Comparatives & superlatives

COMPARATIVES & SUPERLATIVES

Mónica Redondo Arias

1. COMPARATIVE ADJECTIVES

My brother is older than me.

1. COMPARATIVE ADJECTIVES

• It’s more dangerous to cycle than to drive.

2. COMPARATIVE ADVERBS (for

actions)• People walk more quickly than in the past.

3. LESS + ADJECTIVE OR ADVERB

I’m less relaxed this year than I was last year.

4. AS + ADJECTIVE / ADVERB + AS

• He drives as fast as his father .

4. (NOT) AS + ADJECTIVE / ADVERB +

AS• Enrique doesn’t sing as well as his father.

SHORT ADJECTIVES

Adjective

Comparative

-ER

Short Shorter 1 syllable: + -ER

Big Bigger 1 syllable, consonant+ + vowel + consonant= DOUBLE CONSONANT

Happy happier 2 syllables ending in cons -yFinal –y = i + ER

LONG ADJECTIVESAdjective Comparative

MORE … THAN

Serious More serious than…

2 syllables: + -MORE … THAN.

Expensive More expensive than…

3 syllables: + MORE … THAN.

IRREGULAR ADJECTIVES

ADJECTIVE COMPARATIVE

GOOD BETTER THAN…

BAD WORSE THAN…

FAR FURTHER THAN …. FARTHER THAN ….

ADVERBSAdverbs talk about how we do things

• He speaks faster than his sister

Adverbs ending in -ly

More …. Than More quickly than….

Rest of adverbs -er Faster

• People walk more quickly than in the past.

COMPARATIVE WITH “LESS”

LESS + ADJECTIVE OR ADVERB

• I’m less relaxed this year than I was last year.

• This Picasso’s painting is less old than this Van Gogh’s.

• She plays less beautifully than her brother.

LET’S PRACTICE!

MAKE THE COMPARATIVE

Modern computers are much _______ the early ones (fast)FASTER THAN

I’m _________ this week ________ last week. (busy)BUSIER THAN

Newcatsle is _______ from London ______ Leeds (far)FURTHER THAN

I thought the 3rd Men in Black was ________________the first two. (bad) WORSE THAN

I’m not lazy – I just work _______________ you! (slowly)MORE SLOWLY THAN

Your bag is nicer than mine. My bag isn’t ___________________ (as…. as)AS NICE AS YOURS.

Tokyio is bigger than London. London isn’t _____________________ (as…as)AS BIG AS TOKYO

SHORT ADJECTIVESAdjective Comparative

-EST

Short The Shortest 1 syllable: + THE …-EST

Big The biggest 1 syllable, consonant+ + vowel + consonant= DOUBLE CONSONANT

Happy The happiest 2 syllables ending in -yFinal –y = i + EST

LONG ADJECTIVESAdjective Comparativ

e

THE MOST…

Serious The most serious.

2 syllables: THE MOST + adj.

Expensive The most expensive.

3 syllables: THE MOST + adj.

SUPERLATIVES

We use IN + names of places.

This is the noisiest city in the world.

This is the noisiest city OF the world.

EVERWe often use THE + superlative with the PRESENT PERFECT + EVER.

This is the most romantic dinner I’ve ever had.

This is the most romantic dinner I’ve never had

LET’S PRACTICE!

MAKE THE SUPERLATIVE

Thais are _____________ people I’ve ever met. (polite)

Yesterday was _______________ day of the year. (hot)

This is ______________ time to drive to the city. (bad)

This is ___________________ part of the exam (important)

_____________ I’ve ever flown is to Bali (far)

That’s definitely ___________ film I’ve ever seen (funny)

Rob’s daughters are all pretty, but I think Emily is _________ (pretty)

THE MOST POLITE

THE HOTTEST

THE WORST

THE MOST IMPORTANT

THE FURTHEST

THE FUNNIEST

THE PRETTIEST