English grammar
More/less… than I thought; the more…, the more…
Compare a flat with what you expected, and link two things that change together.
From the scene It's more expensive than I thought
In short
Compare with what you expected using than + past: bigger than I thought. Link two changes with the more…, the more…
Your turn
Which one goes with different from the photo?
Options: smaller than it looked in the photo · more expensive than I thought · the more we look, the more expensive it seems
Show answer
different from the photo → smaller than it looked in the photo
How it works
Compare something with what you expected using than + a past clause: more expensive than I thought, smaller than it looked, higher than the ad said.
Your turn
Pick the word that fits the line.
And the bills are higher than the ad (blank).
Options: spoke · said · told
Show answer
And the bills are higher than the ad said.
Y los gastos son más altos de lo que decía el anuncio.
Good to know
Link two things that change together with the + comparative…, the + comparative…: the more we look, the more expensive everything seems.
worse than you expected more expensive than I thought
Nuria
Sixty square metres. But it's more expensive than I thought.
Sesenta metros. Pero es más caro de lo que pensaba.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Sixty square metres. But it's (blank).
Options: more expensive than I thought · smaller than it looked in the photo · the more expensive it seems
Show answer
Nuria
Sixty square metres. But it's more expensive than I thought.
Sesenta metros. Pero es más caro de lo que pensaba.
different from the photo smaller than it looked in the photo
Javi
And smaller than it looked in the photo.
Y más pequeño de lo que parecía en la foto.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
And (blank).
Options: more expensive than I thought · the more we look, the more expensive it seems · smaller than it looked in the photo
Show answer
Javi
And smaller than it looked in the photo.
Y más pequeño de lo que parecía en la foto.
two things rising together the more we look, the more expensive it seems
Nuria
The more we look, the more expensive everything seems.
Cuanto más miramos, más caro parece todo.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
(blank), the more expensive everything seems.
Options: The more we look · More expensive than I thought · Smaller than it looked in the photo
Show answer
Nuria
The more we look, the more expensive everything seems.
Cuanto más miramos, más caro parece todo.
one up, one down the more we search, the less money we've got left
Javi
True. The more we search, the less money we've got left.
Es verdad. Cuanto más buscamos, menos dinero nos queda.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
True. (blank).
Options: More expensive than I thought · Smaller than it looked in the photo · The more we search, the less money we've got left
Show answer
Javi
True. The more we search, the less money we've got left.
Es verdad. Cuanto más buscamos, menos dinero nos queda.
Common mistake
Not think or thinking here. What she expected before she saw it.
Sixty square metres. But it's more expensive than I thought.
Sesenta metros. Pero es más caro de lo que pensaba.
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| worse than you expected | more expensive than I thought |
|---|---|
| different from the photo | smaller than it looked in the photo |
| two things rising together | the more we look, the more expensive it seems |
| one up, one down | the more we search, the less money we've got left |
More lines from the story
- NuriaAnd the bills are higher than the ad said.Y los gastos son más altos de lo que decía el anuncio.
- JaviRelax. The more stairs, the stronger your legs!Tranquila. Cuantas más escaleras, ¡más fuertes las piernas!