Comma in 'The More...The Better' and Similar Comparative Patterns
The Comma
Rulebase Summary
Use a comma to separate the two elements in idiomatic comparative constructions that follow the pattern 'the more...the less,' 'the bigger...the better,' 'the farther...the fewer,' and similar expressions. This construction always contains comparison forms and always takes a comma.
BGGP Separating Comma.17 · p.188
Examples
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A. The longer he waited the more anxious he became.
✓
A. The longer he waited, the more anxious he became.
Comma separates the two halves of the comparative pattern.
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Q. The harder we tried the worse it got?
✓
Q. The harder we tried, the worse it got?
The 'the [comparative]...the [comparative]' pattern always takes a comma.
Style Guide References (1)
BGGP
Separating Comma.17
Page 188