2.1. Degrees of comparison.

Rule.

An adjective describes a noun. They go before noun. They have the same form in singular and plural and answer the question WHAT?

E.g. This is an interesting book.

He is rich.

An adverb describes a verb. They usually go after verb and answer the question HOW? WHERE? WHEN? HOW OFTEN?

E.g. He wakes up early.

It is raining heavily.

Adjective	Positive	Comparative	Superlative
1.One syllable	small late	smaller later	the smallest the latest
2.Two syllable+y (y-i)	happy early	happier earlier	the happiest the earliest
3. Stressed vow. between cons.	big	bigger	the biggest
4. More than two syllables	wonderful expensive	more wonderful more expensive	the mostwonderful the most expensive
5. Irregular	good bad many/many a lot of little far	better worse more more less farther/further	the best the worst the most the most the least thefurthest/farthest

1. Write comparative and superlative form of the following adjectives.

1. small ……………….. ………………..

2. big ……………….. ………………..

3. weak ……………….. ………………..

4. dangerous ……………….. ………………..

5. slow ……………….. ………………..

6. pretty ……………….. ………………..

7. safe ……………….. ………………..

8. beautiful ……………….. ………………..

9. fat ……………….. ………………..

10. sad ……………….. ………………..

2. Write the opposite.

1. younger …… older…….

2. older ………………..

3. cheaper ………………..

4. better ………………..

5. easier ………………..

3. Complete the sentences using comparative.

1. Sue's car isn't very big. She wants a ….bigger….car.

2. This house isn't very modern. I prefer ……………….. houses.

3. You're not very tall. Your brother is ……………….. .

4. Bill doesn't work very hard. I work ……………….. .

5. My chair isn’t very comfortable. Yours is …………………

6. Jill's idea wasn't very good. My idea was ……………….. .

7. These flowers aren't very nice. The blue ones are ……………….. .

8. My case isn’t very heavy. Your case is ……………….. .

9. I'm not very interested in art, I'm ……………….. in history.

10. It isn't very warm today. It was ……………….. yesterday.

Rule

We use than with comparatives when we want to show the differences between two things.

E.g. Students are younger than teachers.

We say …. Than me / him / her / us / them.

E.g. I can speak English better than him.

or I can speak English better than he can.

4. Complete the sentences using than.

1. He isn't very tall.

….You’re taller than him. ………………………………………………….

2. She isn’t very old.

You're ………………………………………………………………………

3. I don't work very hard.

You work …………………………………………………………………..

4. He doesn't smoke very much. You………………………………………………………………………….

5. I'm not a very good cook. You………………………………………………………………………….

6. We don't know many people.

You ………………………………………………………………………… 7. They haven't got much money.

You've got………………………………………………………………….

8. I can't run very fast.

You can ……………………………………………………………………

9. She hasn’t been here very long.

You ………………………………………………………………………..

10. I didn't get up very early.

You ………………………………………………………………………..

5. Fill in the comparative form as in the example.

1. My motorbike goes ……..faster than........ (fast) yours.

2. I work …………………. (hard) Paul.

3. Today it is …………………. (cold) yesterday.

4. I'm…………………. (old) you.

5. English is …………………. (little) difficult Japanese.

6. The last bus was …………………. (crowded) the first bus.

7. I need a …………………. (big) bag …………………. this.

8. Traveling by tram is …………………. (expensive) traveling by bus.

9. A coat costs …………………. (much) a jacket.

10. Vegetables are …………………. (good) for your health

…………………. crisps.

Rule.

We use the construction as….as, not as…as with positive form two compare things.

E.g. I am as beautiful as my mother.

6. Write sentence with as ….. as.

1. Athens is older than Rome.

Rome ……. isn’t as old as Athens……………..

2. My room is bigger than yours.

Your room isn't ……………………………..

3. You got up earlier than me. I didn't …………………………………………

4. We played hotter than them. They didn't …………………………………...

5. I’ve been here longer than you. You haven’t ……………………………….

7. Fill in as or than.

1. Athens is older …than…. Rome.

2. I don't watch TV as much ……….. you.

3. You eat more ……….. me.

4. I feel better ……….. I felt yesterday.

5. Jim isn't as clever ……….. he thinks.

6. Belgium is smaller ……….. Switzerland.

7. Brazil isn't as big ……….. Canada.

8. I can't wait longer ……….. an hour.

8. Fill in the superlative form.

1. Sarah is ………… the youngest ………… person in my family (young).

2. That is ………………………………… dress I have ever seen (horrible).

3. Roses are the flowers which have ………………………….. smell (nice).

4. January is ……………………………………… month of the year (cold).

5.That was ……………………………………..joke I’ve ever heard (funny).

6. She is …………………………………... woman I've ever met (beautiful).

7. Mrs Green is…………………. ……………person I know (interesting).

8. This is …………………..…………………..song I’ve ever heard (bad).

9. Put the adjectives in brackets into the positive, comparative or superlative form. Fill in than, of, in or the where necessary.

1. I am ……..younger than ……… my brother (young)

2. That is …………………. programme on television (good).

3. That was …………………. meat I've ever had (tasty).

4. My Maths teacher is very …………………. (clever).

5. The old train is …………………. the new train (slow).

6. I have got …………………. money …………………. my sister (much).

7. This is …………………. tree …………………. the forest (tall).

8. The music is very …………………. (loud).

9. The watch is very …………………. (expensive).

10. Chris is …………………. student …………………. all (intelligent).

10. Complete the sentences using as …. as or than and the word in brackets.

1. I don’t eat ……as much as….. you (much).

2. England has ………. people ……….. Holland (more).

3. I can’t speak French ………………….you (well).

4. Harry isn't ………………….I am (strong).

5. Chocolate isn't …………………. milk (healthy).

6. Bill's car isn't …………………. Tim's (fast).

7. Julie isn't …………………. her cousin (old).

8. This knife is …………………. that one (sharper).

9. This dictionary is………………….that one (good).

10. The petrol station is ………………….from my house ………………….

the bank (farther).