Comparisons of quantities

COMPARISONS OF QUANTITY

To show difference:

To show difference we use more, less, fewer + than

MORE + nouns that are countable or uncountable
 

Examples

With countable nouns: 

  • Eloise has more children than Chantal.

With uncountable nouns:

  • Eloise has more money than Chantal.
  • This new dictionary gives more information than the old one.


FEWER + countable nouns
 

Examples

With countable nouns:

  •  Chantal has fewer children than Eloise.
  • There are fewer dogs in Cardiff than in Bristol
  • I have visited fewer countries than my friend has.
  • He has read fewer books than she has.  


LESS + uncountable nouns

Examples

With uncountable nouns: more / less

  • Eloise has more money than Chantal.
  • Chantal has less money than Eloise.
  • I spend less time on homework than you do.
  • Cats drink less water than dogs.
  • This new dictionary gives more information than the old one.

To show no difference in quantity:

To show no difference we use as much as , as many as, as few as, as little as

  • as many as / as few as + countable nouns
  • as much as / as little as + uncountable nouns

Examples

With countable nouns:

  • They have as many children as us.
  • We have as many customers as them.
  • Tom has as few books as Jane.
  • There are as few houses in his village as in mine.
  • You know as many people as I do.
  • I have visited the States as many times as he has.

With uncountable nouns:

  • John eats as much food as Peter.
  • Jim has as little food as Sam.
  • You've heard as much news as I have.
  • He's had as much success as his brother has.
  • They've got as little water as we have.