheaper — not really worth changing.
Question 3.The sequel is ____ near as good as the original.
Question 4.This laptop is ____ as fast as the more expensive one.
Question 5.It's ____ far the best decision I've made this year.
Question 6.The more you practise, ____ more confident you become.
There isn't one "right" answer — write a natural version, then compare with the model.
Q1.Compare two things with a big difference using 'far' or 'much'.
Q2.Compare two things with a small difference using 'slightly' or 'a bit'.
Q3.Use 'nowhere near as…as' to describe a disappointment.
Q4.Use 'the more…, the more…' to describe a personal habit.
Writing · Section 9
5 minPut it in writing
Your task
Write a 140–170 word comparison of two products, places or jobs you know. Use at least 5 modified comparatives (far/much/a bit/slightly/nowhere near), one 'as…as' structure, one 'by far the' superlative, and one 'the more…, the more…' sentence.
Your answer
Your work saves automatically0 words
Show model answer
I recently compared two gyms near my flat before signing up. The first one is far cheaper — about half the price of the second — but it's nowhere near as well equipped; half the machines looked outdated. The second gym is slightly further from home, but it's by far the more modern of the two, with a much better range of classes. What surprised me was the staff. The cheaper gym's staff are just as friendly as the expensive one's, which I didn't expect. Still, the more I compared the details — opening hours, equipment, cleanliness — the more the second gym made sense, even at a higher price. In the end, it wasn't as close a decision as I thought it would be. The extra cost is only slightly more than I wanted to pay, but the quality difference is far bigger than the price difference.
Speaking · Section 10
10–15 minMake it a real conversation
Role-play 'Choosing between two options' (two holidays, two courses, two neighbourhoods). Partner A prefers option 1; Partner B prefers option 2. Each of you must use at least 4 modified comparatives, one 'as…as' structure and one 'the more…, the more…' sentence to defend your choice before agreeing on one.
Useful phrases
- • It's far/much better because…
- • It's only slightly more expensive, but…
- • It's nowhere near as good as…
- • It's just as… as the other one.
- • By far the biggest advantage is…
- • The more I think about it, the more I…
Speaking reflection & notes
Your work saves automatically0 words
- ASo, which laptop should we get for the office?
- B_______________
- AIs it really worth the extra money?
- B_______________
- AOkay, and the battery life?
- B_______________
Homework · Section 11
Take-homeTake it home
Compare three items you own (phone, bag, shoes) using far, slightly and nowhere near as. Write 3 sentences.
Record yourself for 60 seconds comparing your current job/course to a previous one using at least 4 modifiers.
Find an online product review and note down 3 comparative phrases the reviewer uses.
Homework notes
Your work saves automatically0 words
Recap · Section 12
2–3 minWhat you've learned
- Modifiers show HOW BIG a difference is: far/much/a lot (big), a bit/slightly (small), nowhere near (big negative gap).
- As…as = equal; not as…as = negative comparison, more natural in speech than 'less…than'.
- By far + the + superlative emphasises a clear winner: 'by far the best'.
- The more…, the more… links two changes together; short forms exist ('the sooner, the better').
- Irregular comparatives (better, worse) don't take 'more' — modifiers go before the correct comparative form.
Extra Practice
Need more practice?
Practise the grammar, vocabulary and speaking from this lesson.