Unit 8 - Comparatives/Superlatives
Comparatives/Superlatives
Unit 8 - Comparatives/Superlatives
1.
How's the weather in your country?
The summer is much
hotter than here, and the winter is also much
colder. The best time is spring, it's beautiful!
-----
2.
Which restaurant do you like?
Bella Rosa is good,
they've got good food but it's expensive. McDonalds
is cheaper, but it's really unhealthy. I think
the Vietnamese restaurant is the best, it's
the cheapest, the healthiest, and the most delicious!
-----
3.
How's your English going?
Oh, it's much better these days. It's easier than before, and I know more words and I can speak more confidently. It's great.
I'm really glad to hear it. Keep up the great work!
--------
Key Vocabulary
|
weather |
cheapest |
Grammar
Comparatives show more or less of a particular attribute, they compare things. Comparatives are generally used for comparing two things, and superlatives are used for comparing three or more things.
If it's clear what
we are comparing to, then we can just use the
comparative form on its own. For example:
- I am faster.
- She is older.
Otherwise we use than before the thing we are
comparing to. For example:
I am faster than John.
She is taller than me.
Superlative forms
don't use than and are always preceded
by the definite article the. For example:
- I am the tallest student in my school.
Comparatives
-----
One-Syllable Adjectives
To make a comparative
from an adjective with one syllable, we add
-er to the adjective, for example:
- slow - slower
- fast - faster
- tall - taller
- short - shorter
To make a comparative
from a one syllable adjective ending in -e,
we just add -r. For example:
- nice - nicer
- large - larger
If the one syllable
adjective ends in a vowel and a consonant, we
double the consonant. For example:
- big - bigger
- hot - hotter
- thin - thinner
Two-Syllable Adjectives
If the adjective
has two or more syllables, we add more
before the adjective.
For example:
This book is more expensive than that book.
This picture is more beautiful.
However there are
many exceptions to this one/two-sylllable rule.
Some two-syllable words behave like one-syllable
ones: For example:
This is easier - Correct
This is more easy - Incorrect.
This is simpler - Correct
This is more simple - Incorrect
And some adjectives can use both comparatives
forms: For example
- clever - cleverer - more clever: These are
all correct.
- quiet - quieter - more quiet: These are all
correct.
Exceptions cannot be learnt through rules, the
best way to learn them is simply to pick them
up case by case.
Superlatives
-----
One-Syllable Adjectives
To make a superlative
from an adjective with one syllable, we add
-est to the adjective, for example:
- slow - slowest
- fast - fastest
- tall - tallestr
- short - shortest
To make a superlative
from a one syllable adjective ending in -e,
we just add -st. For example:
- nice - nicest
- large - largest
If the one syllable
adjective ends in a vowel and a consonant, we
double the consonant. For example:
- big - biggest
- hot - hottest
- thin - thinnest
Two-Syllable Adjectives
If the adjective
has two or more syllables, we add most
before the adjective.
For example:
This book is the most expensive book.
This picture is the most beautiful picture in
the museum.
Irregular Forms
There are a few irregular
forms. Below gives the adjective, comparative,
and superlative forms.
good - better - best
bad - worse - worst
far - farther - farthest
far - further - furthest
little - less - least
much/many - more - most
For example:
You are the best student in the world!
I am far from home, he is farther from home,
but he is the farthest from home.
-----
As usual, what looks complicated in a list of rules will become simpler with practice and experience. Good luck!
Grammar Exercises
Exercise 1
Write the comparative form of the adjectives given.
Example: An elephant is bigger than a lion. (big)
1. The Nile river is then the Amazon. (long)
2. I'm than Yuri but than Miko. (tall, short)
3. They're than us, but we're than them. (handsome, smart)
4. This book bag is than that bag. (expensive)
5. This newspaper is than that newspaper. (good)
6. Soda juice tastes than fruit juice. (bad)
7. Today is than yesterday. (warm)
8. This TV program is . (interesting)
Answers
1. = "longer";2. = "taller";
3. = "shorter";
4. = "more handsome";
5. = "smarter";
6. = "more expensive";
7. = "better";
8. = "worse";
9. = "warmer";
10. = "more interesting";
Exercise 2
Write the comparative or superlative form of the adjectives given.
Example: Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world. (high)
1. The Nile river is river in the world. (long)
2. Tyler is and person I know. (happy, kind)
3. The blue team got score and the red team got (good, bad)
4. This is ticket to France. (cheap)
5. MinWoo is student in our class. (hard-working)
6. This is movie in the world. (boring)
7. My sister is person in my family. (young)
8. The word in English is pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis. (long)
Answers
1. = "the longest";2. = "the happiest";
3. = "the kindest";
4. = "the best";
5. = "the worst";
6. = "the cheapest";
7. = "the most hard-working";
8. = "the most boring";
9. = "the youngest";
10. = "longest";
Exercise 3
How's the weather in your country?
The summer is 1. than here, and the winter is also 2.. The 3. time is spring, it's beautiful!
Which restaurant do you like?
Bella Rosa is 1., they've got good food but it's expensive. McDonalds is 2., but it's really unhealthy. I think the Vietnamese restaurant is the 3., it's the 4., the 5., and the 6.!
How's your English going?
Oh, it's 1. these days. It's 2. than before, and I know 3. words and I can speak 4.. It's great.
I'm really glad to hear it. Keep up the great work!
Answers
1. = "much hotter";2. = "much colder";
3. = "best";
4. = "good";
5. = "cheaper";
6. = "best";
7. = "cheapest";
8. = "healthiest";
9. = "most delicious";
10. = "much better";
11. = "easier";
12. = "more";
13. = "more confidently";