Comparative or Superlative

 

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Comparative or Superlative?

a. Thi Thiss house is ______ __________ ________ _______( ___(big big)) mine, but my room is ___________ ____________(la _(large) rge)  yours. My room is ________ _______________(b _______(big) ig) room in the world. b. Shar Sharon on is in intelli telligent gent b but ut she iiss not ____ ________ ________ ________ _______ ______( ___(inte intellig lligent) ent) ooff the class. Paul is _______________(intelligent) her. c. My ne new w dre dress ss is _ _____ ________ ________ ________ ____(bea (beautif utiful) ul) yours. yours. d. My ice ice-cr -cream eam is ___ _____ _____ ______ ______ ______ ____( _(goo good*) d*) you yours, rs, but ch choco ocolat latee ice ice-cr -cream eam is  ________________  ________ ____________ ____ (good) ice-cream in the world. e. Thi Thiss book is easy, bu butt Maths boo bookk is _____ _________ _______ _______ ______( __(easy easy)) this. Eng English lish boo bookk is _________ (easy) book. f. Mercedes

are

_________________(expensive)

Seat

but

Audi

are

  ____________________(expensive) cars. g. Ca Camel melot’ ot’ss mus music ic is __ _____ _____ _____ ______ ______ ____(g _(good ood)) Re Revol volver ver’s ’s but Front Frontera era’s ’s mus music ic is  _________________(bad) music in Verin. h. Franc Francee iiss _ _____ ________ ________ ______(b __(big) ig) Engla England. nd. i. The bl blue ue flow flowers ers are _ _____ ________ ________ _______ ____(ni _(nice) ce) red red ones. Bu Butt the ppink ink fl flower owerss are   ________________(nice)of all.  j. Thi Thiss kni knife fe iiss __ ______ ________ ________ ______(s __(sharp) harp) the othe otherr one. k. Brit British ish peop people le are _____ _________ ________ _______ _______ _____(po _(polite lite)) Spanis Spanish h one. l. My ch chai airr is ___ ___ ___ ___ ____ ___ ____ ___ ___ ___ ___( _(co comf mfor orta tab ble) le) you ours rs,, but th thee so sofa fa is  ___________________(comfortable) place to sit in. m. Paul

is

________________(serious)

Michael,

  _______________(friendly) Peter. n. Pica Picasso’s sso’s pi picture cture iiss _____ _________ ________ ________ ______ __ (orig (original inal)) Goya’s Goya’s.. Saxon Genitive: Transform these sentences: a. Th Thee h hou ouse se of my fa fath ther er:: b. The tro trous users ers of my bro broth ther: er: c. Th Thee ccar ar of my fr frie iend nd:: d. Th Thee T T-s -shi hirt rt of Ma Mary ry:: e. The com comput puter er of the E Engl nglish ish tea teache cher: r: Comparative and superlatives

but

Michael

is

 

English Academy 988 412 265 

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Write the correct adjective (comparative or superlative):

1. The

cathedral

of

Santiago

is

one

of……………………………………………………..

(important) of the world. 2. My fa father ther h has as a Se Seat, at, yyour our ffathe atherr a Merc Mercedes edes.. My fa father ther’s ’s car iiss ……… ……………… ……… (che (cheap) ap) and …………………………… (small) yours. 3. “W “Who’ ho’s…… s………… …………… ……………… …………… ……….. …..(go (good) od) gro group up in the the wor world? ld?”” “ I thi think nk tha thatt Mec Mecano ano is ………………… (good)”. “What! I hate them. I think they’re………………………(bad) group on this planet!” 4.”Don’t you think English is

…………………………….(easy) maths?”

“No, in my opinion English is ……………… ………………………………….(di ………………….(difficult) fficult) maths. The…………………………….. (difficult) subject to me is Greek.” 5. Is the Statue of Liberty

……………… ……………………..(tall) ……..(tall) the Empire State Building?

6. What is ………………………………………..(near) planet to the sun? 7. I think Brad Pitt has …………………………………… (lovely) smile in the world. 8. Valencia is ……………… ………………………………..(f ………………..(far) ar) Madrid from here. 9. Your desk is…………………… is…………………… (wide) mine. Mine is …………… …………………………(narrow ……………(narrow)) desk in this class. 10. The The

……………… ………………………….(silly) ………….(silly) person iinn my street is nex nextt door neighbour. Even m myy dog is

……………………………(intelligent) him. 11. “Which is………………………………….(big) room in your house?” “Mine! It’s even

………………… ………………………………..(large) ……………..(large) my parent’s room!”

12. The …………………………(expensive) …………………………(expensive) thing I own is a very old book my grandfather gave me. It is ………………………………(old) me.

 

Comparative and superlatives

 

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1. Rewr Rewrite ite this sent sentence ence follo following wing the inst instructi ructions: ons: Justin eats popcorn in the cinema. 1. Nega Negative tive:……… :………………… …………………… …………………… …………………… …………………… …………………… …………………… …………… …

2. Inte Interroga rrogative: tive:……… ……………… ………………… …………………… …………………… …………………… …………………… ……………….. …….. 3. Plur Plural al subject subject:……… :……………… ………………… …………………… …………………… …………………… …………………… ………………. …….

2.

Complete thes Complete thesee sent sentences ences using either comparative  or superlative  forms of the adjectives:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

An Anne ne iiss … ……… ………… …………… ……….. Jo Josep seph h ((tal tall) l) Anne is … ………… ………………… …………..of ..of the clas class. s. ((tall) tall) Jerru Jerrunn iiss … …………… …………………. ……….Trevi Treviss ((inte intellig lligent) ent) Jerru Jerrunn is ……… ………………… …………………… …………………… ………….boy .boy in th thee world ((intel intellige ligent) nt) Mary is ……… ………………… …………………… …………..in ..in Londo Londonn ((ugly ugly)) Jose Joseph ph is ……… ………………… …………………… …………… … fri friend end of Dr. T. (goo (good) d) Mario is ……… ……………… ………………… …………………. ……….othe otherr sick ppeopl eoplee (qui (quiet) et)

8. My ccousi ousinn is ………… ………………… ………………… ……………….. ……..you you ((slim) slim) 9. My co cousin usin is …… …………… ……………… ………………… ………………of ……of tthe he cla class ss (s (slim) lim) 10. Carlos is … ……………………… …………………………………….. ……………….. J Juan uan (strong) 11. Carlos iiss ……… …………………………… …………………………………… ……………… in V Verín. erín. (stro (strong) ng) 12. today it is…………… is………………………………… ……………………………yesterday. ………yesterday. (cold) 13. Today it is …… ……………………… …………………………………….day ………………….day iinn the year. (cold) 14. Michael Jack Jackson son is ……………… …………………………………… ……………………Janet Janet (white) 15. Michael Jackson is …… ………………………… ……………………………..of ………..of his family (w (white) hite) 16. Carlos is ……… …………………………… …………………………………….. ……………….. Javi Javier er (good-looking) 17. Carlos is……… is…………………………… …………………………………….of ……………….of hi hiss friends (good-look (good-looking) ing)

Comparative and superlatives

 

English Academy 988 412 265

Comparison There are three degrees of comparison: Positive comparative Dark darker Tall taller Useful more useful

4

superlative the darkest the tallest the most useful



With the positive form of the adjective, we use as….as in the affirmative and not as /not so…….as in the negative. A boy of sixteen is often as tall as his father. Your coffee is not as/so good as the coffee my mother makes. With the comparative we use: a. On Onee-s -syyll llaabl blee adje dject ctiv ivees: -er -er than han tall tall-- talle allerr The new tower blocks are much higher than the old buildings  He is stronger than I expected  b. Adjectives of three or more syllables: more………than He is more intelligent than his brother. This story is more interesting than yours. 

*Adjectives of two syllables follow one or other of the above rules. Those ending in –ful or re usually take more….than. Those ending in er, y, ow, or consonant + le usually add –er than. Obscure- more obscure Doubtful- more doubtful Clever- cleverer Pretty- prettier Slow- slower Gentle- gentler Comparison of three or more people/thing people/thingss is expressed by the superlative with: a. Adj Adject ective ivess of one one-sy -sylla llable ble:: the -est -est of of/in /in

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b. Adje Adjectiv ctives es of tthree hree or more sy syllab llables: les: tthe he most most….of ….of/in /in This is the oldest theatre in London  The youngest of the family was the most intelligent. Irregular comparatives: Bad worse the worst Far farther the farthest Further the furthest Good better the best Little less the least Many/much more the most Old elder the oldest (of people only) Older the oldest (of people and things)

Comparative and superlatives

 

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Comparison of adjectives and letter-writing: gap fill [ Use the adjectives from the list in the right form to fill the 15 gaps ] Koyoko Car Company, Saitama, Japan. Mr James Austin Marketing Manager Power Car Factory 13 One Way Street, Brighton Dear Mr Austin, I have just read your recent advertisement in The Times and I wish to correct your description of Japanese cars. I am happy to tell you that Japanese cars are [1] _ _ _ _ _ _ than English cars in every way. Firstly, they are [2] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ English cars. Your advertisement wrong wrongly ly claimed that English cars were as [2] _ _ _ _ as Japanese cars. Secondly, our cars are more [3] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ yours. They are [4] _ _ _ _ _ _ _   _ _ _ _ yours and use less petrol. Finally, our cars are [5] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ yours, so our sales are much [6] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   _ _ _ yours. Also, our after-sales service is much [1] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ yours. Your guarantee is not _ _ [7] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ as ours. I hope your next advertisement will be more [8] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ your last one. Yours sincerely, Mr Eiji Fujita [ Sales Manager ]   Power Car Company, Brighton, England Mr Eiji Fujita, Sales Manager, Koyoko Car Company, Saitama, Japan Dear Mr Fujita, What you say about Japanese cars is partly true, but they are not [1] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  English cars in every way. Comparative and superlatives

 

English Academy 988 412 265

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Firstly, English cars are [9] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Japanese ones. Also, they are _ _ _ _ [10] _   _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . Secondly, they give [11] _ _ _ _ trouble, so they do not need much after-sales service. Our customers have [12] _ _ _ _ _ problems _ _ _ _ yours. Finally, English cars are just _ _ [5] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ yours. If you don't believe me, buy the new Power 2000 and see for yourself. I enclose an order form and look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely, James Austin [ Marketing Manager ] good 2. safe 3. economical 4. small 5. cheap 6. great 1.

comprehensive 8. accurate 9. fast 10. comfortable 11. little 12. few few 7.

Some of the above words need to be used more than once to fill all 15 gaps.

Neighbours - two men [Comparison of adverbs] A1 good neighbours? 

Mr Watson and Mr Potter are neighbours. They are not very good neighbours. Mr Watson often speaks badly of Mr Potter:

A2 How / of Mr "I work harder than Mr Potter. He is a lazy man. I save a lot of money, but Potter? Mr Potter spends his money carelessly!" A3 How / work? Mr Potter does not speak well of his neighbour: A4 How / money? A5 Does / neighbour?

"Mr Watson doesn't know how to live. My car is bigger and faster than his. My house is more comfortable. I have a colour television, but Mr Watson watches in black and white. He earns as much as I earn, but he keeps all his money in the bank. He's mean and selfish!"

A6 What / say? A7 Whose / faster? A8 How much / Comparative and superlatives

 

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earn?

 

Neighbours - two women B1 How / of one Mrs Watson and Mrs Potter are good friends. They speak warmly of one another. another?  B2 How / cakes? "What a wonderful cook you are, Mrs Potter! Your cakes are much better than mine. Can you tell me your secret?" B3 Who / more "Certainly, Mrs Watson! Use a little more water and much less flour. You water? need to make a wetter mixture. I always add a little sea salt and a few B4 What kind of spices. I promise you that they will improve the flavour!" mixture / need?

"Oh, thank Mrsmy Potter! By to thebuy way, I use your oven? is hotter B5 What / always than mine. Iyou, asked husband mecan a new cooker, but heItsaid that I add? was too extravagant ..... more extravagant than his first wife. Are men all the same or is your husband kinder than mine?" B6 Why / want to / use / oven? "Well, every person is different and every man is a different problem! B7 How extravagant / Mrs Watson?

Of course, you can use my cooker, Mrs Watson! There is never any problem between intelligent women, is there?"

B8 Who / kinder? B9 Is / ever /problem / women?

Comparative: (más …que) ADJ+ ER THAN = He is taller than Paul Comparative and superlatives

 

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She’s prettier than Mary The milk is hotter than the coffee Si el adjetivo acaba en “-Y” , quitamos la “Y” y añadimos la terminación: -ier Si el adjetivo es: consonante+voca consonante+vocal+consonante, l+consonante, se duplica la última consonante antes d dee añadir la terminación ER: Big – bigger Write the comparative of the following adjectives: Tall Short

Hot Cold

Big

Long

Pretty

High

Young

Strong

Old

Weak

Superlative: (el más) THE ADJ +EST = He is the tallest

She is the prettiest The milk is the hottest Write the superlative form of the following adjectives: Hot Tall Short

Cold

Big

Long

Pretty

High

Young

Strong

Old

Weak

Estas reglas cambian si el adjetivo tiene más de una sílaba (handsome, intelligent, difficu difficult,..) lt,..) En estos casos: Para hacer el comparativo: He is MORE intelligent THAN Para hacer el superlativo: He is THE MOST intelligent.

Complete each sentence using the comparative form of the word in brackets. Use than when necessary. 1. Sandr Sandraa is ______ _________ _______ ________ _______ ___(exp (experien erienced) ced) Simo Simon, n, so I think she’l she’lll get the job. Comparative and superlatives

 

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2. When yyou ou go to India, take tthis his gui guidebook. debook. It is _____ _____________ __________(useful) __(useful) that one. 3. Timothy’s backache was get getting_____ ting______________ ____________(bad) ___(bad) so Sally told him to see a doctor. 4. I have to get up an ho hour__ ur______ _______ _______ _____(ea _(early) rly) tom tomorrow orrow be because cause I nee need d more time to prepare for the meeting. 5. It took Harry an hour to clean his room, but now it looks______ looks______________ ________(tidy) (tidy) before. 6. A: H How ow aare re yo youu now you you’ve ’ve had had a re rest? st? B: I feel _________________(good), thanks. Can I have a cup of coffee? 7. Mark iiss a real really ly goo good d driv driving ing in instruc structor. tor. II’ve ’ve ne never ver met a  __________________(patient) person in al my life. 8. I can’t uunders nderstand tand h how ow to play tthis his com compute puterr game. Ca Cann I chang changee it for an   ______________(easy) one? 9. A: I’m ex exhaus hausted! ted! A Are re we neve neverr going ttoo get to th thee top of th this is moun mountain? tain? B: It’s _______________(high) I thought but we’ll be there soon. 10. The train journey across India was _________ _________________ __________(difficult __(difficult)) I had thought.

Write the superlative or comparative form or the word in brackets: 1. Char Charlott lottee is ____ ________ ________ ______(y __(young oung)) than he herr siste sisterr Elizab Elizabeth. eth. 2. A: Wha Whatt is ___ _______ ________ ________ _____(go _(good) od) mont month h to visi visitt Japa Japan? n? 3. Sam didn didn’t ’t have mu much ch mone moneyy so he had to buy a ____ _______ _______ _____(ch _(cheap) eap) CD pl player ayer than the one he wanted. 4. ____ ________ ________ ________ ________ ____(eas (easy) y) way to see a big ci city ty is to tak takee a bus tour. 5. Sarah iiss ____ ____________ ________________( ________(hard-working hard-working)) person I’ve eve everr met. She ne never ver seems to take a break. 6. Wh Which ich cak cakee do do yyou ou pre prefer fer?? I like the chocolate cake. It’s ________________(sweet) than the other one. 7. We took the trai trainn because I was ________ _______________(con _______(convenient) venient) tthan han trave travelling lling by bus. 8. I went to the be beach ach last yea yearr but it rained the whole time time.. It was ________ _______________  _______  (bad)you holiday 9. Did kno know w I’ve Chileever has had. __ ______ ________ ________ ________ _____(hi _(high) gh) volc volcano ano in the worl world? d? 10. When the concert wa wass cancelled Vicky was ___ ___________ ____________(disappoi ____(disappointed) nted) than I was.

Write comparative or superlative sentences with the following adjectives:

Tall Comparative and superlatives

bad Difficult

small

hot young old cold pretty

intelligent easy happy

good big beautiful

 

English Academy 988 412 265

Audi Seat Opel Renault Citroën Peugeot BMW

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cheap

economical reliable

Easy ttoo comfortable spacious tall

Good-

5 3 3 1 2 4 5

1 3 3 5 4 2 1

drive 5 1 4 2 4 3 5

looking 4 2 5 1 3 4 5

5 4 5 3 4 4 5

5 1 4 2 5 4 3

2 3 4 5 1 3 4

3 2 1 4 5 1 2

 The Adjective Positive: Paul is tall

Paul is

 

Equality AS tall AS Peter

1 syllable Comparative Superiority Short adjectives Peter isisprettY, tall Peter bigGER ER THAN 2 syllables ending: THAN Gabriel Long Adjectives Gabriel is MORE intelligent intelli gent THAN Ann.

Inferiority is LESS intelligent THAN Gabriel Comparative and superlatives

Ann

 

English Academy 988 412 265

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Ann is

NOT AS intelligent intellig ent AS Gabriel Superlative

A djectives world

Short

John is THE tallEST IN the

Ann is THE prettIEST OF her class Long Adjectives Gabriel is THE MOST intelligent  This car is THE MOST comfortable IN…

adjective bad clever far (distance) far (more, additional) good Hot Little many much narrow pretty shy Comparative and superlatives

comparative

superlative

 

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Fill in the blank with right form of the adjective in brackets: 1.  This exercise is __________ ______________________ _______________ ___ the previous o one.(easy) ne.(easy) 2. Riding a horse is not ___________________ _________________________ ______ riding a bike.(difficult) 3. These computers are ____________________ _________________________ _____ than those.(cheap) 4. You are ____________ _______________________ _____________ __ teacher I've ever had.( bad) 5.The world problems are getting ___________ ______________________ ______________ ___ (bad) 6.John is _________________________ _________________________ student in his class. All the girls want to date him. (handsome) 7.Bob is _________________________ _________________________ his brother.(tall) brother.(tall) 8.The school will be closed until _________________________ notice.(far) 9.This time he's made _________________________ _________________________ mistakes.(many) 10.All the poems you selected are good, but only t ___________________ one will get the prize. (good) 11.Who is _________________________ Mary or Jane?(old) 12.Excuse me, where is _________________________ drugstore?(near) 13.Are you sure that Sydney is _________________________ Anchorage?(big) 14.Your glasses are _________________________ mine.(beautiful)  Choose the most suitable form of the adjective - comparative or superlative.   1. John is 20. Peter is 21. John is...

A. you younge ngerr than than Pet Peter. er. B. you younge ngest st than than Pete Peterr 2. Frank's car = 20 kilometres per litre. Billy's motorbike = 80 kilometres per litre. Billy's motorbike is... A. more more economic economical al than than Frank's Frank's car. car. B. most economic economical al than than Frank's Frank's car. car. 3. Frank's watch = £99.99. Sarah's watch = £49.99. Billy's watch = £9.99. Billy's

watch is... A. the le less ss ex expensi pensive ve of the tthree. hree. B. the le least ast expens expensive ive o off the three three.. 4. Sarah's television = £299.00. Frank's television = £849.00. Frank's television is... A. the m more ore e expens xpensive ive o off the two. B. the m most ost e expen xpensive sive o off the two. 5. Amazon River, South America = 6280 kilometres. Yangtze River, China = 5550 kilometres. Mississippi River, USA = 3789 kilometres. The Mississippi River is... A. the s short horter er ri river ver o off the thre three. e. B. the sh shorte ortest st riv river er of th the e thre three. e.

Comparative and superlatives

 

English Academy 988 412 265

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Read the text and write the best option: Sarah’s two lovers: When Sarah was 20, she had two lovers, Frank and Billy. Frank was a good friend of Sarah's father. He was very rich - much _________________________ (poor/rich) than Billy - and he had a big house in the centre of London and drove fast, expensive cars. Billy was _________________________ (old/young) than Frank, and _________________________ (handsome/ugly), but he didn't have a well-paid job or a car. He lived in a small house in the country and rode an old motorbike. In the end, Sarah married Billy, because she loved him, and for her, love was _________________________ (important/expens (important/expensive) ive) than money. Frank said, "You'll be sorry you didn't marry me!" Do you think he was right? Sarah had two lovers, Frank and Billy. Both had their good and bad points.

Compare Frank and Billy, using the adjectives in ( ), and find out why she married Billy. 1.Frank was much _________________________ than Billy. (old) 2.Frank was _________________________ than Billy. (experienced) 3.Frank was _________________________ educated than Billy. (good) 4.Frank was probably _________________________ than Billy. (intelligent) 5.Frank's salary was _________________________ than Billy's. (high) 6.Frank was _________________________ than Billy. (rich) 7.Frank took Sarah to _________________________ restaurants than Billy could. (expensive) 8.Frank's clothes were _________________________ than Billy's. (smart) 9.Frank's bathroom was _________________________ than Billy's living room. (large) 10.Frank's garden was _________________________ than Billy's. (beautiful) 11.Billy was _________________________ than Frank. (young) 12.Billy was _________________________ and _________________________ than Frank. (tall, slim) 13.Billy's teeth were _________________________ than Frank's. (white) 14.Billy's hair was _________________________ than Frank's. (long) 15.Billy was a _________________________ person than Frank. (cheerful) 16.Billy could tell _________________________ jokes than Frank could. (funny) 17.Billy was _________________________ with children than Frank was. (popular) 18.Billy's job was _________________________ than Frank's. (interesting) 19.Frank was _________________________ than Billy. (romantic) 20.Billy was _________________________ than Frank. (handsome) 21. Billy's dog could run _________________________ than Frank's dog. (fast)

Comparative and superlatives

 

English Academy 988 412 265

Fill in the blanks:

1. Joe is _________________________ than Ed. (short) 2. Al is the _________________________ . (short) 3. Ed is the _________________________ . (thin) 4. Joe is _________________________ than Al. (thin) 5. Al has the _________________________ clothes. (colourful) 6. Al is _________________________ than Joe. (heavy) 7. Ed is the _________________________ . (light) 8. Joe is _________________________ than Ed. (happy) 9. Ed is the _________________________ . (mysterious) 10. Joe is _________________________ than Ed. (energetic) Write these sentences in the right order: . is  is much much  smaller smaller  than than  Vancouver Vancouver  Victoria Victoria   biggest  Canada Canada  city  city in in  is  is the the   Toronto Toronto . biggest

. beautiful  beautiful is  is Jasper   Jasper more more  Ottawa Ottawa  than . attractive  attractive BC BC  Canada Canada  in in  is  is most most  province province  the

Comparative and superlatives

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