IELTS Grammar Skills · 5
Comparing and contrasting
Writing Task 1 is all about comparisons, and Task 2 and Speaking Part 3 often ask you to weigh up two sides. The right words show the examiner exactly how your ideas connect.
1The rule: comparative and superlative adjectives
short adjective + -er+than
more + long adjective+than
| Adjective | Comparing two | The top of a group |
|---|---|---|
| cheap (1 syllable) | cheaper than | the cheapest |
| big (ends in one vowel + consonant) | bigger than | the biggest |
| busy (ends in -y) | busier than | the busiest |
| popular (2+ syllables) | more popular than | the most popular |
| good · bad · far | better · worse · further | the best · the worst · the furthest |
| many / much · little | more · less (fewer with things you count) | the most · the least (the fewest) |
2Showing they are similar
- similar to · My city is similar to Toronto.
- the same as · The price was the same as last year.
- as + adjective + as · Buses are as popular as trains.
- both … and … · Both cars and bikes increased.
- just like / like · Just like my sister, I love cooking.
- Similarly, / Likewise, (start a new sentence) · Sales of tea rose. Similarly, coffee sales grew.
- neither … nor … (both are “no”) · Neither the bus nor the train was on time.
3Showing they are different
- whereas / while (in the middle of one sentence) · Cars fell, whereas bikes rose.
- unlike · Unlike buses, trains were never late.
- compared with / compared to · Compared with 2010, prices doubled.
- different from · Life here is very different from life at home.
- However, / In contrast, / By contrast, (start a new sentence) · Coal fell. In contrast, solar grew.
- On the other hand, (the other side of an argument) · Online study is cheap. On the other hand, it can feel lonely.
- rather than / as opposed to · I prefer the train rather than the car.
4How big is the difference?
Examiners reward you for saying how much, not just “more” or “less”.
| Size | Words | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A big difference | much, far, a lot, considerably, significantly + comparative | Rent was significantly higher in the city. |
| A small difference | slightly, a little, a bit (speaking) + comparative | Visitors were slightly fewer in winter. |
| Exactly how many times | twice as … as, three times as … as, half as … as | Trains carried twice as many people as buses. |
| Almost the same | almost / nearly as … as | Solar was nearly as common as wind. |
| Less, said politely | not as … as / not quite as … as | The town is not as crowded as the city. |
5Use it in your test
- Writing Task 1: Overall, cars were the most popular way to travel, whereas walking was the least common.
- Writing Task 2: Studying online is far cheaper than studying on campus. On the other hand, students may feel isolated.
- Speaking Part 1: I prefer summer, because it's much more relaxed than winter.
- Speaking Part 3: Young people use technology differently from older people. Unlike their grandparents, they …
- “Versus”: use it for labels, titles and sport (city life versus country life). In a written sentence, choose compared with or as opposed to instead.
6Mistakes that lower your score
Trains are more faster than buses.→Trains are faster than buses.Use -er OR more, never both. The same for “the most biggest” → the biggest.
My city is similar with yours.→My city is similar to yours.Similar to, the same as, different from.
It is the same like last year.→It is the same as last year.“The same” always goes with “as”.
Rents were higher then salaries.→Rents were higher than salaries.Than compares. Then means “after that”.
Less people took the bus.→Fewer people took the bus.Fewer with things you can count (people, cars). Less with things you can't (time, money, traffic).
Cars fell. Whereas bikes rose.→Cars fell, whereas bikes rose.Whereas and while join two ideas in one sentence. To start a new sentence, use In contrast instead.