Comparisons

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 4

Grammar: Comparisons

Do you know the answers?

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

1. beautifuller
2. more beautiful

It is strange but often a coke is .........(expensive) than a beer.

1. expensiver
2. more expensive

Which is the ............... (dangerous)
animal in the world?

1. dangerousest
2. most dangerous

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

1. richest
2. most rich

Non-smokers usually live ........ (long) than smokers.

1. longer
2. more long

Degrees of comparison

There are 3 degrees of comparison: 

• adjective (bv nw): tall
• comparative (vergrotende trap) : taller
• superlative (overtreffende trap) : tallest
  

Adjectives of one syllable (1 lettergreep):

                                                                                        General Rule:   Tall – Taller – Tallest 

exception: 1) 

sad-sadder-saddest

big-bigger-biggest

thin-thinner-thinnest

fat-fatter-fattest

hot-hotter-hottest

wet-wetter-wettest

Does it sound short? Double consonant!

-er & -est

Exception 2

2) If an adjective ends in –e, we add –r or –st:

nice - nicer - nicest

large - larger - largest

3) If an adjective ends in a consonant and –y, we change –y to –i and add –er or –est:

happy- happier - happiest

silly - sillier - silliest

Adjectives of two or more syllables (2 or meer letgr.): 

You add more and the most in these words.

beautiful – more beautiful – most beautiful 

• Some adjectives of two syllables have two forms:
  Simple – simpler-simplest / simple – more simple – most simple
  Other examples: clever, common, cruel, gentle, likely, narrow, pleasant, polite 

likely narrow

pleasant

polite

simple

stupid

Examples

He is certainly handsomer than his brother.

His brother is handsome, but he is more handsome.

She is one of the politest people I have ever met.

She is the most polite person I have ever met.

Irregular adjectives of comparison: 

Irregular adjectives of comparison: 

good – better – best 

bad – worse – worst 

far – farther – farthest (distance only) 

further – furthest 

old – older – oldest 

elder-eldest (family relationship) 

Comparing

Two objects that are different:

1) This house is bigger than that one.

2) Our house is not as expensive as our neighbours'.

Our house is not so expensive as our neighbours'.

Two objects that are the same.

3) She is as intelligent as her brother.

Adverb of degree(bijwoord van graad)

You can put an adverb of degree in front of a comparative adjective: 

Examples: a bit, a great deal, a good deal, a little, a lot, much, rather, slightly 

• The potatoes are slightly more expensive than last year. (klein beetje duurder)

You can put these adverb of degree in front of a superlative adjective: By far, easily, much, quite. 

• John is by far the most intelligent pupil in the school. (tot nu toe) het slimst/de slimste)

If two objects/things are the same: 

• Susan is as tall as Carol . ( ze zijn even lang)
• Chris is as friendly as Kate. 

Comparative and superlative adverbs (bijwoord)

Adverb – comparative adverb – superlative adverb:

frequently - more frequently - the most frequently

Rabbits are seen more frequently than hares. 

Irregular adverbs of comparison:

badly – worse – worst  

close – closer – closest  

early – earlier – earliest  

far – farther/further – farthest/ furthest  

fast – faster – fastest  

hard – harder – hardest  

near – nearer – nearest  

well – better – best                                                              NOW DO EXERCISES 14-16

Extra exercise

Rewrite sentences a-f, keeping the same meaning, but using  another form of the comparative 

Example:  I’m worse at remembering faces than I am at remembering names. 

I’m not as good at remembering faces as I am at remembering names. 

a. My best friend drives more slowly than I do.

b. The weather is cooler in the autumn.

c. Air tickets are getting less and less expensive

d. In my opinion, the exercise isn’t as easy as it looks.

e. This school isn’t as big as I remember it.

f. Our local shops are further than we’d like them to be.

Answers extra exercise

 

a. My best friend doesn't drive as fast as I do. 

b. The weather is not as hot in the autumn. 

c. Air tickets are getting cheaper and cheaper. 

d. In my opinion, the exercise is more difficult than it looks. 

e. This school is smaller than I remember it. 

f. Our local shops are not as close as  we’d like them to be. 

a. My best friend drives ___ (slow) ___ I do. 

more slowly; than

Quiz Time 

The weather is_____ in the autumn.

1. cooler
2. coolest

Do you understand the explanation of the degrees of comparison?

1. yes
2. no
3. I am not sure
4. Sorry. I have been sleeping or doing other things that I should not do in class.