Grammar C1 - 3 Comparatives and Superlatives

Grammar
C1
comparatives and
superlatives
Recommended for:
Gold Experience
Focus
High Note
2019 1
There are different ways to make
comparisons in English.
Let’s look at these structures:
1. ...than…; the most/least….
2. as...as...
3. the more...the more…
4. Repeated comparatives.
When and why do we

use them?
Copyright © 2019 by Pearson Education Gold Experience | Focus | High Note

Function: When do we use them?
1. comparatives structures ...than… and as...as.
I thought they were

My friend’s mobile all the same size
phone is much these days! My
bigger than mine. phone is just as big
as yours, I think.
Notice how both structures

Look at the two sections in
can be used to compare,
bold. Are the girls talking
but we form them in
about one mobile phone or
different ways. More on this
more than one?
later...
Are the girls
describing 2
More than 1 elements or
comparing them? Comparing
1. comparatives structures ...than… and as...as.
My friend’s mobile
My phone is just as
phone is much bigger
big as yours.
than mine.
Used to compare two

elements.

2. comparatives structure the more...the more and repeated comparatives.
Not really. In my
Phones are getting
opinion, the more
smaller and smaller
applications they
these days, don’t you
have, the bigger
think?
they are.
Do these two elements

Look at what girl 2 says. Why
change and develop at the
do you think she repeats the
same time, or are they
adjective smaller?
unrelated?
Look at the bold section of
girl 1’s response. She
compares the number of The number of
For applications and the
applications on the phone the size of
emphasis the size of the phones
with what else? phones develop at the same
time.
1. comparatives structures ...than… and as...as
My friend’s mobile
My phone is just as
phone is much bigger Used to compare
big as yours.
than mine. two elements.
2. The more...the more...
The more
applications they Used to show two elements
have, the bigger they changing and developing
are. together.
3. repeated comparatives.
Phones are getting

smaller and smaller. Used for emphasis.

4. superlatives
Sam’s phone is the I suppose so. Between

newest of all Apple my phone and his, it’s
mobiles and it’s certainly the bigger of
enormous! the two.
Look at what girl 1 says.

Is she comparing Sam’s Notice how the comparative
phone to another Apple adjective, not superlative is used
phone or all Apple here...
phones?
Notice how this is different to a

Look at the bold section of girl
All – the comparative structure which
2’s statement. She compares
whole group compares one element to one
Sam’s phone to a group of
of phones other element. Sam’s phone is
phones, too. How many phones
newer than mine. It’s the newest of Only 2
in the group?
all our friends (the whole group).

1. comparatives structures ...than… and as...as
My friend’s mobile phone is My phone is just as big

much bigger than mine. as yours. Used to compare two elements.
2. The more… the more…

Used to show two elements
The more applications they have, the bigger they are. changing and developing
together.
3. repeated comparatives
Used for emphasis.

Phones are getting smaller and smaller.
4. superlatives
Used to compare one element
Sam’s phone is the Between my phone against the whole group. When
newest of all Apple and his, it’s certainly the whole group consists of 2
mobiles. the bigger of the two. elements, we use the
comparative adjective.
How do we use
Copyright © 2019 by Pearson Education Gold Experience | Focus | High Note them?
Form: 1. comparative/superlative
adjectives and adverbs
The number of syllables the adjective or adverb has affects how we create them. Match
the boxes to the rules and examples in the table.
Comparatives Superlatives
Add -er. E.g. bigger Add -est. E.g. the biggest
Adjectives
Add more. E.g. more boring Add most. E.g. the most boring
Drop -y, add -ier. E.g. friendlier Drop -y, add -iest. E.g. the friendliest. Remember that
there are some
Comparatives Superlatives irregular
adjectives/adverbs
Adverbs
Add more. E.g. more quickly Add most. E.g. the most quickly and exceptions.
Add -er. E.g. faster Add -est. E.g. the fastest
1 syllable
Same form as
2 syllables the adjective
ending in -ly
Ending in -ly
2 + syllables
adjectives and adverbs Look at some more
examples to help you.
1 syllable Add -er. E.g. bigger Add -est. E.g. the biggest
Adjectives
2 + syllables Add more. E.g. more boring Add most. E.g. the most boring
2 syllables Drop -y, add -ier. E.g. friendlier Drop -y, add -iest. E.g. the friendliest.
ending in -ly
Ending in -ly Add more. E.g. more quickly Add most. E.g. the most quickly
Adverbs
Same form as Add -er. E.g. faster Add -est. E.g. the fastest
the adjective
This He My
sister
runs
is car
Tom’s
Her football drives
matchhouse
friendlier
more faster
than than
is bigger
isquickly
more boring
than
her yours.
than
than
brother.
Jim. He My Tom’s
mine. car
thedrives
yesterday’s.
runs
Her sister housethe
isThis
most the isfastest
theof
football
quickly ofgirl
all in
biggest.
match
friendliest
all his the other
isthe
the cars.
most
classmates.
class.
boring of the year.

adjectives and adverbs Don’t forget that when
adjectives/adverbs have 1
syllable, sometimes we double
the consonant. E.g. big >
bigger, tall > taller.
There are some common irregular comparative/superlative adjectives.
e.g. good - better - the best, bad - worse - the worst, far - further - the furthest,
little - less - the least, much/many - more - the most
And some common irregular adverbs too.
e.g. well - better - the best, badly - worse - the worst
We can use less/the least instead of more/the most with most adjectives/adverbs regardless of the number of syllables.
e.g. less fierce, less harmful, less reasonable

When you use these comparatives in the ...than… structure, you can modify them by using adverbs:
a lot
far
Laura is much more friendly than
her sister. a bit
slightly
Form: 2. as...as; the more… the more
Look at the examples below and answer the questions.
A. Jimmy isn’t as hard-working as Mike.

B. Jimmy is just as hard-working as Mike. Do we use a comparative or
C. Jimmy is nowhere near as hard-working as Mike. normal adjective between
the as...as?
In the 3 examples, who is Which adjective is being

more hard-working? used to compare? Normal
A: Mike
B: no one – they are the same. Hard-working
C: Mike
Look at the examples below and put the structure in order.
The more expensive the phone is, the better it works.
The The Comparative adj/adv. Comparative adj/adv. Subject Subject Verb Verb

Form: 2. as...as; the more… the more
1. as...as
Element 1 verb (adverbial) as adj/adv. as Element 2
She isn’t as talkative as Tim.
William walks just as quickly as me.
Louise is nearly as tall as Emma.
Common adverbs used in this structure are

easily, nowhere near, way more, just, nearly.
2. The more… the more...
The more expensive the phone (is), the better it works.

The + comparative adj/adv. + subject + (verb), + the + comparative adj/adv. + subject + verb
Let’s practise...
Practice activities
Rewrite these sentences so they have the same meaning.
1. Donna only speaks slightly more Spanish than Jaime. NEARLY
Jaime... speaks nearly as much Spanish as Donna.
2. As soon as I learn more vocabulary in class, I feel more confident when I speak. THE
The... more vocabulary I learn in class, the more confident I feel when I speak.
3. Danny’s salary is considerably higher than Tyson’s. THE
Between Danny and Tyson, Danny’s salary… is by far the higher ...of the two.
4. Jennifer works faster than her other colleagues. QUICKLY
Jennifer… works the most quickly ...of all her colleagues.
5. Emma’s dog is much less intelligent than William’s. NOWHERE
William’s dog... is nowhere near as intelligent as Emma’s.

Grammar C1 - 3 Comparatives and Superlatives

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Grammar

When and why do we

Copyright © 2019 by Pearson Education Gold Experience | Focus | High Note

I thought they were

Notice how both structures

Used to compare two

Copyright © 2019 by Pearson Education Gold Experience | Focus | High Note

Do these two elements

2. The more...the more...

Phones are getting

Copyright © 2019 by Pearson Education Gold Experience | Focus | High Note

Sam’s phone is the I suppose so. Between

Look at what girl 1 says.

Notice how this is different to a

Copyright © 2019 by Pearson Education Gold Experience | Focus | High Note

My friend’s mobile phone is My phone is just as big

2. The more… the more…

Used for emphasis.

Add -er. E.g. faster Add -est. E.g. the fastest

Copyright © 2019 by Pearson Education Gold Experience | Focus | High Note

There are some common irregular comparative/superlative adjectives.

e.g. well - better - the best, badly - worse - the worst

e.g. less fierce, less harmful, less reasonable

A. Jimmy isn’t as hard-working as Mike.

In the 3 examples, who is Which adjective is being

Look at the examples below and put the structure in order.

The more expensive the phone is, the better it works.

Copyright © 2019 by Pearson Education Gold Experience | Focus | High Note

William walks just as quickly as me.

Louise is nearly as tall as Emma.

Common adverbs used in this structure are

2. The more… the more...

The more expensive the phone (is), the better it works.

Jaime... speaks nearly as much Spanish as Donna.

3. Danny’s salary is considerably higher than Tyson’s. THE

4. Jennifer works faster than her other colleagues. QUICKLY

Jennifer… works the most quickly ...of all her colleagues.

5. Emma’s dog is much less intelligent than William’s. NOWHERE

William’s dog... is nowhere near as intelligent as Emma’s.

Copyright © 2019 by Pearson Education Gold Experience | Focus | High Note

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