English Language Programs Academic English Level 2 Elementary Week 8 Grammar Comparative Adjectives old>older heavy>heavier expensive>more expensive

The comparative is er (older) or more (more expensive) -er Short words (1 syllable) > -er old > older nice > nicer Spelling big > bigger hot > hotter thin > thinner slow > slower late > later cheap > cheaper big > bigger

words ending in y > -ier easy > easier heavy > heavier early > earlier

more Long words (2/3/4 syllables) > more careful > more careful expensive > more expensive Exceptions far > further good/well > better bad > worse polite > more polite interesting > more interesting

Exercises 1. Write the comparative. Old Strong Happy Older Stronger Happier Good Large Serious
Title: Essential Grammar in Use Author: Raymond Murphy Publisher/Date: Cambridge University Press, 2006 Unit No/Page No:180, 181, 182, 183, 186 and 187

Better Larger More serious

English Language Programs Academic English Level 2 Elementary Modern Important More modern More important Pretty Crowded Prettier More crowded

2. Write the opposite. Younger Colder Cheaper Older Hotter More expensive Better Nearer Easier Worse Further More difficult

3. Complete the sentences. Use a comparative. 1. Helens car isnt very big. She wants a bigger one. 2. My job isnt very interesting. I want to do something more interesting. 3. Youre not very tall. Your brother is___taller________________________________. 4. David doesnt work very hard. I work _____harder___________________________. 5. My chair isnt very comfortable. Yours is ________more comfortable____________. 6. Your plan isnt very good. My plan is ________better_________________________. 7. These flowers arent very nice. The blue ones are ___nicer_____________________. 8. My bag isnt very heavy. Your bag is ______heavier___________________________. 9. Im not interested in art. Im _______more interested_______________ in history. 10.It isnt very warm today. It was _____warmer________________ yesterday.

Comparing two things. We use the comparative + than (older than) when there are two nouns in the sentence. Athens is older than Rome. Are oranges more expensive than bananas? Its easier to phone than to write a letter. How are you today? Not bad. Better than yesterday. The restaurant is more crowded than usual.

Title: Essential Grammar in Use Author: Raymond Murphy Publisher/Date: Cambridge University Press, 2006 Unit No/Page No:180, 181, 182, 183, 186 and 187

English Language Programs Academic English Level 2 Elementary Exercises 1. Write sentences about Liz and Ben. Use than. Liz Im 26. Im not a very good swimmer. Im 1 metre 68 tall. I start work at 8 oclock. I dont work very hard. I havent got much money. Im a very good driver. Im not very patient. Im not a very good dancer. Im very intelligent. I speak French very well. I dont go to the cinema very much. Ben Im 24. Im a very good swimmer. Im 1 metre 63 tall. I start work at 8:30. I work very hard. Ive got a lot of money. Im not a very good driver. Im very patient. Im a good dancer. Im not very intelligent. I dont speak French very well. I go to the cinema a lot.

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

Liz is older than Ben. Ben is a better swimmer than Liz. Liz is_taller than Ben____________. Liz starts __earlier than_____ Ben. Ben __works harder than Liz________ Ben has got _more money than Liz___

7. Liz is a __better driver than Ben_______ 8. Ben __is more patient than Liz____ 9. Ben __is a better dancer than Liz_______ 10.Liz __is more intelligent than Ben__ 11. Liz __speaks French better than Ben ___ 12. Ben _goes to the cinema more than Liz_

2. Complete the sentences. Use than. 1. He isnt very tall. Youre taller than him. 2. She isnt very old. Youre ___older than her____________________________. 3. I dont work very hard. You work_____harder than me_________________. 4. He doesnt watch TV very much. You __watch more TV than him___________. 5. Im not a very good cook. You _____are a better cook than me________________. 6. We dont know many people. You ____know more people than us___________. 7. They havent got much money. You ___have got more money than them_____. 8. I cant run very fast. You can __run faster than me____________________.
Title: Essential Grammar in Use Author: Raymond Murphy Publisher/Date: Cambridge University Press, 2006 Unit No/Page No:180, 181, 182, 183, 186 and 187

English Language Programs Academic English Level 2 Elementary 9. She hasnt been here very long. You ____have been here longer than her_______. 10. They didnt get up very early. You ____got up earlier than them___________. 11. He wasnt very surprised. You ____were more surprised than him__________.

Superlative Adjectives

old> the oldest

heavy> the heaviest

expensive> the most expensive

The superlative is the est (the oldest) or the most (the most expensive) The -est Short words (1 syllable) > the -est old > the oldest nice > the nicest Spelling big > the biggest hot > the hottest thin > the thinnest slow > the slowest late > the latest cheap > the cheapest big > the biggest

words ending in y > the -iest easy > the easiest heavy > the heaviest early > the earliest

more Long words (2/3/4 syllables) > the most careful > the most careful expensive > the most expensive Exceptions far > the furthest good/well > the best bad > the worst polite > the most polite interesting > the most interesting

Title: Essential Grammar in Use Author: Raymond Murphy Publisher/Date: Cambridge University Press, 2006 Unit No/Page No:180, 181, 182, 183, 186 and 187

English Language Programs Academic English Level 2 Elementary Exercises 1. Complete the sentences. Use a superlative. (the oldest etc.) 1. This building is very old. Its the oldest building in the town. 2. It was a very happy day. It was ___the happiest day_____________ of my life. 3. Its a very good film. Its ___the best film___________________ Ive ever seen. 4. Shes a very popular singer. Shes __the most popular singer__ in the country. 5. It was a very bad mistake. It was __the worst mistake________Ive ever made. 6. Its a very pretty village. Its __the prettiest village____________Ive ever seen. 7. It was a very cold day. It was __the coldest day________________ of the year. 8. Hes a very boring person. Hes __the most boring person_______ Ive ever met.

2. Write sentences with a superlative (the longest etc.). Sydney Everest Alaska Brazil Jupiter the Nile Large Long High country city river planet state mountain The USA the solar system Africa South America The world Australia

1. Sydney in the largest city in Australia. 2. Everest ___is the highest mountain in the world______________________. 3. _Alaska is the largest state in the USA_______________________________. 4. _Brazil is the largest country in South America________________________. 5. _Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system________________________. 6. _The Nile is the longest river in Africa________________________________.

Title: Essential Grammar in Use Author: Raymond Murphy Publisher/Date: Cambridge University Press, 2006 Unit No/Page No:180, 181, 182, 183, 186 and 187