IELTS Comparative Conjunction Usage Drills

Comparative Conjunctions

Comparative conjunctions connect two clauses or phrases to show difference or equality. In IELTS writing and speaking, mastering these structures—using than with comparatives and the correlative as…as—helps you express nuanced comparisons clearly.

Rule Explanation

• Comparative + than: Use when showing a difference. • For one-syllable adjectives/adverbs, add -er (e.g., taller than, faster than). • For multi-syllable adjectives/adverbs, use more/less (e.g., more important than, less carefully than). • The clause after than may omit repeated verbs if meaning is clear.

• As + adjective/adverb + as: Use to express equality or to indicate the extreme degree with as…as possible. • Maintain parallel structure: the phrase following the second as should match the first in form. • You can use modifiers like just as, not as, so…as in formal writing.

Correct Usage Examples

• Correct: She is more ambitious than I am. Why: Uses more ambitious (comparative) + than + clause, maintaining subject and verb.

• Correct: He solved the puzzle as quickly as his friend did. Why: Correlative as…as, parallel verb forms (solved and did) make the comparison clear.

• Correct: The new software runs faster than the legacy system. Why: One-syllable adverb fast becomes faster, followed by than and the noun phrase.

• Correct: You need to be as careful as possible when editing your essay. Why: As…as possible expresses highest degree of careful.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Omitting than after a comparative adjective (e.g., better I am instead of better than I am).
• Using more with adjectives that already take -er (e.g., more better).
• Breaking parallelism in correlative pairs (e.g., as skilled as to finish instead of as skilled as to finish the task).

In IELTS essays and speaking responses, precise comparative structures can strengthen your arguments and descriptions.

Practice Question

Choose the correct option to complete the sentence:

By the time the exam started, Maria felt _____ prepared _____ her classmates.

A) more / than
B) most / than
C) as / as
D) more / as

Show Answer

Answer: A) more / than
Explanation: The structure more prepared than uses the comparative more with than to compare Maria’s level of preparation to that of her classmates.

Key Takeaways

• Use comparative + than to highlight differences (e.g., more accurate than).
• Use as + adjective/adverb + as for equality or extremes (e.g., as efficient as possible).
• Maintain parallel structure in both clauses.
  Practice comparative conjunction drills with Lingo Copilot.