Comparative

Comparative

The formation of the comparative depends on the number of syllables in the base adjective.

Use of Comparative Adjectives

• We use comparative adjectives when talking about two things (not three or more things)

• Often, the comparative adjective is followed by "than".

• Look at these examples:

  John is 1m80. He is tall. But Chris is 1m85. He is taller than John. America is big. But Russia is bigger. I want to have a more powerful computer. Is French more difficult than English?

Comparative form 1

• one syllable

  fast (or high, small, etc.)

• Rule: adjective + "-er" + than

• A cat is faster than a turtle

Comparative form 2

two syllables 

heavy (ou happy, busy, etc.)

Rule: delete the "y", then use adjective + "-ier" + than

A melon is heavier than a grape

Comparative form 3

• More than one syllable (but excluding Type 2 above)

  important (or intelligent, careful, etc.)

• Rule:more + adjective + than

• Good health is more important than money 

Comparative form 4

• one syllable - CVC - consonant + vowel + consonant

  hot, big, fat, wet

• Rule: hot + double consonant + er

• In Summer is hotter than in Winter.

Comparative - Irregular adjectives

• Good

  Tim is better than Steve at tennis

• Bad

  This winter is worse than last year's winter

Practice the rules

Ready... set... GO!!!

Multiple Choice

Comparative adjectives are used when comparing _______ things, people or groups.

• two

• two or more

• three or more

Multiple Choice

Many adjectives are changed into the comparative form by adding

• -er

• -est

• -ies

Multiple Choice

Which is the comparative form? "I'm strong, but my brother is _______ ."

• strongest

• stronger

• as strong

Multiple Choice

A long adjective of 3 or more syllables is changed into a comparative adjective by

• adding -er to it

• adding -est to it

• putting "more" before it

Multiple Choice

Which is the correct comparative form? "My phone's expensive, but Joe's is _______ ."

• expensiver

• most expensive

• more expensive

Multiple Choice

Which is correct? "Do you think Maria is _______ than Selena?"

• prettier

• more pretty

• more prettier

Multiple Choice

Which is NOT a comparative form of the adjective "clever"?

• cleverer

• cleverrer

• more clever

Multiple Choice

Which is correct? "English is _______ Japanese."

• easier

• more easy

• easier than

Multiple Choice

Which is correct? "This year the weather is ______ than last year."

• badder

• worse

• worser

Multiple Choice

Which is comparative? "Whose English is _______? Mine or his?"

• good

• better

• best

Practice

Ready... set... GO!!!

Multiple Choice

Beth is ______than Eduardo.

• more short

• short

• shorter

Multiple Choice

The blue dress is ______ than the yellow dress.

• beautiful

• most beautiful

• more beautiful

Multiple Choice

My cat is ______ than your cat.

• big

• bigger

• more big

Multiple Choice

His kitchen is _______ than her kitchen.

• cleaner

• more clean

• clean

Multiple Choice

This test is ______ than the test we took yesterday.

• more difficult

• most difficult

• difficult

Multiple Choice

The brown bird is ______ than the yellow bird.

• more little

• small

• smaller

Multiple Choice

His headache was bad yesterday. Today it is ______.

• worse

• bad

• worst

Multiple Choice

Yesterday I was sick. Today I feel ______.

• more better

• better

• good

Multiple Choice

John is ______ than he was yesterday.

• more sick

• sickest

• sicker

Multiple Choice

The boys are ______ today than they were yesterday.

• happier

• more happy

• happy

Practice writing

Ready... set... GO!!!

Fill in the Blanks

The red jacket is

(cheap) than the blue jacket.

Fill in the Blanks

The shoes are

(nice) than the boots.

Fill in the Blanks

The pink socks are

(expensive) than the white socks.

Fill in the Blanks

The brown sweater is

(good) than the blue sweater.

Fill in the Blanks

The chocolate looks

(bad) than the candy.

Fill in the Blanks

The radio is

(new) than the DVD player.

Fill in the Blanks

The CDs are

(old) than the DVDs.

Fill in the Blanks

These apples are

(bright) than those apples.

Fill in the Blanks

This dress is

(beautiful) than that dress.

Fill in the Blanks

Those green tomatoes are

(sweet) than the red tomatoes.