Name:............................................................................................................................................................... Date:.............................
comparative and superlative
Bart is young.
Lisa is younger.
Maggie is the youngest.
Use
To compare two or more things.
Formation
ADJECTIVE
COMPARATIVE
SUPERLATIVE
General rule (short words)
long
smart
old
tall
longer
smarter
older
taller
longest
smartest
oldest
tallest
nice
nicer
nicest
Ending in short vowel + consonant: big
bigger
biggest
Ending in consonant + –y:
lazy
funny
happy
lazier
funnier
happier
laziest
funniest
happiest
General rule (long words)
popular
responsible
handsome
nervous
more popular
more responsible
more handsome
more nervous
most popular
most responsible
most handsome
most nervous
good
bad
far
much
many
better
worse
further
more
more
best
worst
furthest
most
most
→ ADJ. + -ER + than
→ the + ADJ. + -EST
Ending in –e:
→ ADJ. + -R + than
→ the + ADJ. + -ST
→ double the consonant
→ replace –y --> –ier or -iest
→ MORE + ADJ.
→ MOST + ADJ.
Exceptions
Examples:



Bart is young. Lisa is younger than Bart but Maggie is the youngest.
Marge is funny. Bart is funnier than Marge but Homer is the funniest.
Bart is responsible. Lisa is more responsible than Bart but Marge is the most responsible.
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Name:............................................................................................................................................................... Date:.............................
Exercise 1: Comparative
Complete the sentences with the comparative:
1. This story is (funny) ........................................................................................................... that one.
2. I think mathematics is (difficult) ..................................................................................... English.
3. A giraffe's neck is (thin) ............................................................ ........................................ an elephant neck.
4. The weather today is (good) .................................................... ........................................ it was yesterday.
5. A holiday by the sea is (expensive) .................................................................................. a holiday in the mountains.
6. The weather yesterday was (bad) ........................................... ........................................ it is today.
7. Non-smokers usually live (long) ...................................................................................... smokers.
8. A rose is (beautiful) ........................................................................................................... a weed.
Exercise 2: Comparative
Make comparative sentences:
1.
Tom – tall – Jerry
............................................................................................................................................................
2.
Vegetables – good – sweets
.......................................................................................................................................................................................................
3.
English – interesting – biology
.......................................................................................................................................................................................................
4.
Europe – small – Asia
.......................................................................................................................................................................................................
Exercise 3: Superlative
Complete the sentences with the superlative:
1. The Nile is (long) ............................................................................................................... river in the world.
2. Morocco is (hot) .................................................................................................................country I’ve ever been to.
3. This exercise is (easy) ................................................................ ........................................ in the whole book.
4. Which is (safe) .................................................................................................................... way to travel?
5. Who is (intelligent) ............................................................................................................. pupil in the class?
6. This party will be (big) .......................................................................................................in his life.
7. (Successful) ......................................................................................................................... fantasy film is Harry Potter.
2
Name:............................................................................................................................................................... Date:.............................
Exercise 4: Did you know?
Fill in the following sentences with a comparative or superlative. Use the adjective in brackets.
1. Men can read (small) print than woman can; woman can hear (good).
...................................................
2. Intelligent people have (much/many) zinc and copper in their hair.
...................................................
3. A kangaroo rat can last (long) without water than a camel.
...................................................
4. “I am” is the (short) complete sentence in the English language.
...................................................
5. The (popular) boat name is ‘Obsession’.
...................................................
6. You will be able to walk (far) if you wear professional hiking shoes.
...................................................
7. Alaska is the state with the (high) percentage of people who walk to work.
...................................................
8. The Guinness Book of Records holds the records for being the book
(much/many) often stolen from public libraries.
...................................................
Exercise 5: What do you think?
Write down your ideas. Discuss with your partner.
1. (easy)
school subject
2. (nice)
time of the year
4. (good)
pop group/song
singer
5. (funny)
comic character/
actor/actress
3
3. (bad)
day of the week
Name:............................................................................................................................................................... Date:.............................
Exercise 6: Comparing people
OBELIX
37 years old
112 kilos
1.80 cm
ALICE
11 years old
45 kilos
1.50 cm
MOWGLI
9 years old
33 kilos
1.35 cm
SNOW WHITE
17 years old
60 kilos
1.73 cm
Write sentences about Obelix, Alice, Mowgli and Snow White, using following adjectives:
→ tall, young, slow, poor, shy, happy, short, thin, old, nice, rich, strong, pretty, fast, heavy, popular
1. Obelix is richer than Mowgli but Alice is the richest.
2. Alice is .....................................................................................................................................................................................
3. Mowgli is ................................................................................................................................................................................
4. Snow White is ........................................................................................................................................................................
5. ...................................................................................................................................................................................................
6. ...................................................................................................................................................................................................
7. ...................................................................................................................................................................................................
8. ...................................................................................................................................................................................................
9. ...................................................................................................................................................................................................
10. ................................................................................................................................................................................................
11. ................................................................................................................................................................................................
12. ................................................................................................................................................................................................
13. ................................................................................................................................................................................................
14. ................................................................................................................................................................................................
15. ................................................................................................................................................................................................
16. ................................................................................................................................................................................................
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