Breakdown of Эта выставка лучше, чем прошлая.
это
this
прошлый
last
лучше
better
чем
than
выставка
the exhibition
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Questions & Answers about Эта выставка лучше, чем прошлая.
Why is there no verb like is in the sentence?
In Russian, the present tense of the verb to be is typically omitted. So even though in English we say “This exhibition is better than the previous one,” in Russian the meaning is clear without explicitly including the copula.
How is the comparative structure formed in this sentence?
The sentence uses the comparative adjective лучше (meaning better) to express a higher quality. It is paired with чем (meaning than) to introduce the standard of comparison—which here is represented by прошлая (previous). The underlying full comparison could imply a verb (like “was”) that is omitted for brevity.
Why is there a comma before чем in the sentence?
A comma is used before чем to signal the start of a subordinate, elliptical comparative clause. This punctuation helps clearly separate the two parts of the comparison, even though the clause after чем is shortened.
What case is used for прошлая, and why does it match the rest of the sentence?
The adjective прошлая is in the nominative feminine singular form. It stands in for the omitted noun выставка (exhibition) and agrees with it in gender, number, and case, which is why it remains in the nominative—the same case as the subject эта выставка.
What role does эта play in the sentence?
The word эта is a demonstrative adjective meaning this. It specifies which exhibition is being referred to, directly contrasting it with the implied previous exhibition (represented by прошлая).