U10:Comparatives

Outcome: By the end of the lesson you will be able to use comparative and superlative in context. Let's watch this video. What is it about? Task 1: Write adjectives to describe these cars.

Task 2: Make up sentences. Example: The grey car is bigger than the yellow one. 

Task 3: Watch these videos. They will help you understand comparatives and superlatives.

RULE 1A - one syllable adjectives or adverbs:
Regular adjective		Comparative form Simply add -er		Superlative form Use the  and add -est	Add other adjectives
1.  smart		1.   smarter    than		1.  the    smartest	fast, old, tall, young (Review Consonants and Vowels)
RULE 1B - one syllable adjectives with a “Consonant-Vowel-Consonant patter”:
Regular adjective		Comparative form If the adj. has a CVC pattern, double the consonant and add – er.		Superlative form If the adj. has a CVC pattern, double the consonant and add -est	Add other adjectives
1. wet		1. wetter    than Practice comparatives with one-syllable words.		1. the wettest Practice superlatives with one-syllable words.	red,  sad, thin, fat, fit, big (Review Consonants and Vowels)
RULE 2 - one syllable adjectives ending in –e :
Regular adjective		Comparative form Simply add -r		Superlative form Use the  and add -st	Add other adjectives
1. cute 2. large		1. cuter     than 2.		1.   the cutest     2.	wise, strange, late,  close, huge,  brave,  blue
RULE 3 - Two syllable adjectives ending in –y :
Regular adjective		Comparative form Change the y to i and add – er. Don’t forget than!		Superlative form Change the y to i and add – est. Don’t forget the!	Add other adjectives
1. pretty		1. prettier  than Practice comparatives ending in Y.		1.  the prettiest Practice superlatives ending in Y.	busy, angry, happy, heavy
RULE 4 - Two syllable adjectives ending in –er, le or ow :
Regular adjective		Comparative form Simply add -er		Superlative form Use the  and add -est	Add other adjectives
1. narrow		1.  narrower than		1.  the narrowest	gentle
RULE 5 - Two syllable adjectives that follow two rules. These adjectives can be used with –er, and –      est  and with  more or most:
1. clever	1. cleverer or more clever than		1. cleverest or the most clever			friendly, quiet, simple
RULE 6 - Two or more syllable adjectives. These adjectives are used with more…than or the most:
1. pleasant	1. more pleasant than Practice comparatives with 2 or more syllables.		1. the most pleasant Practice superlatives with 2 or more syllables.			careful, generous, intelligent, delicious
RULE 7 - These are the irregular adjectives. There is no system or pattern here, so you'll just have to remember them. Fortunately, there are only a few...
1.  good 2.  bad	1.  better than 2.  worse than Practice irregular comparatives.		1.   the best 2.   the worst Practice irregular superlatives.			far, well, badly, little

1-syllable adjectives: add -er to the adjective

• My sister is much taller than me.†
• It's colder today than it was yesterday.

Note: If the word ends: consonant-vowel-consonant, then the last consonant is usually doubled in the comparative. Examples: big-bigger, fat-fatter, hot-hotter.

2-syllable adjectives ending in -y: change the -y to -ier

• She's looking happier today.
• This grammar topic is easier than the last one.
• Why is everyone else luckier than me? †

Beware: Do not confuse adjectives and adverbs. 2-syllable adverbs ending in -y must be compared with the word more. Example: I drive more quickly (quicklier) than my brother.

Other 2-syllable adjectives: use more with the unchanged adjective

• The shops are always more crowded just before Christmas.
• Is there anything more boring than reading about grammar?
• My sister is more careful with her writing than I am with mine.

Note: The comparative of some shorter 2-syllable adjectives can be formed with -er. Examples: simple-simpler, clever-cleverer, narrow-narrower. To be sure which comparative method to use, you will need to consult a good dictionary.

Adjectives with 3 or more syllables: use more with the unchanged adjective

• Russian grammar is more difficult than English grammar.
• My sister is much more intelligent than me.†
• I find maths lessons more enjoyable than science lessons.
• The older you get, the more irritating you become.

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In the superlative you talk about one thing only and how it is the best, worst, etc. You do not compare two things. The following guidelines apply to the superlative:
1-syllable adjectives: add -est to the adjective (plus the)

• My sister is the tallest in our family.
• Yesterday was the coldest day of the year so far.

Note: If the word ends: consonant-vowel-consonant, then the last consonant is usually doubled in the superlative. Examples: big-biggest, fat-fattest, hot-hottest.

2-syllable adjectives ending in -y: change the -y to -iest (plus the)

• The richest people are not always the happiest.
• Which do you think is the easiest language to learn?
• She's the luckiest person I know.

Beware: Do not confuse adjectives and adverbs. 2-syllable adverbs ending in -y form their superlative with the words the most. Example: Of all the people I know my father drives the most quickly (quickliest).

Other 2-syllable adjectives: use the most with the unchanged adjective

• The most boring thing about ESL class is doing grammar exercises.
• My sister is the most careful person I know.

Note: The superlative of some shorter 2-syllable adjectives can be formed with -er. Examples: simple-simplest, clever-cleverest, narrow-narrowest. To be sure which superlative method to use, you will need to consult a good dictionary.

Adjectives with 3 or more syllables: use the most with the unchanged adjective

• Some people think that Russian is the most difficult language.
• Albert Einstein was the most intelligent person in history.
• My most enjoyable class is English.
• You are the most irritating person I have ever met!

Following are two common irregular comaparative/superlative forms:

• good-better-the best
• bad-worse-the worst

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The following guidelines apply to the comparative/superlative of mostadverbs:
1-syllable adverbs: add -er/-est

• I can run faster than you. / I can run the fastest in my class.
• She works harder than me.† / She works the hardest of all students.

Other adverbs: use more / the most*

• She ran more quickly than me.† / Of all the students she ran the most quickly.

* In informal English it is common to hear the adjectival comparative/superlative form of two-syllable adverbs. For example: She ran quicker than me.† | She ran the quickest.

† Many educated English speakers prefer to use the nominative plus a verb rather than the accusative in such comparative sentences, especially in formal situations. They say, for example, My sister is taller than I am. or She ran more quickly than I did.The alternative, omitting the verb as in the following examples, is considered to be even more formal and is avoided by most British English speakers: My sister is taller than I. orShe ran more quickly than I.

More exercises 

Exercise 1:

Exercise 2:  

Exercise 3:Listening

Exercise 4:

Exercise 5 :

Exercise 6:

Exercise 7:

Exercise 8 :

List of comparatives and superlatives:

List of adjectives: