Grammar Guide

What is it?

English comparisons often use than and the.

Than is used after a comparative adjective or adverb when two people, things, places, or situations are compared.

• Tom is taller than Ben.
• This car is faster than mine.

The definite article the is normally used before a superlative adjective when one person or thing is compared with a whole group.

• Anna is the tallest student in the class.
• This is the cheapest option.

The word the is also used in the structure the + comparative, the + comparative to show that two changes are connected.

• The more you practise, the easier it becomes.
• The earlier we leave, the better.

When to use

Use than after a comparative form when directly comparing two things.

• My house is bigger than yours.
• Today is warmer than yesterday.

Use the + superlative when identifying the person or thing with the highest or lowest degree of a quality in a group.

• She is the youngest person in the family.
• It is the most expensive restaurant here.

Use the + comparative, the + comparative when one change affects another change.

• The faster you drive, the more fuel you use.
• The longer I wait, the more tired I become.

Short expressions with this structure are also common.

• The sooner, the better.
• The more, the merrier.

Structure

For a direct comparison:

Subject + be/verb + comparative + than + person/thing

• Jack is older than Sam.
• This train moves faster than that one.

With more or less:

Subject + be/verb + more/less + adjective + than + person/thing

• This hotel is more comfortable than the other one.
• The second task is less difficult than the first.

For a superlative:

Subject + be + the + superlative + noun/complement

• Maya is the tallest student in the class.
• This is the most useful tool.

To show two connected changes:

The + comparative + clause, the + comparative + clause

• The older I get, the more patient I become.
• The less you spend, the more you save.

In this special structure, the is part of the comparative pattern. It does not identify a specific noun in the usual way that the definite article does.

Examples

1. My sister is younger than me.
2. This phone is cheaper than that one.
3. Her new job is more interesting than her old job.
4. Today is less stressful than yesterday.
5. Leo is the tallest boy in his family.
6. This is the most comfortable chair in the room.
7. The earlier we start, the earlier we finish.
8. The more you read, the more words you learn.
9. The colder it gets, the more clothes I wear.
10. The sooner we leave, the better.

Exceptions

After than, English may use different pronoun forms depending on style and sentence structure.

• She is taller than me.
• She is taller than I am.

Both are common and correct. The second form is usually more formal.

The definite article is not normally used before an ordinary comparative adjective in a simple comparison.

• Correct: John is taller than Mike.
• Incorrect: John is the taller than Mike.

However, the can appear with a comparative when choosing between exactly two people or things.

• John is the taller of the two brothers.

The structure the + comparative, the + comparative is a special fixed comparison pattern.

Common mistakes

1. Incorrect: My car is faster that yours. Correct: My car is faster than yours. Explanation: Use than after a comparative when comparing two things.

2. Incorrect: Lisa is taller from Anna. Correct: Lisa is taller than Anna. Explanation: English normally uses than, not from, after a comparative.

3. Incorrect: This book is more interesting that the other one. Correct: This book is more interesting than the other one. Explanation: Use than to introduce the second part of a comparison.

4. Incorrect: He is tallest student in the class. Correct: He is the tallest student in the class. Explanation: Superlative adjectives normally use the definite article the.

5. Incorrect: This is most expensive hotel here. Correct: This is the most expensive hotel here. Explanation: Use the before most + adjective in a superlative.

6. Incorrect: More you practise, easier it becomes. Correct: The more you practise, the easier it becomes. Explanation: Use the before both comparative forms in this structure.

7. Incorrect: The faster you work, you finish sooner. Correct: The faster you work, the sooner you finish. Explanation: In the connected-change structure, both parts normally use the + comparative.