In-depth Comparative Examples

So we’ve looked at how we can compare everything and how we can talk about superlatives as well.

Now let’s put everything together and look at some examples of what people might actually say if they’re trying to describe for example transportation.

So let’s look at two cities.

Let’s look at Shanghai and Beijing.

OK.

You have two cities Shanghai Beijing and we have cost how much money.

And we have time we’ll look at cost and time and then we have three what we would call modes modes of transportation bus train and a plane.

So let’s just try to use the things we’ve learned and compare these three modes of transportation when we’re talking about cost time and we’ll talk about these two locations as our destination and point of origin flying.

That would be taking it taking a plane flying to Beijing from Shanghai is more expensive again expensive more syllables more expensive than taking a train or a bus taking a train or a bus.

It’s the most costly way to travel.

We could say most expensive if we want to.

But changing the adjective sometimes using a synonym costly and expensive are the same allows us to have a little variation.

OK.

So we have the superlative here most costly are comparative here and we just put these two together because this one flying is more than both of them.

OK let’s try another one.

Taking a train from Shanghai to Beijing is more expensive more expensive than taking a bus but not as expensive as not as expensive as.

Remember how we said if we use less sometimes we have to change the adjective and that can make it a little bit awkward sometimes.

Now remember we talked about how this means the same as less so we could put less in here as well so but less expensive then less expensive than flying.

OK.

Going to Beijing from Shanghai by bus takes longer than longer or because Long is one syllable.

So we have her going to Beijing from Shanghai by bus takes longer than flying or taking a train.

So again this is both but this one is about time takes longer.

We say earlier because Long is one syllable.

It’s the slowest.

Again we use asked here because slow is one syllable.

It’s the slowest way to get there.

It’s the slowest way to get there.

Last example flying to Beijing from Shanghai is faster than taking a bus or a train train or a bus.

One thing to keep in mind is how we actually change adjectives sometimes if we’re talking about something that is maybe not as bad as that sometimes is better and sometimes not as good as sometimes better and sometimes not as good as using her.

So let’s look at this one going to Beijing from Shanghai.

By bus is not as fast as or we could say is slower than flying or taking a train.

It’s the slowest way to get there.

So we could choose which one we want depending on what kind of feeling we want to give or what kind of mood we want to create if we want to have the same adjective slow then we should say probably going to Beijing from Shanghai is slower than flying or taking a train.

It’s the slowest way to get there.

But I like to if I can have some variation and use a different word.

So if I want to use a different word then maybe this one is actually better because I’m saying not as fast as which is the same meaning as slower than going to Beijing from Shanghai by bus is not as fast as flying or taking a train.

It’s the slowest way to get there.

I prefer that one because I like to have some variation in what I say I like to be able to describe something and use different adjectives so that I don’t sound like I’m I’m limited to only saying the words slow.

So keep that in mind when you’re comparing things.

Keep in mind that you can use sometimes either one and the one that you choose can change the impression people have about what you say even though both of them are correct to practice this.

What I’d like you to do is choose two restaurants that you like and compare them just because you both doesn’t mean they’re exactly the same.

OK try to use the phrases as many as you can.

The phrases or the structures we learned in this lesson try to use not as and as as.

Try to use then try to use more less or asked.

Try to use them all.

If you can compare the price and also compare the atmosphere.

That means the feeling that you have about the place maybe one place is more casual or more lively or maybe the price maybe one place is a high end high end place which means it’s more expensive or maybe fancier whatever you want to say not as maybe not as casual as whatever you want to say try to be as detailed as you can try to be as specific as you can and really practice these expressions then try to do it again recording yourself and then listen to it don’t write it down the second time do it about something else for example maybe two parks that you like or or whatever.

Record yourself speaking naturally using these expressions and that will force you to have to use these in the moment on your feet and that will challenge you to actually get better to improve yourself so that when you have a conversation it’s easy to use comparatives and superlatives even though you probably know them.

It’s easy to use them in conversations which is the goal right.

All right.

Good luck.