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Comparative Adverbs and mieux

FoundationHigherAQA

Understand Comparative Adverbs and mieux for GCSE French with this free worksheet and full mark scheme — Foundation and Higher exam-style practice with worked answers for AQA GCSE French (8652). Adverbs compare using plus, moins and aussi, with mieux as the irregular form of bien.

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These worksheets and mark schemes are original, written for Virtus Academy and checked against the current AQA specification. Every worksheet comes with a full mark scheme.

Foundation

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Higher

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Topic overview

Adverbs form comparatives with plus, moins and aussi, exactly as adjectives do — but bien has an irregular form.

Il travaille plus lentement que moi means he works more slowly than me. Elle court moins vite que lui means she runs less quickly than him. The structure matches the adjective comparative precisely.

Bien becomes mieux, not plus bien. Il travaille mieux means he works better. This is the adverb pairing with meilleur, and the two are constantly confused. Meilleur describes a noun — ce livre est meilleur. Mieux describes a verb — il travaille mieux. Ask what is being described and the choice becomes clear.

Revision notes

Regular adverb comparatives

Plus, moins and aussi work exactly as with adjectives.

Il travaille plus lentement que moi. Elle court moins vite que lui. Je chante aussi bien que toi. Que introduces the comparison and takes an emphatic pronoun.

Mieux

Bien becomes mieux, meaning better. Plus bien is wrong.

Il travaille mieux. Elle chante mieux que moi. Mieux is invariable — it never changes form, because adverbs do not agree.

Mieux versus meilleur

Mieux is an ADVERB describing a verb: il travaille mieux.

Meilleur is an ADJECTIVE describing a noun: ce livre est meilleur. Ask whether an action or a thing is being described, and the answer follows immediately.

Key points

  • Adverbs use plus, moins and aussi.
  • The structure matches adjective comparatives.
  • Bien becomes mieux, not plus bien.
  • Mieux is invariable.
  • Mieux describes a verb.
  • Meilleur describes a noun.

Worked examples

Example 1

Translate: he works more slowly than me. [2 marks]

Working

Il travaille plus lentement que moiuse plus with the adverb and que
Moi is the emphatic pronoun after queexplain the pronoun

Example 2

Translate: she sings better than me. [2 marks]

Working

Elle chante mieux que moiuse mieux as the comparative of bien
Mieux is used because it describes the verb chanteexplain the choice

Example 3

Explain how to choose between mieux and meilleur. [2 marks]

Working

Use mieux when describing a verb, as in il travaille mieuxexplain mieux
Use meilleur when describing a noun, as in ce livre est meilleurexplain meilleur

Common mistakes

  • Writing plus bien.

    The comparative of bien is mieux.

  • Making mieux agree.

    Adverbs are invariable.

  • Confusing mieux and meilleur.

    Verb takes mieux; noun takes meilleur.

  • Using je or tu after que.

    Emphatic pronouns are required.

Exam tips

  • Use mieux for verbs and meilleur for nouns.
  • Never write plus bien.
  • Keep mieux invariable.
  • Follow que with an emphatic pronoun.

Key terms

Mieux
The irregular comparative of bien, describing a verb.
Invariable
Not changing form, as adverbs do not.
Comparative adverb
A structure comparing how actions are done.
Meilleur
The adjective equivalent, describing a noun.

Related topics

Written and reviewed against the current AQA specification. Spotted an error? Let us know.