The .....the… with comparative adjectives
Comparison and contrast are expressed by the use of the…the… with comparative adjectives in parallel clauses. This structure is used to show proportionate increase or decrease. Structure: the + comparative adjective + clause + the + comparative adjective + clause
The more advantageous it is, the more interested I am in it. (NOT The more it is advantageous, the more I am Interested in it.)
The less I see mistakes on the balance sheet, the calmer I feel.
The more he advances at work, the less he stresses about things.
The more we expand, the more profitable we become.
The more you fight to reach your targets the, the stronger you get.
The richer one grows, the greater one’s worries.
The less you spend, the more you save.
The sooner they go, the better it is.
The fewer cars there are the less pollution there is.
The + comparative + subject + verb, the + comparative + subject + verb
Example: The more you study, the more you’ll improve your level of English.
Sometimes we can omit the subject + verb: the more, the better = the more, the better (if it is understood what we are talking about).
1. Another example: the more difficult, the more I learn.
2. Another example: the more difficult it is, the more I learn.
The + comparative + noun + subject + verb, the + comparative + subject + verb
Example: The more traffic there is, the more difficult driving is for me.
Let's analyse the example. We have: the + comparative (older) + subject (I) + verb (get), the + comparative (more) + I (subject) + come (verb) to realise that...
Let's see some more examples too see if you have understood it:
- The bigger a car is, the more gas it uses.
- The younger you are, the happier you are.
- The more sport you do, the fitter you are.
- The more expensive a product is, the better its quality.
- The bigger, the better.
- The more languages you speak, the easier it is to find a job.
- The smaller a car is, the less gas it uses.
- The younger you are, the happier you'll be.
- The more sport you do, the fitter you'll be.
- The more expensive a product is, the better the quality is.
- The bigger, the better.
- The fewer languages you speak, the harder it will be to find a job.
Let's test you to see if you can remember (see the answers below)
The.............. you have, the more you want.
The ................. (productive) we are, the fewer problems we'll have.
The .............. (concentrate) I am, the more accurate my answers are.
The more determined a person is, the ....................(far) they get at work.
The ............... (big) the better.
The more optimistic your boss is, the ....................productive you will be.
The ............... people there are, the .............pollution there is.
The ................(quick) we expand, the................... (profit) we become.
The ........... (soon) the better.
The more ........................ (study) The .............. (quick) we advance in English.
Answer key
More
More productive
More concentrated
Farther
Bigger
More productive
Fewer/ less
Quicker/more
Sooner
we study, quicker
Now that you’ve learned how to measure compare & contrast at work with ''the more......the more......''' the only thing left is to incorporate it into your daily business English use!