Comparison: clauses (bigger than we had imagined)

The second part of a comparison (underlined) is often a clause:

The price was higher than we had expected*.*
That restaurant is not as good as it used to be*.*
It was the best nature documentary I’ve ever seen*.*

Than-clauses

We can use than to introduce a clause after a comparative adjective, adverb or noun phrase. The clause (underlined) is usually a reduced clause (a clause with ellipsis) or one with a substitute verb do:

The house was bigger than we had imagined*.*
(… bigger than we had imagined it was)
The journey took longer than expected*.*
(… longer than people expected it to take)
He finished the second part more quickly than he did the first part*.*
(… more quickly than he finished the first part.)
He always spent more money than George did*.*
(… more money than George spent.)

warning

We use than, not that or as, to introduce a clause after a comparative adjective or adverb:

We finished the job quicker than we had expected.
Not: … ~~quicker that we had expected.~~ or … ~~quicker as we had expected.~~

That-clauses

We can use a that-clause after a superlative:

Until 2005, the film had made the most money that any British film had ever made.

In informal situations, we can omit that:

It was the biggest fire (that) anyone had ever seen.
It was the least expensive restaurant (that) we ate at, but the food was excellent.

Than-clauses​

That-clauses​

Than-clauses

That-clauses