B2–C1 · GFD · 20 patterns

Comparison and degree

Compare how English and German express comparison and degree. Practise reusable constructions with Russian translations.

01 · How to use this set

Start from the communication job

Compare how English and German express comparison and degree. Practise reusable constructions with Russian translations.

Read the frame, try to complete your own sentence before opening an example, then compare the English structure with its German parallel. The point is retrieval and choice, not passive list reading.

02 · Representative patterns

Start with these reusable frames

A compact sample from the 20 patterns in this study set.

01Subject + be + nowhere near as + adjective + as + comparison targetThe second route is nowhere near as steep as the first. · German parallel: Subject + sein + bei Weitem nicht so + adjective + wie + comparison target 02Subject + be + multiplier + as + measurable adjective + as + targetThe new table is twice as wide as the old one. · German parallel: Subject + sein + doppelt/dreimal/halb so + adjective + wie + target 03Subject + verb + multiplier + as many + plural noun + as + targetWe received three times as many applications as last year. · German parallel: Subject + verb + dreimal/doppelt/halb so viele + plural noun + wie + target 04Subject + verb + multiplier + as much + uncountable noun + as + targetThe smaller printer uses half as much ink as the old one. · German parallel: Subject + verb + halb/doppelt/dreimal so viel + mass noun + wie + target 05Subject + verb + no more than + quantityThe repair cost no more than twenty euros. · German parallel: Subject + verb + gerade einmal + quantity 06No fewer than + number + plural noun + verbNo fewer than forty people offered to help. · German parallel: Nicht weniger als + number + plural noun + verb

03 · Complete set

Browse every pattern

The canonical list follows below. Every pattern has a stable ID and its own page for examples, translation, and reuse.

01Subject + be + nowhere near as + adjective + as + comparison targetGFD001 · Subject + be + nowhere near as + adjective + as + comparison target / Subject + sein + bei Weitem nicht so + adjective + wie + comparison target 02Subject + be + multiplier + as + measurable adjective + as + targetGFD002 · Subject + be + multiplier + as + measurable adjective + as + target / Subject + sein + doppelt/dreimal/halb so + adjective + wie + target 03Subject + verb + multiplier + as many + plural noun + as + targetGFD003 · Subject + verb + multiplier + as many + plural noun + as + target / Subject + verb + dreimal/doppelt/halb so viele + plural noun + wie + target 04Subject + verb + multiplier + as much + uncountable noun + as + targetGFD004 · Subject + verb + multiplier + as much + uncountable noun + as + target / Subject + verb + halb/doppelt/dreimal so viel + mass noun + wie + target 05Subject + verb + no more than + quantityGFD005 · Subject + verb + no more than + quantity / Subject + verb + gerade einmal + quantity 06No fewer than + number + plural noun + verbGFD006 · No fewer than + number + plural noun + verb / Nicht weniger als + number + plural noun + verb 07Subject + be + no + comparative adjective + than + targetGFD007 · Subject + be + no + comparative adjective + than + target / Subject + sein + nicht + comparative adjective + als + target 08Be/auxiliary + subject + any + comparative + than + target?GFD008 · Be/auxiliary + subject + any + comparative + than + target? / Question + überhaupt + comparative + als + target?09Of the two + plural noun, subject + be + the + comparative + oneGFD009 · Of the two + plural noun, subject + be + the + comparative + one / Von den beiden + plural noun + sein + subject + der/die/das + comparative nominal 10Subject + be + one of the + superlative + plural noun + subject + have/has ever + participleGFD010 · Subject + be + one of the + superlative + plural noun + subject + have/has ever + participle / Subject + sein + einer/eine/eines der + superlative plural noun + relative Perfekt clause 11The less + subject + verb, the fewer + plural noun + subject + verbGFD011 · The less + subject + verb, the fewer + plural noun + subject + verb / Je weniger + clause, desto weniger + plural noun + main clause 12The + comparative adverb + subject + past verb, the less + adjective + subject + becameGFD012 · The + comparative adverb + subject + past verb, the less + adjective + subject + became / Je + comparative + past clause, desto weniger + adjective + wurde(n) + subject 13Subject + be + as + adjective + as, if not + comparative + than, + targetGFD013 · Subject + be + as + adjective + as, if not + comparative + than, + target / Subject + sein + genauso + adjective + wie + target, wenn nicht sogar + comparative 14Subject + be + less of a + singular count noun + than + clauseGFD014 · Subject + be + less of a + singular count noun + than + clause / Subject + sein + ein geringerer/kleinerer + noun + als + clause 15Subject + be + more of a/an + noun + than a/an + nounGFD015 · Subject + be + more of a/an + noun + than a/an + noun / Subject + sein + eher + noun phrase + als + noun phrase 16Subject + was/were + comparative + than + subject + would otherwise have beenGFD016 · Subject + was/were + comparative + than + subject + would otherwise have been / Subject + war(en) + comparative, als + subject + sonst + gewesen wäre(n)17Subject + was/were not as + adjective + as + subject + might have seemedGFD017 · Subject + was/were not as + adjective + as + subject + might have seemed / Subject + war(en) nicht so + adjective, wie + subject + vielleicht + gewirkt hatte(n)18Subject + become/get + comparative + and + comparativeGFD018 · Subject + become/get + comparative + and + comparative / Subject + werden + immer + comparative 19Subject + verb + more + noun + than + subject + could possibly + infinitiveGFD019 · Subject + verb + more + noun + than + subject + could possibly + infinitive / Subject + verb + mehr + noun, als + subject + überhaupt + infinitive + konnte(n)20Subject + make + object + all the more + adjectiveGFD020 · Subject + make + object + all the more + adjective / Subject + machen + object + umso + comparative