21.   Constructions with comparisons

A.     With the positive form of the adjective, we use as ... as in the affirmative and not as/not so ... as in the negative

A boy of sixteen is often as tall as his father

He was as white as a sheet Manslaughter is not as/so bad as murder

Your coffee is not as/so good as the coffee my mother makes

B.     With the comparative we use than

The new tower blocks are much higher than the old buildings

He makes fewer mistakes than you (do)

He is stronger than I expected -

I didn't expect him to be so strong

It was more expensive than I thought = I didn't think it would be so expensive

When than ... is omitted, it is very common in colloquial English to use a superlative instead of a comparative   This is the best way could be said when there are only two ways (See comparatives, superlatives used as pronouns, 24 B )

C.     Comparison of three or more people/things is expressed by the superlative with the . . . in/of

This is the oldest theatre in London

The youngest of the family was the most successful

A relative clause is useful especially with a perfect tense

It/This is the best beer (that) I have ever drunk

It/This was the worst film (that) he had ever seen

He is the kindest man (that) I have ever met

It was the most worrying day (that) he had ever spent

Note that ever is used here, not never We can, however, express the same idea with never and a comparative

I have never drunk better beer      

I have never met a kinder man He had never spent a more worrying day

Note that most + adjective, without the, means very

You are most kind means You are very kind

most meaning very is used mainly with adjectives of two or more syllables  annoying, apologetic, disobedient, encouraging, exciting,

helpful important, misleading etc

D.     Parallel increase is expressed by the + comparative         the + comparative

HOLSE AGENT: Do you want a big house?

ANN :  Yes, the bigger the better

TOM: But the smaller it is, the less it will cost us to heat

E.     Gradual increase or decrease is expressed by two comparatives joined by and

The weather is getting colder and colder He became less and less interested

p.    Comparison of actions with gerunds or infinitives

Riding a horse is not as easy as riding a motor cycle It is nicer/more fun to go with someone than to go alone (See 341 )

G.     Comparisons with like (preposition) and alike

Tom is very like Bill        Bill and Tom are very alike

He keeps the central heating full on It's like living in the tropics

H.     Comparisons with like and as (both adverb and adjective expressions are shown here) In theory like (preposition) is used only with noun, pronoun or gerund

He swims like a fish        You look like a ghost

Be like Peter/him go jogging

The windows were all barred It was like being in prison and as (conjunction) is used when there is a finite verb

Do as Peter does go jogging

Why don't you cycle to work as we do^? But m colloquial English like is often used here instead of as

Cycle to work like we do

I.     like + noun and as + noun

He worked like a slave  (very hard indeed)

He worked as a slave  (He was a slave )

She used her umbrella as a weapon  (She struck him with it)