IMO Practice Test — Degrees of Comparison
8 Questions • 15 min • Olympiad level
15:00
Question 1 of 8
Transform to superlative: 'No other festival in India is as colourful as Holi.'
Holi is more colourful than festivals.
Holi is the most colourful festival in India.
Holi is as colourful as festivals.
Holi is colourfuller.
Explanation: 'No other … as … as' → superlative 'the most colourful'.
Question 2 of 8
Spot the error: 'She is more senior than me.'
more senior than → senior to
she is wrong
me is wrong
no error
Explanation: 'senior' takes 'to', and 'more' is redundant with it.
Question 3 of 8
Choose the parallel comparative: '___ he climbed, ___ the air became.'
Higher / colder
The higher / the colder
More high / more cold
Highest / coldest
Explanation: The 'the … the …' structure: 'The higher he climbed, the colder the air became.'
Question 4 of 8
Transform to comparative: 'Very few metals are as heavy as gold.'
Gold is heavier than most other metals.
Gold is the heaviest metal.
Gold is as heavy as metals.
Gold is heavyer.
Explanation: 'Very few … as … as' → 'heavier than most other'.
Question 5 of 8
Identify the error: 'This book is more preferable than that.'
more preferable → preferable
than is wrong
book is wrong
no error
Explanation: 'preferable' already implies comparison; 'more' is wrong (use 'preferable to').
Question 6 of 8
Choose: 'He is the ___ of the two brothers.'
taller
tallest
more tall
most tall
Explanation: When comparing only two, use the comparative with 'the': 'the taller'.
Question 7 of 8
Rearrange: 'than / city / any / cleaner / other / this / is'
This city is cleaner than any other.
This is cleaner city than any other.
Cleaner this city is than any other.
Than any other this city cleaner is.
Explanation: 'This city is cleaner than any other.' is correct.
Question 8 of 8
Which sentence correctly compares two things?
She is the cleverer of the two.
She is the cleverest of the two.
She is more cleverer of the two.
She is clever than the two.
Explanation: For two items, use the comparative with 'the': 'the cleverer of the two'.