Extensive vs. ample

[Kermet]

Business Idiom in English, Intermediate level

ESL/EFL Test #168 "Poverty in the US: expressions that describe living standards", question 4

Poverty in the United States is more ......... than most people realize.

(a) wide
(b) ample
(c) broad
(d) extensive

Business Idiom in English, Intermediate level

ESL/EFL Test #168 "Poverty in the US: expressions that describe living standards", answer 4

Poverty in the United States is more extensive than most people realize.

Correct answer: (d) extensive

Your answer was: incorrect
Poverty in the United States is more ample than most people realize.
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why extensive?

Kermet

[Alan]

Hi Kermet,

Extensive has the sense of widespread - extending over a wide area and is therefore more suitable for use with the comparative form than the other three options. You would say broader and wider. Ample means sufficient and would not usually be used in the comparative form.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Not Really