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What are Adverbs of Degree for Comparisons?

When we compare two things, we often want to say if the difference is big or small. Adverbs of degree help us do this.

• They tell us how much something is different.
• They usually come prima the comparative adjective or adverb.

For example, instead of just saying It’s colder today, you can say It’s a bit colder today (small difference) or It’s much colder today (big difference).

How to Show Small Differences

To show a small difference between two things, we use these adverbs:

• a bit
• a little
• slightly
• not much
• not a lot

These words always go before the comparative form of the adjective or adverb.

For instance, My brother is a little younger than me. Here, the difference in age is small. Another example is The new rules are slightly more complicated.

How to Show Big Differences

When the difference is large, we use different adverbs:

• much
• far
• a lot

Like the adverbs for small differences, these also go before the comparative adjective or adverb.

Consider these examples: This car is much faster than that one. Or, Learning a new language is far more challenging than I expected. You can also say She earns a lot more money than her sister.

Comparing Equality and Inequality: (not) as ... as

The structure as ... as helps us compare two things that are similar or different in degree.

For Equality (Things are the same):

Utilizzo as + adjective/adverb + as to say that two things are equal.

• The adjective or adverb stays in its base form (not comparative or superlative).

For example, Hannah is as tall as Jess. This means Hannah and Jess have the same height. Another example is Today is as warm as yesterday.

For Inequality (Things are different):

Utilizzo not as + adjective/adverb + as to say that one thing is less than another.

• Again, the adjective or adverb is in its base form.

For instance, My brother isn't as fit as me. This means I am fitter than my brother. Another example is I'm not as fast as my brother. This means my brother is faster than me.

Summary of Adverbs of Degree for Comparisons

Function	Adverbs	Esempio
Small Difference	a bit, a little, slightly, not much, not a lot	This coffee is a little hotter.
Large Difference	much, far, a lot	She is much happier now.
Equality	as + adjective/adverb + as	He is as strong as his dad.
Inequality	not as + adjective/adverb + as	It's not as cold as yesterday.

Esempi

• The new laptop is a bit heavier than my old one.
• She speaks English much more fluently now.
• This exam was far more difficult than the last one.
• My apartment isn't as big as yours.
• He drives as carefully as his father.
• The weather today is slightly warmer than yesterday.

Esercitazione

Errori comuni per chi parla spagnolo

Spanish speakers sometimes make specific mistakes when using these adverbs:

• Using 'very' with comparatives: In Spanish, you might say 'muy más rápido'. However, in English, we do not use very with comparative adjectives. Instead of very faster, say much faster oppure a lot faster.
• Forgetting the second 'as': When using as...as, remember to include both as words. For example, don't say He is as tall me. The correct form is He is as tall as me.
• Using comparative forms with 'as...as': The adjective or adverb inside as...as should be in its base form. Do not say not as taller as. The correct form is not as tall as.

Domande frequenti

What is an adverb of degree?

An adverb of degree tells us the intensity or extent of an action, adjective, or another adverb. In this lesson, we focus on how they modify comparisons, showing how big or small a difference is.

Can I use 'a lot' and 'much' in the same way?

Sì, a lot e much can often be used interchangeably to show a big difference with comparative adjectives and adverbs. For example, much better e a lot better mean the same thing. A lot is generally more common in informal spoken English.

What is the difference between 'a bit' and 'a little'?

A bit e a little are very similar and often interchangeable when showing a small difference. For example, a bit colder e a little colder both mean the temperature is slightly lower. Slightly is also very similar but perhaps a little more formal.

How is this grammar point useful for the B1 Preliminary exam?

Understanding adverbs of degree is very useful for the B1 Preliminary exam, especially in tasks like 'Part 4: Sentence Transformation'. You might need to rewrite a sentence using as...as instead of a comparative, or vice versa, while keeping the same meaning. For example, transforming My brother is taller than me a I'm not as tall as my brother.

Lezioni correlate

• Collocations: adverbs of degree