ば～ほど

ば～ほど means "the more… the more…": as the first thing grows, the second changes with it. The same word comes twice, first in its ば-form and then in the dictionary form with ほど, and the rest of the sentence says what changes.

A する verb usually repeats only する, as in the last example.

The verb before ほど stays in the dictionary form even when the sentence is in the past. The tense goes on the end.

• × 読めば読んだほど面白くなった → 読めば読むほど面白くなった

Adjectives

An い-adjective takes ければ and then comes back in its plain form. A な-adjective takes なら and then な, or, more formally, であれば followed by あるほど.

• × 静かなら静かほど → 静かなら静かなほど

ほど on its own

The ば half can be dropped, leaving the dictionary form and ほど. The meaning is the same.