COMPARATIVES

ADJECTIVES & ADVERBSWhat is an ADJECTIVE?

It’s a word that describes a NOUN

BIG

FAST CAREXPENSIVE

ADJECTIVES & ADVERBS

What is an ADVERB?

It’s a word that describes a VERB.

Speak FAST

Walk SLOWLY

ADJECTIVES & ADVERBS

You speak English well (adverb)

It’s a very good activity. You read very well.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOOD-WELL

Your English is good (adjective)

COMPARATIVES Adjective + ER + than MORE + adjective + than

1 syllable adjectives 2 syllable adjectives or more

2 syllable adjectives ending in -Y

Adverbs ending in -ly

COMPARATIVES -EROld Older than 1 syllable + ER

Big Bigger thanConsonant+vowel+consonant= double

consonant

Nice Nicer than Ending in -e= + r

Noisy Noisier than Ending in -y= +ier

COMPARTIVES with

“MORE” Modern

More modern than

2 syllable adjectives

ImportantMore important

than

3 syllable or more

adjectives

SlowlyMore slowly

thanAdverbs

ending in -ly

-ER & MORE COMPARATIVESSome 2 syllable adjectives can use

-ER or MORE:

CleverNarrowQuiet

SimpleCommon

ClevererNarrowerQuieterSimpler

Commoner

More cleverMore narrowMore quiet

More simpleMore common

It’s too noisy here. Can we go somewhere quieter / more quiet?

SUPERLATIVES

The +Adjective + EST THE MOST + adjective

1 syllable adjectives2 or more syllable

adjectives

2 syllable adjectives ending in -y

Adverbs ending in -ly

SUPERLATIVES with -ESTOld The oldest 1 syllable + EST

Big The biggestConsonant+vowel+consonant= double

consonant

Nice The nicest Ending in -e= +ST

Noisy The noisiest Ending in -y= +iest

SUPERLATIVES with “MOST”Modern

The most modern

2 syllable adjectives

ImportantThe most important

3 syllable or more

adjectives

SlowlyThe most

slowlyAdverbs

ending in -ly

SUPERLATIVES + PRESENT PERFECT

We use Present Perfect (I have done) after a Superlative:

What’s the most important decision you’ve ever made?

This was the best holiday I’ve had for a long time

IRREGULAR

GoodBetter

Best

BadWorse

Worst

Far

FurtherFarther

FurthestFarthest

ComparativeSuperlative

Specifying

Could you speak a bit more slowly? (a little more slowly)

Let’s go by car. It’s much cheaper. ( a lot cheaper)

MuchA bitA little A lot

(Not) AS....AS (Equality)Joe is tall. He is taller than Al.

But he isn’t as tall as Ed.

Ed is taller than he is / him.

LESS THAN (inferiority)Al is less tall than Joe

Al isn’t as tall as Joe

Al is SHORTER than Joe

MORE POLITE

LESS POLITE

HOW TO BE POLITE

Good-looking

Pau Gasol isn’t as good-looking as George Clooney.Pau Gasol is less good-looking than George Clooney.Pau Gasol is uglier than

George Clooney.

THE SAME AS (Equality)

David is the same age as John

Her salary is the same as mine

Her salary is the same like mine

Anna wore the same dress as Juliet

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LET’S PRACTICE!

This coffee is very weak. I expected it to be .......

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I was surprised how easy it was to use the computer. I thought it would be ...

You hardly ever phone me. Why don’t you phone me ...?

You’re standing too near the camera. Can you move a bit ...away?

Your work isn’t very good. I’m sure you can do ...

Unfortunately her illness was ... we thought at first

There were a lot of people on the bus. It was .... than usual

LET’S PRACTICE!

This coffee is very weak. I expected it to be ....... Stronger

I was surprised how easy it was to use the computer. I thought it would be ...

easier

You hardly ever phone me. Why don’t you phone me ... more often

You’re standing too near the camera. Can you move a bit ...away? further

Your work isn’t very good. I’m sure you can do ... better

Unfortunately her illness was ... we thought at first more serious

There were a lot of people on the bus. It was .... than usual more crowded

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SUPERLATIVESWhat do you say in these situations?

You’ve just been to the cinema. The film was extremely boring. You tell your friend:

It was the most boring film I’ve ever seen

*You’re talking to a friend about Mary. Mary is very generous. You tell your friend about her:

GENEROUS/PERSON/MEET

*You’ve just run 10 kilometres. You have never run further than this. You say to your friend:

FAR / RUN

*You decided to give up your job. Now you think this was a bad mistake. You say to your friend:

BAD/ MISTAKE/ MAKE. 21