Didactic Sequence 2

Which is better?
Start up Activity

Part A. Talking Time. Which is better? Look at the pictures. Circle the correct option and compare the
objects.

1. Which one is bigger? 2. Which one is smaller?

3. Which one is faster? 4. Which one is slower?

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BLOCK I Similarities and Differences

5. Which is better? 6. Which is more attractive?

Part B. Now write sentences comparing each picture in part A.

Example: 1) Square A is BIGGER THAN square B.

2. ______________________________________________________________.
3. ______________________________________________________________.
4. ______________________________________________________________.
5. ______________________________________________________________.
6. ______________________________________________________________.
 Development Activity

1
Part A. Comparative Adjectives.

GRAMMAR
• When we talk about two things, we can "compare" them. We can see if they are the same or
different. We use comparative adjectives when talking about 2 things.
• Comparatives are used to compare and clarify the difference between two nouns. In other words,
comparative adjectives are used when two things or objects are being compared.

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TIP! We use comparative adjectives

when talking about two things (not
three or more things).

Forms of comparative adjectives

There are two ways to make or to "form" a comparative adjective:

• Short adjectives: add "-er" (E.g. Big – bigger; small – smaller).

• Long adjectives: use "more" (E.g. Beautiful – more beautiful; intelligent – more intelligent).

Often, the comparative adjective is followed by "than."

Examples:
Sonora is BIGGER than Nayarit.
A cat is SMALLER than an elephant.
Alamos is MORE BEAUTIFUL than Navojoa.

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Part B. Forming comparatives.

To write a comparative adjective, we add –ER or MORE to the base adjective. There are some spelling
rules. Look at these examples:
Rule Spelling Rule Example
nice – nicer
1 If the adjective ends in –e, add –r. safe – safer
large – larger
If the adjective ends in a consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) pattern, big – bigger
2
double the final consonant and add –er. flat – flatter
easy –easier
If the adjective ends with a consonant + y, change –y to –i and add
3 funny – funnier
–er.
pretty – prettier
tall – taller
4 For all other adjectives, add –er. soft – softer
loud – louder
beautiful – more beautiful
5 For 3 or more syllable adjectives add more.
expensive – more expensive

Examples:

1. The hotel room is larger than my bedroom at home.

2. An elephant is bigger than a horse.
3. Today’s test was easier than last week’s.
4. My new pillow is softer than my old one. 37
5. Math class is more difficult than History class.

BLOCK I Similarities and Differences

IMPORTANT: There are some irregular adjectives; they follow a different rule.

IRREGULAR COMPARATIVE ADJECTIVES

Examples:

1. Barcelona is better than Real Madrid.

2. This day is worse than yesterday.
3. Your house is farther than mine.
 Part C. Practice time. Write the comparative form for the following adjectives.

ADJECTIVE COMPARATIVE FORM

hot hotter

loud

close

thin

noisy

quiet

safe

wet
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high

popular

amazing

easy

interesting

modern

handsome

beautiful

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Part D. Complete the sentences using the correct comparative form (ER or MORE) of the adjectives in
parenthesis. Remember to add the word “THAN.”

Example: Cats are cuter than dogs. (cute)

1. Snakes are ____________________ snails. (fast)
2. London is _____________________ Madrid. (big)
3. Snails are _____________________ snakes. (slow)
4. My literature book is ________________________ my English book. (difficult)
5. Lord of the Rings is ________________________ Mission Impossible. (interesting)

Part E. Make sentences comparing these things as in the example.

1. English / maths (important) English is more important than maths.

2. A tortoise / a cat (slow) _________________________________________________.
3. My friend / I (handsome) _________________________________________________.
4. Chocolate milkshakes / lemonade (good) _________________________________________________.
5. A tiger / a rabbit (dangerous) _________________________________________________.
6. The North Pole / Africa (cold) _________________________________________________. 39

7. Swimming / skating (easy) _________________________________________________.

BLOCK I Similarities and Differences

8. The Eiffel Tower / my house (big) _________________________________________________.
9. A stone / a feather (heavy) _________________________________________________.
10. Planes / cars (fast) __________________________________________________.
 2
Reading comprehension

Part A. Read the texts and underline the comparative adjectives you can find.

IT ISN’T EASY BEING PARENTS

We try to be good parents, but no matter how hard

we try, our children never seem to be satisfied.
They think we should be better parents. They
think we should wear more fashionable clothes,
we should drive a newer car, and we should
listen to more interesting music. And according
to them, we should be more sympathetic when
they talk about their problems, we should be
friendlier when their friends come to visit, and
we should be more understanding when they
come home late on Saturday night.

You know … it isn’t easy being parents.

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IT ISN’T EASY BEING A TEENAGER
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I try to be a good son, but no matter how hard I try, my parents never seem to be satisfied. They think
I should eat healthier food, I should wear nicer clothes, and I should get better grades. And according
to them, my hair should be shorter, my room should be cleaner, and my friends should be more polite
when they come to visit.

You know… it isn’t easy being a teenager.

Part B. Read the sentences and write if they refer to PARENTS, TEENAGERS, or BOTH.

1) They should eat healthier food. _____________________________

2) They need more fashionable clothes. _____________________________
3) They should listen to more interesting music. _____________________________
4) They should be friendlier with other people. _____________________________
5) They should be cleaner and better. _____________________________

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 3
Listening Activity

Part A. Listen to the small 4 conversations and underline the

correct option on each question. Listen to the audio on the
following link:

https://youtu.be/LKoOwFEFp5g
L3 09 Comparatives

Conversation 1 Conversation 2
1) Who looks older? 3) Which city is colder?
a. Her mother a. Los Angeles
b. Her father b. San Francisco
c. California
2) Who is more talkative?
a. Her mom 4) Which city is more expensive?
b. Her dad a. Los Angeles
b. San Francisco
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Conversation 3 5) Which city does Katie think is a better place

BLOCK I Similarities and Differences

6) Which movies were the characters more to live?
interesting in? a. Los Angeles
a. The old movies b. San Francisco
b. The new movies
Conversation 4
7) Which stories are more difficult to follow? 9) Which food is healthier?
a. The old movies a. American food
b. The new movies b. Japanese food

8) When did Katie feel happier? 10) Which food is more international?
a. Watching the old movies a. American food
b. Watching the new movies b. Japanese food

Part B. Write comparative sentences by using information from previous activity.

Example: Her father looks older than her mother.

1. ___________________________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________________________________________
4. ___________________________________________________________________________________
5. ___________________________________________________________________________________
6. ___________________________________________________________________________________
 4
My favorite city

Part A. Read the text below.

My Favorite City

Now I live in England, but I’ve lived and worked in several countries.
I think my favorites were probably Japan and Mexico, mainly
because of the food and because of the weather. As you know,
the weather in England is often very cold, very grey, and quite
wet. In Mexico it’s much hotter, the skies were much bluer and
there was less rain there, so it was lovely. And that was most of
the year even in winter. Japan was lovely, also. It got more humid
than Mexico in the summer and colder than Mexico in the winter,
but it was still very, very sunny there – sunnier than in England.

The food

Well, I know some people eat to live, but I don’t; I live to eat. I love my food, so Japan and Mexico were
both wonderful countries for me. I know the food in Britain is maybe more varied than in other countries,
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because we’ve got so many different types of cooking here, with all of our Indian, Chinese, Thai, Italian
restaurants… the list is endless. But Mexican food was definitely the spiciest food I’ve had, so that even on
fruit we often had chilli. Japanese food – this was probably the healthiest food and the most delicious, and
INGLÉS II

I became a bit of an addict to sushi by the end of my time there.

Language in the countries

For me Spanish was easier – that’s the language of Mexico – because I’d studied it at university before, and
it’s more similar to English. Japanese was extremely difficult – the most difficult language I’ve ever come
across. And the more I learned, the more difficult it seemed to get.
So, overall, choosing between Mexico, England, and Japan, I think Mexico is my favorite. It’s the most
relaxed country, and the weather is beautiful. It’s the sunniest and hottest country, and it has beautiful
beaches. So if I chose, I’d live there.

Part B. Complete the sentences using the comparative form of the adjectives in parenthesis.

Example: The weather in England is COLDER than in Mexico.

1. Kangaroos can jump_____________________ me. (high)

2. Mexican food is _____________________ Japanese food. (spicy)
3. Trains are _______________________ buses. (comfortable)
4. Buckingham Palace is much _____________________my house. (big)
5. Spanish is ________________________ Japanese. (easy)
6. Japan was ________________________ England. (sunny)

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 5
Writing time!
Write at least 10 ideas explaining why you think Mexico is better than other countries according to your
experience or knowledge about our country. It is important to keep in mind the use of comparatives in
each idea.
Topics: weather, traditions, places, people, music, sports, food, language, etc.

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BLOCK I Similarities and Differences

 Closing Activity

6
Quick grammar quiz. Underline the correct option.

1) Australia is big, but Canada is ____ Australia. 9) Patrick thinks that chocolate cake ____ banana
a. big cake.
b. biggest a. is more delicious than
c. bigger than b. delicious than
c. more delicious
2) David is 185 cm tall. He is ____ Andrew.
a. taller than 10) Asian elephants are heavy, but African
b. tall elephants are even ____.
c. taller a. heavy
b. heavier
3) I think that summer is ____ than Winter. c. heavier than
a. good
b. better 11) My uncle is taller than my father, but my father
c. the best ____.
a. older
4) My brother thinks this restaurant is ____ than b. is older than
that restaurant. c. is older
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a. more worse
b. badder 12) Reading a book with a nice, hot cup of tea ____
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c. worse than doing exercise.

a. is the most relaxing
5) Do you think math and science ____ history and b. is more relaxing
English? c. more relaxing
a. is more difficult than
b. are more difficult than 13) Comedy movies are OK, but I think that action
c. difficulter movies are ____.
a. better
6) In my opinion, this pink dress is ____ that green b. gooder
dress. c. good than
a. prettyer than
b. prettier than 14) Taking a taxi to work ____ than taking a bus
c. more pretty to work.
a. expensive
7) This summer was much ____ last summer. b. more expensive
a. hotter than c. is more expensive
b. the hottest
c. hoter than 15) Saturdays ____ Mondays because I don’t have
to go to school.
8) Did you know that crossing a busy street is ____ a. are nicer than
flying in an airplane? b. is nicer than
a. most dangerous than c. are the nicest
b. the more dangerous
c. more dangerous than
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