Running head: GRAMMAR LESSON
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Grammar Lesson Plan
Sharon Allie
Azusa Pacific University
GRAMMAR LESSON
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Context
This lesson is designed for ESL students with an intermediate English language ability. It
will be taught as part of a communicative, writing-skills course at a U.S. community college.
There are approximately 24 students with a mixture of nationalities and native languages in the
class. Two-thirds of the students are typically Asian (Chinese, Japanese, South Korean), and the
remaining students are from Eastern Europe, the Middle East and France. The majority of
students are between the ages of 18 and 21, and four to five students are in their mid to late
twenties or older. Most of the students are working on their English language skills to
eventually pass the TOEFL exam in order to get accepted into a university, and earn a four-year
degree. There are approximately the same number of males as females in the class. The class
is 90 minutes in length.
Rationale
In this lesson, I chose to review the basic rules of comparative and superlative
adjectives, and to introduce more sophisticated adjective vocabulary and additional form rules.
Cowan also notes that “the most frequently cited errors that ESL/EFL students make are
incorrect renditions of comparative and superlative forms of adjectives and adverbs.” (588)
The general goal of the lesson is to help students strengthen their writing skills in order to be
prepared for increasingly more challenging academic writing as students continue their studies.
Often students at intermediate level have a basic understanding of comparative and superlative
forms, but their skills and use of these forms can be limited.
GRAMMAR LESSON
Lesson Plan
Title: Comparatives & Superlative
Time Frame: 90 minutes
Assumptions:
Students will be have had instruction on basic comparative and superlative form, but they may
not feel confident in using this form, especially with more advanced vocabulary and grammar
rules and exceptions.
Materials Needed/Preparation Steps:

Web address: http://www.real-english.com/reo/39/unit39.html

Handout #1: Comparative & Superlative Forms of Adjectives & Adverbs (1 per student)
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Handout #2: Conversation Questions, Partner A (1 for ½ the class)
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Handout #3: Conversation Questions, Partner B (1 for ½ the class)
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Assorted Photos

Laptop/ Overhead projector including a spare light bulb and an extension cord.

A Transparency of Handout #1
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Pack of multi-colored WB markers and erasers (2).
Student Learning Outcomes:
1. SWBAT: Determine the number of syllables, and other morphological differences in
adjectives in order to correctly change adjectives and adverbs into the comparative and
superlative forms.
2. SWBAT: Verbally compose answers that appropriately use the comparative and superlative
forms of adjectives and adverbs.
3. SWBAT: Write comparative and superlative adjectives and adverbs correctly in sentences.
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GRAMMAR LESSON
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Role/Greeting: (2 min)
Hook/Warm-up:
1. “Real English” Comparatives & Superlatives YouTube Video (10mins)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLE5yPZa_Ow
Teacher (T) plays first 3 minutes of the YouTube video.
T elicits the types of comparatives and superlatives that students (Ss) remember in the
video [Hints: Comparatives: NYC is bigger than San Francisco.; He is a better cook than I am.
Superlatives: The most beautiful city is NY. The most beautiful country is Greece.]
T writes a few examples on the White Board (WB), including, “The most beautiful city is
NY.”
T In pairs, Ss discuss the city they think is “the most” beautiful city.
Ss share their superlative sentences with whole class; start with one volunteer who then
picks someone else in the room to give their sentence, until all the students have shared the
name of the city they believe is the most beautiful.
Presentation:
2. Presentation: Grammar Rules with Projector & Handout (10 min)
T puts transparency of grammar rules handout on overhead projector, and gives each S
copy of handout.
T: Ok, we’re to review the differences between comparatives and superlatives.
We use comparatives to compare 2 things. For example, “My husband is a better cook
than me.”
We use superlatives to compare 3 or more things. For example, “NY is the most beautiful
city.”
T reviews 1 or 2 examples of the comparative and superlative forms for each category on
the handout on the overhead, writing the forms on the transparencies, for example: for
“big”, teacher writes “bigger” under comparative, and “biggest” under superlative on the
handout. T also gives sentence examples for each adjective or adverb T illustrates. For each
adjective, T asks students “How many syllables does ____ have?”, and periodically reminds
student to remember to add “than” in comparatives, and “the” in superlatives.
GRAMMAR LESSON
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Practice:
3. Complete Grammar Rules Handout (8 mins)
T directs Ss to work in groups of 4 to complete the comparative and superlative forms
handout for the adjectives and adverbs not covered in the presentation. T monitors Ss
sentences and makes corrections.
4. Sentence Writing (10 mins)
T directs Ss to work in pairs. Each Ss thinks of a person in their lives who is very different
from them (size, skills, color of hair, personality, etc.). The T directs Ss to brainstorm 3
adjectives that describe why the Ss are different from the person they chose and to
consider using some of the adjectives on the handout. T directs Ss to write 2 sentences that
compare the Ss with the person they chose using these adjectives. Ss report their
sentences to the full class.
5. “Conversational Questions” (Comparatives) (10 mins)
In pairs, Ss ask each other questions from Handouts #2 and #3.
Partner A reads a question from the “A” handout. When partner B answers, partner A
writes down the comparatives their partner used the handout. Partner A then reads a
question from the “B” handout, and partner A writes down the comparatives and
superlatives their partner used on the handout. Partners A and B take turns asking
questions. T takes volunteer feedback/examples for each of the 10 questions asked. When
Ss have finished, they are to work together to fill in the superlative forms of all the
comparative adjectives that were used.
6. “Superlative Classmates!” (Superlatives) (10 mins)
Ss in the class are to take 2 minutes and think about a classmate. They must write a
sentence to share with the class that uses a superlative, for example, “Mika is the most
intelligent student in the class.”, or “Polo is the funniest student in the class.” Ss share their
sentences in a full class share.
GRAMMAR LESSON
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Production Phase:
7. Writing a Story Activity (30 mins)
T directs Ss into groups of 4. Each group picks a photo/picture that they like from a group of
pictures (see appendix). Students work together to write a story. The story must be at least
7-10 sentences in length, and must contain at least 1 comparative and 1 superlative. Ss
hand in their stories at the end of the class, and the teaching will type them up for the next
class, where they will be edited by other classmates, and then shared with the whole class.
Wrap-up/Review: (2 min)
T will ask 1-2 volunteers to answer this question: What did we do today? T will summarize
the correct parts of Ss answers and restate: “Yes, we looked at comparatives and
superlatives.
T: How many things do we compare when using comparatives?
How do we write comparatives?
How many things do we compare when using superlatives?
How do we write superlatives?
Assessment Plan:
During monitoring, T will listen to groups talking, and scan handouts and writing for
accuracy. T will listen to grammar in full class and volunteer sharing. T will explicitly check
grammar in group stories.
References
Cowan, R. (2008). The Teacher's Grammar of English: A Course Book and
Reference Guide, with Answers. Cambridge University Press.
EslDiscussions.com. (2008-2013). Comparatives. Retrieved from
http://esldiscussions.com/index.html
Real English. (2012). Lesson 39 – Comparatives & Superlatives. Retrieved from
http://www.real-english.com/reo/39/unit39.html
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Appendix
Comparatives & Superlatives of Adjective & Adverbs
Comparative/ Superlative
1-Syllable
Adjectives
Big
wise
strange
2-Syllable
Adjectives
anxious
famous
boring
lazy
pretty
lonely
simple
clever
Adjectives with 3
or more syllables
beautiful
Irregular
Adjectives
bad
important
For most 1-syllable adjectives:
Comparative form: use
–er
Superlative form: use
–est
For most 2-syllable adjectives:
Comparative form: use more
Superlative form: use
most
For most 2-syllable adjectives
ending in –y, use –er and –est
(Note: y changes to ‘i’)
Certain 2-syllable adjectives are
used with either form: able,
angry, clever, cruel, friendly,
gentle, handsome, narrow,
obscure, polite, quiet, secure,
simple, stupid
More & most are used with
adjectives with 3 or more
syllables.
good
little
far
-LY Adverbs
slowly
quickly
More & most are used with
adverbs that end in –LY*
carefully
Adverbs not
ending in -LY
Fast
Hard
The –er and –est forms are used
with 1-syllable adverbs.
Soon
Close
Irregular Adverbs
Well
Badly
Far
* Exception: ‘early’ is both an adjective and an adverb.
Handout #1/ Sharon Allie 2013
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I’d Like to Know …
www.ehow.com
Partner A asks:
1. Which is more difficult to learn, English or your language?
2. What things are you better at than your best friend?
3. Are you happier now or were you happier when you were young?
4. Is it better to study English in class or online?
Handout #1
Handout #2/ Sharon Allie 2013
Comparatives Used:
Superlative Forms:
eg. taller than
tallest
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I’d Like to Know …
www.ehow.com
Partner B asks:
1. Does life get more complicated when you get older?
2. Is the world safer now than it was 10 years ago?
3. Will tomorrow be more interesting than today?
4. Would you like to be more beautiful/ more handsome than you are now or more
intelligent than now?
Handout #1
Handout #3/ Sharon Allie 2013
Comparatives Used:
Superlative Forms:
eg. taller than
tallest
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GRAMMAR LESSON
nuviderm.wordpress.com
qctimes.com
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GRAMMAR LESSON
www.columbiamissourian.com
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GRAMMAR LESSON
www.dreamstime.com
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