Even with comparative forms

The idea

Put even immediately before a comparative, such as colder, more useful or less crowded. The comparison may be stated with than or understood from context.

Examples

• The second puzzle was even harder than the first.
• After the rain, the garden looked even greener.
• Mina arrived early, but her brother arrived even earlier.
• This route is even less crowded on Sundays.
• The new recipe tastes even better with lemon.
• Our neighbours offered even more chairs for the meeting.

Watch out

Do not put even before the base adjective when you mean a comparison: say even colder, not even cold.

Try it yourself

1. Choose the correct option. Tonight is ___ than last night. (even colder / even cold)

   Show answer or example answer

   even colder

   even colder compares tonight with last night and stresses the lower temperature.

2. Choose the correct option. The revised plan is ___ than the original. (even more useful / even useful)

   Show answer or example answer

   even more useful

   even more useful emphasizes the improvement over the original plan.

3. Choose the correct option. The train left late, and the bus left ___. (even later / even late)

   Show answer or example answer

   even later

   even later compares the bus departure with the already late train.

Use it today

Compare two days or places and emphasize one difference.