Unit 2

Making Comparisons
Comparative and Superlative forms of adjectives and adverbs.

Comparative Forms Adjective/Adverb+ -er + than Tennis is cheaper than golf.

More + adjective/adverb + than
Superlative Forms The + adjective/adverb + est
The most + adjective/adverb
Marina works harder than before.
Golf is more expensive than tennis.
It rains more often than in the past.
Chess is one of the cheapest hobbies.
Playing team sports is the most sociable free-time activity

Comparison of Adjectives
Add er and est with: One-syllable adjectives:
Fiona is fitter than last year
two-syllable adjectives ending in y and ly e.g. happy, friendly
My Brothers the friendliest person in my family.
Use more and most with: adjectives of two syllables or more (except two-syllable adjectives ending in y
and ly)
Biking is the most dangerous activity.

Pag. 169 Language Reference : Making Comparisons

These form irregular comparisons:

Good Better best

Well Better best
much More most
Little Less least
Bad worse worst
badly worse worst
many more most
Far farther/further farthest/furthest

To say two thing are the same use as + adjective + as:

1) She finds doing aerobics as interesting as playing team sports (this means She finds doing
aerobics and playing team sports equally interesting.)

To say one thing is less than another, use:

1) Not so/as + adjective +as:
Windows shopping is not so/as enjoyable as clubbing.

2) Less/least + adjective:
Playing chess is less healthy than playing team sports.
Clubbing is the least healthy activity you can do.

Comparison of adverbs:

Add er and est with: One-syllable adverbs, e.g. hard, fast,straight:

My mum works harder than my dad.
Use more and most with: Two-syllable adverbs including adverbs ending in ly:
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Maria read the text more quickly than Susanna.
She visits me more often than in the past.

These adverbs form irregular comparisons:

well better best
badly worse worst

To

Phrasal Verbs and Expressions

Take up: Start doing a particular job or activity. I need to get more exercise, so Im thinking of taking up
jogging
Sum up: Describe the important facts or characteristics about something or someone. How would you
sum up her personality in just a few words?
Get hold of: Obtain something. We could play football this afternoon if I can get hold of a ball
Have a go: Try to do something. Hans let me have a go on his new bike, and now I want to get one
myself
Take risks: Do something even though something bad might happen because of it. Id never do
something like sky-diving because I don't enjoy taking risks
Make up: Say or write something which is not true. Sometimes when I arrive home late, I make up an
excuse to tell my parents why I am late
Keep a promise: Do what you said you would do. People won't trust you unless you can keep your
promise and do what you say you're going to do
Not have a clue: Be completely unable to guess, understand, or deal with something. Diego didnt have
a clue how to answer the questions in yesterday's exam because he simply hadnt studied
Start up:
Go off: Explode. As soon as they heard the burglar alarm go off the thieves drove off in their waiting
car
Put off: Postpone. The match was put off until the next day because of the rain
Let someone off: Excuse someone from doing something. We didnt have to do the test again because
the teacher let us off
Show off: Boast (presumir). Shes always showing off about her fancy house and expensive car
Set off: Start a journey. We cycle to the swimming pool but it was closed so we set off for the park
instead
Cut off: Interrupt a power supply. The lights arent working. I think the electricity has been cut off.

Grammar: Adjectives with ed and ing.

Page 163 Language Reference : Adjectives with ed and -ing

There are many adjectives which are formed with ed or ing. Some adjectives do not have both forms.

Adjectives with ed express how a person feels about something.

I was fascinated by the photos of her trip to Australia on her Facebook page.
Adjectives with ing are used to describe the person or thing which produces the feeling.
Have you seen that amazing video on YouTube? (I felt amazed when I saw it.)

Spelling changes when adding prefixes and other suffixes.

We normally do not change the spelling of the base word when we add a prefix or a suffix:
Need unneeded, arrange arrangement
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However :

We drop the final e when there is a consonant before it and the suffix begins with a vowel (-er,
-ed, -ing, -ance, -ation, etc.): irritate irritating, fame famous.
We do not drop the final e when the suffix begins with a consonant: safe safety, manage
management
A final y becomes I: industry industrial

Adding Prefixes.
When we add a syllable like un-, dis-, or in- before the word to make it negative, we do not change the
spelling.
e.g.:
dis- : appoint disappoint, satisfied dissatisfied
un- : like unlike, necessary unnecessary

NOTE:
Before words beginning with r, we use ir- : irrelevant
Before words beginning with m or p, we use im- : immature, impatient;
Before words beginning with I, we use il- : illogical, illiterate.

The most common spelling errors by candidates:

Accommodation, advertisement, beautiful, because, beginning, believe, between, children comfortable,

communicate, convenient, country/countries, course, different, embarrassed/embarrassing,
environment, excellent, experience, government, loose, lose, necessary, nowadays, opinion,
opportunity/opportunities, prefer, receive, recommend, restaurant, society, their, until, wealthy, which.