Language Activator – Worse

Worse/not as good /inferior/ not be in the same league/can’t compare with / not be a patch on

worse

(adjective)

more unpleasant, annoying, bad etc, or of a lower standard or quality than someone or something else that is also bad

.I really don’t think the situation could be any worse

worse than

.Conditions in the prison were worse than anything I had seen before

even/far worse

worse than something that is very bad

a terrible script and even worse acting

a lot worse/much worse

.The next morning, the weather was much worse, and the team stayed at base camp

make something worse

.I tried to fix the computer myself, but that just made it worse

not as good

(adjective phrase)

.of a lower standard, quality, or level than something else that is good

.I like this town better than Harrisburg, but the schools aren’t as good

not as good as

.The fishing out there isn’t as good as it used to be

not nearly as good as/nowhere near as good as

use to emphasize that the difference in quality is quite big

.Cheap, plastic-wrapped cheese is nowhere near as good as the real thing

Inferior

(adjective)

formal of a lower quality than something else, or less good at doing something than someone else

.Consumers are tired of paying a high price for what is an increasingly inferior service

.California oil is a heavier and inferior grade of oil, compared with other crude oils

inferior to

.Old Mr Carter was convinced that women doctors were inferior to men

inferior in quality/status/worth etc

.White bread is generally inferior in nutritional value

of inferior quality/materials/status etc

.Their furniture is certainly cheaper, but it’s of inferior quality

not be in the same league/can’t compare with

(verb phrase)

especially spoken use this to emphasize that someone or something is not nearly as good as someone or something else

How can you compare him to Ivan Lendl? He’s not in the same league at all

not be in the same league as

It’s quite a good movie but not in the same league as High Noon or The Magnificent Seven

not be a patch on

(verb phrase)

use this to emphasize that something is not nearly as good as something else, especially something that came before it

.Shop-bought pasta sauces aren’t a patch on home-made

:Practice

:Fill in the blanks with appropriate words

.N1. This year’s charity marathon wasn’t a ————- on last year’s

.N2. Vinyl is strong and looks good but it doesn’t ————- with real leather

.N3. Their latest album isn’t nearly as ——— as their last one

.N4. This book is not as ———— as her last one

.N5. The traffic is a lot ——— after five o’clock

.N6. Duncan’s handwriting is even ——– than his sister’s

!N7. Stop it Gary, you’re———— than the kids

:Answers

Patch/ compare/ good/ good/ worse/ worse/ worse