Much better, not nearly as, the more… the more…

What's in the lesson

1. 1Warm-up
2. 2Reading: my month without a carReading comprehension
3. 3What does it mean?Grammar exercise
4. 4How big is the difference?Grammar exercise
5. 5ComparisonsGrammar rule
6. 6Choose the right wordsGrammar exercise
7. 7Two phonesGrammar exercise
8. 8Build the sentencesGrammar exercise
9. 9Say it naturallySpeaking practice
10. 10Which is better?Speaking practice
11. 11About youGrammar exercise
12. 12Wrap-up

Homework

1. 1Homework: two gymsGrammar exercise
2. 2Homework: which is right?Grammar exercise
3. 3Homework: home or away?Discussion

Two slides from the lesson

Warm-up

A few questions about you before we start.

1. How do you usually get to work or school? How long does it take?
2. Have you ever changed a daily habit for a month as an experiment?
3. Would you feel safe riding a bike in your city? Why, or why not?

Grammar rule

Comparisons

How big is the difference?

Difference	Words	Example
big	much, far, a lot + comparative	Rents here are much higher than in my hometown.
more than something already big (often a surprise)	even + comparative	It was hot yesterday, and today it's even hotter.
small	slightly, a bit, a little + comparative	I'm a bit taller than my dad.
none	(just) as… as, exactly as… as	This winter was just as cold as last winter.
big (less)	not nearly as… as, nowhere near as… as	Our team is nowhere near as good as it was last year.
small (less)	not quite as… as	The second half wasn't quite as exciting.
how many times	twice / three times / half as… as	The large pizza is twice as big as the small one.

More patterns

Pattern	Example
the + comparative…, the + comparative… (one thing changes with another)	The older I get, the less I sleep. The bigger, the better.
comparative + and + comparative (a change that continues)	The days are getting shorter and shorter. Her English is getting better and better.
by far / easily + superlative	It's by far the busiest airport in the country.
one of the + superlative + plural noun	She's one of the funniest people I know.
comparative adverbs: more + -ly, or an irregular form	Please drive more carefully. She works harder than anyone.

Not very better, more easier or as fast than. Irregular adverbs: well → better → best, badly → worse → worst, hard → harder, fast → faster, early → earlier, far → farther / further.