Repeating a comparative is a common and expressive structure in English grammar. It's used to show that something is continuously increasing or decreasing over time.
Let's break it down.
The Core Idea: Continuous Change
The structure comparative + and + comparative is used to emphasize a gradual and ongoing change. It suggests a process, not a single state.
* Instead of saying "It is getting cold," you can say, "It is getting colder and colder" to emphasize that the temperature is continuously dropping.
* Instead of "The problem was difficult," you could say, "The problem became more and more difficult" to show the difficulty increased over time.
How to Form It
The rule depends on the type of adjective or adverb you are using.
1. Short Adjectives (one syllable, or two syllables ending in -y)
For short adjectives, you use the -er form.
Structure: $adjective-er$ + and + $adjective-er$
Examples:
* The balloon got bigger and bigger.
* As the sun set, the sky grew darker and darker.
* He ran faster and faster to catch the bus.
* My suitcase is getting heavier and heavier.
2. Long Adjectives (two or more syllables)
For longer adjectives, you use the word more.
Structure: $more$ + and + more + adjective`
Important: You do not repeat the adjective itself.
Examples:
* The movie became more and more exciting.
* As I continued the trek, I felt more and more exhausted.
* The topic is getting more and more interesting.
* Life in the city is becoming more and more expensive.
3. Irregular Comparatives
For irregular adjectives and adverbs, you repeat their specific comparative form.
* good -> better
* bad -> worse
* far -> further / farther
* little (amount) -> less
* much / many -> more
Examples:
* Her piano playing is getting better and better.
* Unfortunately, the political situation grew worse and worse.
* With every donation, we get closer and closer to our goal.
* As the years went by, he had less and less free time.
* More and more people are working from home these days.
A Related Structure: "The ..., the ..."
This is a different but related structure that also uses comparatives to show a parallel relationship or a cause-and-effect.
Structure: The + comparative, the + comparative.
This structure shows that a change in one thing causes a proportional change in another.
Examples:
* The harder you study, the better your grades will be.
* The more you practice, the more confident you become.
* The earlier we leave, the sooner we will arrive.
* The older I get, the wiser I feel.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
* Mixing Forms: Never use more with an -er adjective.
* Incorrect: The problem got more bigger and more bigger.
* Correct: The problem got bigger and bigger.
* Using the Superlative: This structure only works with comparatives (-er / more), not superlatives (-est / most).
* Incorrect: He ran fastest and fastest.
* Correct: He ran faster and faster.
Summary Table
| Type of Word | Formation Rule | Example Sentence |
| Short Adjective | $adjective-er$ + and + $adjective-er$ | It's getting colder and colder. |
| Long Adjective | $more$ + and + more + adjective` | The task became more and more difficult. |
| Irregular | $comparative$ + and + $comparative$ | Her health is getting better and better. |
| Parallel Change | The + comparative, the + comparative. | The more I learn, the less I know. |
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