Cheaper, bigger, better: compare jackets, sizes and prices in the shop. In this short guide you learn how to compare things when you shop.
This article is the reading companion to the free Mondosol lesson 🇬🇧 English A2: Shopping for Clothes (Comparatives), part of the English course. Read it, watch the videos, or press play and listen first, then practise in the lesson.
Free: create your free Mondosol account to practise this lesson and track your progress.
In this article
Comparing clothes: the phrases you need
Comparatives help you say that one thing is cheaper, bigger or better than another. These examples show the rules.
| Phrase | What it means |
|---|---|
| cheaper | costing less — short adjectives add -er: cheap → cheaper |
| bigger | larger — double the last letter after one vowel + one consonant: big → bigger |
| more expensive | costing more — long adjectives use more, not expensiver |
| better | the comparative of good — irregular, never gooder |
| Do you have a bigger size? | a shop question — you can also ask Do you have this in a larger size? |
| It’s too small | smaller than you need — too means more than is good, so too small means not big enough |
| Can I try it on? | ask to wear clothes before you buy — the changing room is where you try them |
| This one is nicer than that one | than links two things — nice → nicer, only add -r after e |
Check yourself
Try each question before you open the answer.
Choose the correct sentence:
Options: This coat is more cheap / This coat is cheaper / This coat is more cheaper. Answer: This coat is cheaper
What is the comparative of ‘good’?
Options: gooder / more good / better. Answer: better
Pick the correct sentence:
Options: The red dress is more expensive than the blue one / The red dress is expensiver than the blue one / The red dress is more expensive that the blue one. Answer: The red dress is more expensive than the blue one
You want to wear a jacket in the shop before you buy it. You ask:
Options: Can I put it away? / Can I try it on? / Can I take it up?. Answer: Can I try it on?
Watch: comparatives and clothes shopping in English
Two short videos from other teachers show the same idea in a different voice. Watch one, then come back to the lesson.
Video: “Clothes Shopping in English – Spoken English Lesson”, on YouTube.
Video: “Comparative Adjectives – English Grammar Lessons”, on YouTube.
Take it further
Compare two things you own, using cheaper, bigger or better. Compare two things you own or two shops you know, using a comparative.
Frequently asked questions
What will I learn in this lesson?
You learn 8 key phrases, such as cheaper, bigger, more expensive, and how to use them in real sentences.
What level is this lesson?
It is an A2 (elementary) lesson in the Mondosol English course.
Is the lesson free?
Yes. Create a free Mondosol account to practise this lesson and track your progress.
How do I practise after reading?
Open the lesson and work through the exercises. Compare two things you own, using cheaper, bigger or better.
Keep learning
- Practise it: 🇬🇧 English A2: Shopping for Clothes (Comparatives)
- Full course: Learn to speak English
- Related reading: The English verb “to be” and English likes and dislikes
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