Level Four
Lesson 48
comparative adverbs
Comparative adverbs are used to compare actions.
- She works harder than anyone here.
- I woke up later today than yesterday.
- The students can finish their assignments more quickly when its quiet.
comparative adverbs in English
48a. differences in actions
Use “more” + an adverb
- Sergei is working late more frequently these days.
- Valerie drives more carefully than other drivers.
- You should dress more professionally in an office.
For irregular adverbs use “er”
- Olivia works harder than her coworkers.
- Charles runs faster than the other kids.
- I’m going to wake up earlier tomorrow morning.
Note: When you choose a comparative adverb, you are thinking about the verb that matches it: work harder.
48a. Examples
- These days people dress more casually than they did in the past.
- verb: dress
- comparative adverb: more casually
- He works harder than just about anyone else.
- verb: works
- comparative adverb: harder
48b. more ________ly (than)
Do you remember when you studied comparative adjectives? The general rule for using “more” with an adjective is in effect when the word has two or more syllables. By adding “ly” to an adverb, you create a two-syllable word; therefore, choose “more” for the comparative adverb.
quickly, quietly, carefully, carelessly, skillfully, properly, fast, hard, well
- Students have to use their time more wisely in order to finish their work. (This is a comparison between two possible forms of action.)
- Their team thinks more creatively than the other team when solving problems. (This is a comparison between the actions of two teams.)
- You can speak English more confidently if you understand basic rules of grammar and usage. (This compares speaking ability based on knowledge.)
Note: The ability to use adverbs properly in the comparative is one indicator that the speaker has mastered the language.
48b. Examples
- Electric cars use energy more efficiently now than gas-powered cars.
- verb: use
- comparative adverb: more efficiently
- Protesters present their points of view more forcefully in large groups.
- verb: present
- comparative adverb: more forcefully
48c. less ________ly (than)
The opposite of “more” is “less.” When action decreases in comparison to another action use “less” before the comparative form.
quickly, quietly, carefully, carelessly, skillfully, properly, fast, hard, well
- Older engines run less efficiently than newer engines. (This is a comparison between the way two types of engines run.)
- People dress for work less formally than they did in the past. (This compares behavior in two different times.)
If you are not comfortable using “less + _______ly,” you can substitute “not as ________ly as.”
- People don’t dress for work as formally as they did in the past.
- Older engines don’t run as efficiently as newer engines.
48c. Examples
- Old gas-powered cars operate less efficiently than electric vehicles.
- verb: operate
- comparative adverb: less efficiently
- He performed his job less and less professionally, so he was let go.
- verb: performed
- comparative adverb: less and less professionally (doubling “less” or “more” is common with comparative adjectives.)
48d. irregular adverbs
This is an important group of words to use when choosing a comparative adverb. In some ways, they are easier to use because they don’t change their form from adjective to adverb:
fast, hard, late, high, long, deep, early well, far
- She runs faster than the other children.
- He works harder at his job than the others employees.
- I’m waking up earlier these days.
- The car is sinking deeper into the mud.
- The movie lasts longer than two hours.
- People go to sleep later during the summer months.
The adverbs “well” and “far” change noticeably from their regular adverb forms: He’s playing better. We travelled farther.
48d. Examples 
- She’s showing her son how to ties his shoelaces faster. (fast → faster)
- They’re getting along better today than yesterday. (well → better)
It’s worth remembering that the word “well” is the adverb form for the adjective “good.”
48e. not as ______ as
If the rules become too confusing, you can almost always rely on “not as (adverb) as.”
- The dishwasher doesn’t run as quietly as it did before.
- In the winter, they don’t go to sleep as late as they do in the summer.
- She isn’t working as hard as she used to.
48e. Examples
- He doesn’t respond to situations as quickly as he used to, but he’s still very healthy.
You could also say, “He responds less quickly to situations than he used to, but he’s still pretty healthy.”
48f. a word of advice
Comparative adverbs are hard for many speakers of English to use properly. Many people–including myself–break the rules or avoid using them entirely. Here is an example of that:
- People should drive more slowly when going past a construction site.
While the sentence above is grammatically correct, you are more likely to hear something like this:
- People should drive slower when going past a construction site.
Why use “slower” instead of the grammatically correct “more slowly”? It easier, and to be honest, a lot of people do it.
48f. Examples
- 1. An EV runs quieter than a car that runs entirely on gasoline.
- 2. An EV runs more quietly than a car that runs entirely on gasoline.
Which do you prefer, “quieter” or “more quietly”?
In the United States, Americans use both.
Comparative Adverbs (PDF)
Part A. Directions: Change the adjective provided (in parentheses) to a comparative adverb. Use “more” or “er.”
1. She expresses herself _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ these days. (thoughtful)
2. Mark can get his work done _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ over the internet. (fast)
3. Our flight arrived _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ than expected. (early)
4. You should drive _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ during a snowstorm. (cautious)
5. The announcer needs to speak _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. (clear)
6. This app works _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ than the other one. (good)
7. Vanessa should think _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ about what she does. (careful)
8. Today they played _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ than in the last game. (aggressive)
9. We live _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ than our ancestors did. (long)
10. Amy expresses herself _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ than the others. (confident)
Part B. Directions: Change the adjective provided (in parentheses) to a comparative adverb. Use “less” or “not as.”
1. He doesn’t hear _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ he used to. (good)
2. The woman danced _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ than before. (energetic)
3. The medicine doesn’t work _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ it used to. (fast)
4. They think _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ when they are tired. (clear)
5. The sun doesn’t set _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ in the winter. (late)
6. We don’t go out _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ when we were younger. (often)
7. The audience responded _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ this time. (enthusiastic)
8. The newer students spoke _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ to the teacher. (polite)
In Lesson Forty-nine, you will learn about superlative adverbs.