Double comparative in English: Structures that show change and the common errors to avoid

A double comparative is a sentence pattern that uses two comparatives together, as in The more you practice, the better you become or The weather is getting colder and colder. These patterns are useful because they describe cause and effect or gradual change in a compact, natural way. The term is also sometimes used for an error, such as more taller, which can confuse learners who meet the same name for two different things.

This article explains the two correct double comparative structures, how each one is formed, the verb tenses and word order they use, and the difference between these patterns and the error. It ends with exercises and answers.

What does double comparative mean? Two correct structures and one common error

Structure one: The + comparative, the + comparative

This pattern shows that two changes happen together, so that a change in one thing causes or accompanies a change in another.

Example: The harder you work, the more you earn.

Structure two: Comparative and comparative to show gradual change

This pattern shows that something is changing gradually and continuously.

Example: It is getting hotter and hotter. This is the use that many learners mean when they ask about a double comparative to show change.

The error with the same name

In grammar discussions, a double comparative can also mean marking a comparison twice by mistake, as in more taller or more better. This is not standard English, so it is covered separately below. If you want a refresher on how single comparative forms work, see our article on comparative and superlative forms.

The double comparative structure with “the”: Showing cause and effect

The pattern and examples with adjectives and adverbs

The basic double comparative structure is: The + comparative + subject + verb, the + comparative + subject + verb.

Examples:

• The older he got, the wiser he became.
• The more expensive the hotel is, the better the service is.
• The faster he drove, the more nervous she felt.
• The sooner you start, the sooner you will finish.

The word the in this pattern is not the ordinary definite article. It works like a word meaning “by how much,” so the sentence says that the amount of change in the second part depends on the amount of change in the first part.

Using more, less and fewer with nouns

You can also compare quantities by using more, less or fewer with a noun.

Examples:

• The more money you earn, the more you spend.
• The less time we have, the harder it is to finish.
• The fewer mistakes you make, the higher your score will be.

Use less with uncountable nouns such as time and money, and fewer with countable plural nouns such as mistakes and people.

Short forms and fixed expressions without verbs

In informal speech and in some fixed expressions, the verbs are left out.

Examples: The sooner, the better. The more, the merrier.

These short forms rely on context, so they are natural in speech and informal writing.

The double comparative formula that shows change: Comparative and comparative

Repeating the comparative form with and to show change

To show gradual change, repeat the comparative with and.

With longer adjectives, say more and more beautiful, not more beautiful and more beautiful.

Verbs that often go with this pattern

This structure is usually used with verbs of change, such as get, become, grow, turn and go.

Examples: The situation is becoming more and more serious. The sky turned darker and darker. Prices are going higher and higher.

Double comparative formula summary: Which pattern to use

Verb tenses and word order in double comparative sentences

Choosing the tense for each clause in the sentence

In the pattern with the…the, both clauses often use the same tense. For present or future meaning, use the present simple in the first clause, and the present simple or will in the second clause.

Examples: The more you study, the better you will do. The more you study, the better you do.

Do not use will in the first clause, because it is similar to an if clause: The more you will study is incorrect.

Word order inside each clause of the sentence

Each clause starts with the + comparative, then the subject and verb follow, as in The harder the exam is, the more students worry. The comparative adjective or adverb comes first, even when the sentence would normally put the verb earlier.

Double comparative as an error: Why “more taller” is wrong

The nonstandard use appears when a speaker marks the comparison twice, such as more taller, more better or most easiest. These forms combine more or most with an -er or -est ending. English expects one marker only: taller, better and easiest.

Examples: More taller → taller. More better → better. Most easiest → easiest.

Some old texts and informal speech use such forms for emphasis, but in modern standard English, they are treated as mistakes.

Common mistakes with double comparatives and how to fix them

• Leaving out the. Writing More you practice, better you become instead of The more you practice, the better you become.
• Using will in the first clause. Writing The more you will study, the better you do instead of The more you study, the better you will do.
• Repeating more with a long adjective. Writing more beautiful and more beautiful instead of more and more beautiful.
• Marking the comparison twice. Writing The more taller he grew instead of The taller he grew.
• Using a superlative instead of a comparative. Writing The most you practice, the best you become instead of The more you practice, the better you become.
• Forgetting get or become in a change sentence. Writing The weather is cold and cold instead of The weather is getting colder and colder.

Double comparative exercises with answers to check your understanding

Exercise 1: Complete each sentence with the correct form

1. The ______ (hard) you work, the ______ (much) you earn.
2. The ______ (early) we leave, the ______ (good) our chances of avoiding traffic.
3. It is getting ______ and ______ (cold).
4. The days are getting ______ and ______ (long).
5. She is becoming ______ and ______ (confident).

Sample answers: 1. harder / more – 2. earlier / better – 3. colder / colder – 4. longer / longer – 5. more / more

Exercise 2: Combine each pair into one double comparative sentence

1. You study hard. You get good results.
2. He drives fast. She feels nervous.
3. The hotel is expensive. The service is good.

Sample answers: 

1. The harder you study, the better your results become.
2. The faster he drives, the more nervous she feels.
3. The more expensive the hotel is, the better the service is.

Exercise 3: Find and correct the error in each sentence

1. More you practice, better you become. → correct to The more you practice, the better you become.
2. The weather is getting more cold and more cold. → correct to The weather is getting colder and colder.
3. The more taller he grew, the more confident he felt. → correct to The taller he grew, the more confident he felt.
4. The more you will study, the better you do. → correct to The more you study, the better you will do.
5. It is more beautiful and more beautiful every day. → correct to It is more and more beautiful every day.

Worksheet-style practice and teaching ideas for double comparatives

A double comparative worksheet usually mixes sentence completion, sentence combining and error correction, as in the exercises above. Another double comparative exercise is to ask learners to describe a change they know well, such as the weather during a season or their English level over a year, using getting…and… and the more…, the better…. For classroom use, learners can also write a chain of sentences in which each one starts with the end of the previous one, for example The more I practice, the better I speak. The better I speak, the more confident I feel.

A double comparative can describe cause and effect with the + comparative, the + comparative, or gradual change with comparative and comparative. Remember to use the in the first pattern, to avoid will in the first clause, and to say more and more with longer adjectives. Keep these patterns apart from the nonstandard error more taller, which marks the comparison twice. With these points clear, you can describe change and cause in natural, accurate English.

See also: Adjective order in English: The OSASCOMP rule, examples and how to practice it

Frequently asked questions about double comparatives

What is a double comparative in English grammar?

A double comparative is a pattern that uses two comparatives together. The two correct patterns are “the + comparative, the + comparative,” as in “The more you practice, the better you become,” and “comparative and comparative,” as in “It is getting hotter and hotter.”

How do I show change with a double comparative?

Repeat the comparative with and: colder and colder, faster and faster. With longer adjectives use more and more, as in more and more difficult. The pattern usually follows verbs of change such as get, become, grow and turn.

Is “more taller” a correct double comparative?

No. “More taller” marks the comparison twice, once with more and once with -er. Standard English uses only one marker, so the correct form is “taller.” The correct double comparative patterns are different structures, such as “The taller he grew, the more confident he felt.”

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