The Communicative Grammar of English Workbook - Edward Woods, Rudy Coppieters 2002

11.3. Comparison 3
Unit eleven. Comparison

Sections 228-229 & 233

Comparative forms are often repeated with and to express continuing change. In some cases there is an accompanying adverbial clause of proportion introduced by as: Things got better and better (as time went on).

Another construction expressing proportion consists of two clauses beginning with the + a comparative word: The earlier (we start), the better (it will be).

Task ***

Rewrite the following text, replacing the underlined parts with one of the above structures. In some sentences a change of word order is necessary within the underlined strings.

As the food situation in Malnutritia was deteriorating, the authorities were becoming increasingly worried.

Waiting too long before taking action would add to the risk of violent outbursts among the native population.

These people had felt mounting anger at the growing scarcity of food.

They knew that, if their complaints were loud enough, their plight would soon come to an end.

Fortunately, as the international community has become increasingly aware of such crises, it has been responding to them with ever greater speed.