Welcome to "Making Comparisons: Showing Change"!

Hi there! Have you ever noticed that things rarely stay the same? Maybe you are getting taller every month, or perhaps the weather is getting colder and colder as winter approaches. In English, we have special ways to use comparative words to describe these types of changes.

By the end of these notes, you will be able to describe how things grow, shrink, or change over time. This is a very useful skill for writing science reports (like the ones we saw in the syllabus!), describing trends, or just chatting with friends about how life is different now.

1. The "And" Trick: Showing Continuous Change

When something is changing constantly, we repeat the comparative word and put and in the middle. This shows that the change is happening right now and isn't stopping yet.

A. Short Words (1 Syllable)

For short words, we add -er to the adjective and repeat it.
Formula: Adjective + -er + and + Adjective + -er

Example: The balloon got bigger and bigger until it finally popped!
Example: As the runner approached the finish line, she ran faster and faster.

B. Long Words (2 or more Syllables)

For longer words, we don't repeat the whole word. We just repeat the word more or less.
Formula: More and more + Adjective OR Less and less + Adjective

Example: Video games are becoming more and more expensive.
Example: Because he didn't practice, he became less and less confident.

Quick Review: Use this structure when you want to show that a situation is "ongoing." It’s like watching a movie of the change happening!

2. The "Double The" Structure: Proportional Change

Sometimes, one change causes another change. For example, if you study more, your marks go up. We use The + Comparative, the + Comparative to show this connection.

Analogy: Think of a see-saw or a scale. When one side moves, the other side moves too!

Real-World Examples (from your syllabus):
Example: The more paper we use, the more trees we cut down. (This shows a cause-and-effect relationship in environmental issues!)
Example: The larger the current, the brighter the bulb. (This is how you would describe a science experiment!)

Memory Aid: Think of this as the "Two-for-One" rule. You give me one change, and I'll give you another!

3. Verbs that Signal Change

In your Language across the Curriculum (LaC) studies, you will often see specific verbs used with comparatives to show results. Here are the most common ones:

  • Become: The water became clearer after we filtered it.
  • Get: It is getting darker outside.
  • Grow: The plant grew taller after we added fertilizer.
  • Turn: The leaves turned browner in the autumn.

Did you know? Using words like "increase" or "decrease" is a more formal way to show change in academic reports. For example: "The temperature increased and the ice became thinner."

4. Adding "Extra Detail" to the Change

Sometimes we want to say if the change is big or small. We can add words before the comparative to be more specific.

A. Big Changes

Use words like much, far, or a lot.
Example: This smartphone is much better than my old one.
Example: The city is far more crowded than the countryside.

B. Small Changes

Use words like a bit, a little, or slightly.
Example: The exam was slightly harder than I expected.
Example: I am feeling a bit more tired today.

Key Takeaway: Don't just say things changed—say how much they changed! This makes your writing much more interesting to read.

5. Common Mistakes to Avoid

Don't worry if this seems tricky at first! Even native speakers make these mistakes sometimes. Keep an eye out for these "danger zones":

1. Using "More" with "-er"
Incorrect: He is more taller now.
Correct: He is taller now.
Rule: If you have -er, you don't need "more"!

2. Forgetting the "The"
Incorrect: Higher you climb, colder it gets.
Correct: The higher you climb, the colder it gets.

3. Forgetting the "And"
Incorrect: The car went faster faster.
Correct: The car went faster and faster.

Summary: Quick Reference Box

To show continuous change:
- Short words: smaller and smaller
- Long words: more and more beautiful

To show linked changes (Cause and Effect):
- The [comparative], the [comparative]...

To show how much change happened:
- Big change: Much better
- Small change: A bit faster