CONTENTS

Preview
9-1 Making comparisons with as...as
9-2 Comparative and superlative
9-3 Comparative and superlative forms of adjectives...
9-4 Completing a comparative
9-5 Modifying comparatives
9-6 Comparisons with less...than and not as...as
9-7 Unclear comparisons
9-8 Using more with nouns
9-9 Repeating a comparative
9-10 Using double comparatives
9-11 Using superlatives
9-12 Using the same, similar, different, like, alike

PREVIEW

short/tall bars

BAR 1 is taller than BAR 3.

BAR 3 is taller than BAR 2.
BAR 1 is shorter than BAR
_____
4.

_____
BAR 2 is the shortest one of all.

9-1 MAKING COMPARISONS WITH AS AS

Jenn is not as old as Emma.

Emma

Jenn

9-1 MAKING COMPARISONS WITH AS AS

(a) The boots and shoes are size 11.

The boots are as large as the shoes.

9-1 MAKING COMPARISONS WITH AS AS

(a) The boots and shoes are size 11.

The boots are as large as the shoes.
(b) The chef cuts the onion as finely as he can.

9-1 MAKING COMPARISONS WITH AS AS

(a) The boots and shoes are size 11.

The boots are as large as the shoes.
(b) The chef cuts the onion as finely as he can.
Asas

parts are equal or same

as + adjective + as
as + adverb + as

9-1 LETS PRACTICE

as fast ___
An antelope can run ___
as a cheetah.

Cheetah 95 kph
Antelope 95 kph

9-2 COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE

A feather is lighter than a brick.

9-2 COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE

(a) A feather is lighter than a brick.

(b) Feathers and bricks are lighter than
horses and trucks.
(c) Horses are more beautiful than trucks.

9-2 COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE

(a) A feather is lighter than a brick.

(b) Feathers and bricks are lighter than
horses and trucks.
(c) A horse is more beautiful than a truck.

comparative + than

9-2 COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE

(d) The purple box is the longest of all the boxes.

(e) The brown box is the biggest box in the group.

superlative

one of a group

9-2 COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE

(d) The purple box is the longest of all the boxes.

(e) The brown box is the biggest box in the group.
(f) Everest is the most massive mountain in
the world.

superlative

-est or most

the + superlative
Everest - 8,848 m.

9-3 COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE FORMS OF

ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS

Our company is doing better

than all of our competition.
We are the best!

9-3 COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE FORMS OF

ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS

ONE-SYLLABLE
ADJECTIVES

COMPARATIVE

SUPERLATIVE

old

older

the oldest

wise

wiser

the wisest

add er

add est

9-3 COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE FORMS OF

ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS

TWO-SYLLABLE
ADJECTIVES
COMPARATIVE

famous

more famous

pleasant more pleasant

use more

SUPERLATIVE
the most famous
the most pleasant

use the most

9-3 COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE FORMS OF

ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS

TWO-SYLLABLE
ADJECTIVES
COMPARATIVE

SUPERLATIVE

busy

busier

the busiest

pretty

prettier

the prettiest

end in -y
add er
change -y to -i

add est

9-3 COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE FORMS OF

ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS

TWO-SYLLABLE
ADJECTIVES
COMPARATIVE

SUPERLATIVE

clever

cleverer
more clever

the cleverest
the most clever

gentle

gentler
more gentle

the gentlest
the most gentle

friendly

friendlier
more friendly

the friendliest
the most friendly

can use either

9-3 COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE FORMS OF

ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS

ADJECTIVES WITH
3 OR MORE SYLLABLES

important

COMPARATIVE

SUPERLATIVE

more important

the most important

fascinating more fascinating the most fascinating

use more

use the most

9-3 COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE FORMS OF

ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS

IRREGULAR
ADJECTIVES
COMPARATIVE

SUPERLATIVE

good

better

the best

bad

worse

the worst

irregular

irregular

9-3 COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE FORMS OF

ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS

-LY ADJECTIVES
COMPARATIVE

SUPERLATIVE

carefully

more carefully

the most carefully

slowly

more slowly

the most slowly

use more

use the most

9-3 COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE FORMS OF

ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS

ONE-SYLLABLE
ADVERBS
COMPARATIVE

SUPERLATIVE

fast

faster

the fastest

hard

harder

the hardest

use -er

use -est

9-3 COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE FORMS OF

ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS

IRREGULAR
ADVERBS
COMPARATIVE

SUPERLATIVE

well

better

the best

badly

worse

the worst

far

farther/further

the farthest/furthest

irregular

irregular

9-3 LETS PRACTICE

Greta

Greta is messy, but

Oscar is even _______.
messier
Oscar

9-3 LETS PRACTICE

The market is four miles from

Rosas house and five miles
farther (or further)
from my house. I live _______________
from the market than Rosa does.

9-3 LETS PRACTICE

I have many pleasant

memories from childhood.
pleasant
most _________
The _____
memory is going to the
zoo with my grandfather.

9-4 COMPLETING A COMPARATIVE

His hair is
curlier than
her hair.

9-4 COMPLETING A COMPARATIVE

(a) Shes taller than her husband (is).

(b) Shes taller than he is.
(c) Shes taller than him.

9-4 COMPLETING A COMPARATIVE

(a) Shes taller than her husband (is).

(b) Shes taller than he is.
formal English

than subject pronoun

(c) Shes taller than him.

informal English

than

object pronoun

9-4 COMPLETING A COMPARATIVE

(d) She studies more than he does.

(e) She got a better exam grade than he did.

9-4 COMPLETING A COMPARATIVE

(d) She studies more than he does.

(e) She got a better grade than he did.
than + subject

auxiliary verb

9-4 COMPLETING A COMPARATIVE

(f) His hair is curlier than hers.

(g) Her hair is longer than his.

9-4 COMPLETING A COMPARATIVE

(f) His hair is curlier than Kates

(g) Her hair is longer than his.
than

possessive pronoun

9-4 LETS PRACTICE

Mr. Poulos can carry heavy boxes. I cant.

He is much stronger than I____.
am (formal)

9-4 LETS PRACTICE

Mr. Poulos can carry heavy boxes. I cant.

He is much stronger than I am. (formal)
Mr. Poulos can carry heavy boxes. I cant.
He is much stronger than ____.
me (informal)

9-4 LETS PRACTICE

Mr. Poulos can carry heavy boxes. I cant.

His arms are stronger than _____
mine are.

9-5 MODIFYING COMPARATIVES

Mr. Poulos is very strong.

9-5 MODIFYING COMPARATIVES

(a) My car is very old.

(b) They walk very slowly on icy sidewalks.
very

adjectives

very

adverbs

9-5 MODIFYING COMPARATIVES

(c) INCORRECT: My car is very older than yours.

INCORRECT: They walk very more slowly

on icy sidewalks at night.

very

comparative adjectives

very

comparative adverbs

9-5 MODIFYING COMPARATIVES

(d) Erina is much smarter than I am.

Erina is a lot smarter than I am.
Erina is far smarter than I am.
(e) Dan reads much faster than he used to.
Dan reads a lot faster than he used to.
Dan reads far faster than he used to.
much, a lot, far

comparative adjectives
comparative adverbs

9-5 MODIFYING COMPARATIVES

(f) Jake reads a little bit faster than I do.

Jake reads a little bit faster than me. (informal)
another common modifier

9-5 LETS PRACTICE

Trees are _____

much more colorful
in the spring than in the winter.

very
much

9-5 LETS PRACTICE

The weather is ____

a lot warmer
in the spring than in the winter.

very
a lot

9-5 LETS PRACTICE

very
The weather can be ____
warm in the spring.

very
far

9-6 COMPARISONS WITH LESSTHAN AND NOT

AS AS

Miko is not as happy as Amanda.

Miko

Amanda

9-6 COMPARISONS WITH LESSTHAN AND NOT

AS AS

(a) A toy is less educational than a book.

(b) A toy is not as educational as a book.

(a) & (b) = same meaning

9-6 COMPARISONS WITH LESSTHAN AND NOT

AS AS

(c) A child is not as wise as an adult.

(d) INCORRECT: A child is less wise than an adult.
one-syllable
adjectives
or
adverbs

only not as as

9-6 LETS PRACTICE

as a mama lion.
A lion cub is ______
not as old ____

lessthan
not asas

9-6 LETS PRACTICE

as a mama lion.
A lion cub is _____
not as strong ____

lessthan
not asas

9-8 LETS PRACTICE

-er
more

His closet is so messy.

It is ________
messier than
everyone elses closet.

9-8 LETS PRACTICE

-er
more

Bill has had two accidents.

He should try to drive
more carefully
____________.

9-9 REPEATING A COMPARATIVE

That baby gets cuter and

cuter every day.

9-9 REPEATING A COMPARATIVE

(a) My workload got heavier and heavier.

(b) My headache got more and more painful.

idea of increasing in:

intensity
quality
quantity

9-9 LETS PRACTICE

smaller
better
harder

Her sneezes are getting

_________
and ________
harder
harder
to stop.

9-9 LETS PRACTICE

Mindy is playing the piano

______
better and ______
better
each day.

smaller
better
harder

9-9 LETS PRACTICE

smaller
better
harder

With airplane travel, the world

seems to get _______
smaller and
________
smaller every year.

9-10 USING DOUBLE COMPARATIVES

The more you practice, the

better you will play.

9-10 USING DOUBLE COMPARATIVES

(a) The more I learn, the more I want to know.

(b) The colder the weather, the better my dog
likes it.
(c) The longer the line, the better the restaurant.
2 parts

both begin with the

1st part: reason
2nd part: result

9-10 USING DOUBLE COMPARATIVES

(d) Should we ask

Annie to sit with
us?

Sure. The more,

the merrier.

9-10 USING DOUBLE COMPARATIVES

(d) Should we
ask Annie to sit
with us?
(e) When?

Sure. The more, the

merrier. The sooner
the better.
two common expressions:
Having more people is
more fun.
It is good to ask her as
soon as we can.

9-10 LETS PRACTICE

If the food is tasty, we eat more.

The tastier the food, ______________
the more we eat.

9-10 LETS PRACTICE

Good tools make a job easier.

The better the tools,
the easier the job.
_______________

9-10 LETS PRACTICE

Big poles catch big fish.

The
bigger the pole
________________,
the bigger the fish
_______________.

9-11 USING SUPERLATIVES

Cape Town is one of the

prettiest cities in Africa.

9-11 USING SUPERLATIVES

(a) Cape Town is one of the prettiest cities in

Africa.

9-11 USING SUPERLATIVES

(a) Cape Town is one of the most beautiful

cities in Africa.
(b) My friend Mary is the most talented artist
I know.

9-11 USING SUPERLATIVES

(a) Cape Town is one of the most beautiful

cities in Africa.
(b) My friend Mary is the most talented artist
I know.
(c) Ive had many jobs in my life. Being a teacher
is the best (job) of all.

9-11 USING SUPERLATIVES

(a) Cape Town is one of the most beautiful

cities in Africa.
(b) Mary Poulos is the most talented artist
I know.
(c) Ive had many jobs in my life. Being a teacher
is the best (job) of all.
superlative + in a place
superlative + adjective clause
superlative + of all

9-11 USING SUPERLATIVES

(d) Bradley went to three Italian cities. He said

that Venice was the least expensive of all.

9-11 USING SUPERLATIVES

(d) Bradley went to three Italian cities. He said

that Venice was the least expensive of all.

the least
opposites
the most

9-11 USING SUPERLATIVES

(e) Cape Town is one of the best places to surf.

(f) One of the best places to surf is Cape Town.

9-11 USING SUPERLATIVES

(e) Cape Town is one of the best places to surf.

(f) One of the best places to surf is Cape Town.

one of + PLURAL noun (+ SINGULAR verb)

9-11 LETS PRACTICE

Judy is happy. She is the

happiest person ___
________
in our class.

9-11 LETS PRACTICE

I like all the seasons, but spring is

best (season) ____
the ______
of all.

9-11 LETS PRACTICE

_____
mountains
of the most majestic _________
One ___
in the world ___
is Mt. Everest.