Dictionaries
Grammar reference
Comparative adjectives
We use comparative adjectives when we compare two people, places, animals or objects.
⇓
Elephants are taller than horses.
Giraffes are taller than elephants.
Adjectives change to comparative adjectives like this.
| Short adjectives: + er/+ r | |
| Adjective | Comparative adjective |
|
tall big* nice |
taller bigger nicer |
| *Double the final consonant in adjectives that end in vowel + consonant: big → bigger | |
| Adjectives ending in — y | |
| Adjective | Comparative adjective |
| hungry
friendly |
hungrier
friendlier |
|
Long adjectives (two or more syllables) |
|
|
Adjective |
Comparative adjective |
|
difficult intelligent |
more difficult more intelligent |
|
Irregular adjectives |
|
|
Adjective |
Comparative adjective |
|
good bad |
better worse |
We can use comparative adjectives after be, look, get and feel.
We usually use «than» after comparative adjectives.
⇓
They’re more expensive than apples.
We can sometimes use a comparative adjective on its own to describe a change.
⇓
The weather’s getting colder.(= colder than it was before)
I feel better now.(= better than I felt yesterday)
Superlative adjectives
We use superlative adjectives when we compare a person, animal, place or thing with all of the group they are in.
⇓
That giraffe is the tallest animal in the zoo.
Giraffes are the tallest animals in the world.
Adjectives change to superlative adjectives like this.
|
Short adjectives |
|
|
Adjective |
Superlative adjective |
|
young rich sad |
the youngest the richest the saddest* |
|
* Double the final consonant in adjectives that end in vowel + consonant: |
|
|
⇒ sad → the saddest, wet → the wettest |
|
|
Adjectives ending in -y |
|
|
Adjective |
Superlative adjective |
|
funny happy |
the funniest the happiest |
|
Long adjectives (two or more syllables) |
|
|
Adjective |
Superlative adjective |
|
comfortable delicious |
the most comfortable the most delicious |
|
Irregular adjectives |
|
|
Adjective |
Superlative adjective |
|
good bad |
the best the worst |
We always use the before superlative adjectives.
⇒ Ronny’s the funniest person in the class.
After superlative adjectives we usually use in or on before the name of a place.
⇓
It’s the biggest lake in Europe.
It’s the most dangerous place on Earth.
As busy as a bee
Match the parts of the idioms
We use as … as to say that there isn’t a difference between people and things.
⇓
It’s as big as a house!
We use not as … as to say that there is a difference between people and things.
⇓
Cats aren’t as big as lions.
Look at the pictures and compare the animals
⇓
A tiger is not as big as an elephant.
Cats aren’t as friendly as dogs.
beautiful, dangerous, intelligent, friendly, nice, rare, big, small
Compare
Choose the correct option
Complete with the comparative form
Winter vs. summer
Complete the sentences using the opposite adjectives
Write the sentences in correct order
The animal world
Listen to the recording and choose True or False
Write sentences to compare animals. Use your own ideas
Holiday impressions
Choose the best sentence and complete the dialogue
A — Anna | B — Ben
General knowledge quiz
Write the superlative adjectives and guess the answers
Now listen and check your answers
The postcard
Complete the postcard with the words from the list
Use the words: ate, Atlantic Ocean, dolphins, Ireland, very long, windy
Write a postcard
Write 8-10 sentences about your last journey to an interesting place
Write about:
- where you were
- what were the most interesting things there
- what were the best/worst things there
- the place where you stayed
- the activities you did
- the weather and the nature there
- what you liked the most/the least about the trip
Wordlist
| 1. lake | 8. field | 15. cold |
| 2. seaside | 9. desert | 16. wet |
| 3. ocean | 10. beautiful | 17. dry |
| 4. mountain | 11. incredible | 18. green |
| 5. countryside | 12. unusual | 19. snowy |
| 6. island | 13. amazing | 20. windy |
| 7. beach | 14. boring | 21. sunny |
