year 1 - Comparatives & Superlatives

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 2,3

Goal for today: 

You understand how to use comparatives & superlatives in English 

The rules

* 1 syllable: -er  / -est

example: strange - stranger than - the strangest

* 2 syllables ending in  -le, -er, -ow, -y: -er  / -est

example: simple - simpler than - the simplest

* 2 syllables  not ending in -le, -er, -ow, -y: more /most

example: careful - more careful than - the most careful

Some more rules 

* 3 or more syllables: more / most

example: popular - more popular than - the most popular

Exceptions:

good - better than - the best

bad - worse than - the worst

much / many - more than - the most

little - less than - the least

They are the (not) same:

He is as fast as his brother.

He is not as old as his brother.

1 syllable

doubling: consonant + vowel + consonant

a cheetah is  a BIG cat.
a leopard is  BIGGER.
a lion is the BIGGEST.

Y -> ier/ iest

The man in red shorts is UGLY.

The man in purple shorts is UGLIER THAN the man in the red shorts.

The man in white shorts is THE UGLIEST.

One syllable

two syllables ending in -le, - er, -ow, - y

two syllables NOT ending in -le, - er, -ow, - y

three or more syllables

more or most

er / est

Open your coursebook on:

page 117 and read grammar 6.4

My house is (big)
...
yours.

Who is (rich) ...
woman on earth?

This flower is (beautiful)
... that one.

This is (interesting) ....
book I have ever read.

A holiday by the sea is (good) ...
a holiday in the mountains.

The weather this summer is even (bad)
... last summer.

The weather is ____ than yesterday.

1. BETTER
2. HOTTER
3. HOTTEST
4. WORSE

The weather is ____ than yesterday.

incorrect answers

worse

the best

hotter

bad

French is ........(easy) German.

Joey is as … as Skip.

1. cooler
2. cool
3. funnier
4. coolest

Rob is the … man of them all.

1. weirder
2. most handsome
3. strict
4. greatest

Maegan is … than Romy.

1. more studious
2. happy
3. sweet
4. louder

Nadir's dog is … than Rens's cat.

1. lazyer
2. bigger
3. lazier
4. biger

Winston's panda is the … of them all.

1. lazyiest
2. bigest
3. laziest
4. biggest

Milk is … than Coke.

1. purer
2. sweetest
3. sweeter
4. purest

Fernando is the … of them all.

1. wisest
2. wissest
3. sweeter
4. oldest

Brian is … in Spanish than Bob.

1. better
2. gooder
3. worse
4. badder

Winston is the … dancer of them all.

1. goodest
2. best
3. worst
4. baddest

Do you understand the comparatives?

1. Yes, I do!
2. I need to practise a bit more!