ADJECTIVES

We use the comparative and superlative forms of adjectives to compare and contrast
different objects

Comparative adjectives:
*we can use two compaatives to show that something is changing:
e.g. The weather is getting hotter and hotter.
Superlative adjectives:
*after superlatives we use in before singular nouns.
e.g. Ben is the oldest player in the team.
But we use of befor plural nouns:
e.g.Ben is the oldest of the players.
Comparative structures:
1. As + adjective + as
e.g. The rabbits are as expensive as the guinea pigs.

 Not nearly as + adjective +as – if there is a big difference

e.g. I am not nearly as clever as my brother.
  Almost as/not quite as + adjective + as – if there is a small difference
e.g. My house is almost as big as yours= My house isn’t quite as big as yours.

2. The same as, similar to, different from

e.g. Mikal’s motorbike is the same as mine – we use it when two things are equal
e.g. Indian elephants are similar to African ones, but they are a bit smaller – we use this
structure when something is nearly the same
e.g.Tigers are different from leopards – this phrase is opposite of the same as

3. Making comparisons stronger or weaker

 Much, a lot, far, a great deal, way + comparative form (make it stronger)
e.g. New York is a lot bigger than Paris.
My Dad’s car is much more expensive than mine.
I'm way better than you at English.

 A bit, slightly, a little + comparative form (make it weaker)

e.g. My sister is a bit younger than me.
This job is slightly more interesting than the previous.

 By far, easily + superlative form (to make it stronger)

e.g. Fredrik is by far the tallest student in our class.
Fredrik is by far the most intelligent pupil in our class.
This is easily the best film I've ever seen.

 One of + superlative form (to make it weaker)

e.g. This is one of the best hospitals in the country.
4. Double comparatives

We use double comparatives with the to say that one situation leads to another.

e.g. The more you read, the more you'll learn.

 EXERCISES

Ex 1 Complete the sentences using the correct forms of the adjectives.

1. The Nile is one of ____________________ rivers in the world (LONG).
2. This is ____________________ book I have ever read. (INTERESTING)
3. A spider is sometimes ____________________ than a large snake. (FRIGHTENING)
4. Mr Harper is ____________________ teacher in the whole school. He is even
____________________ than my French teacher (BORING)
5. A bike path is usually ____________________ than the lane of a road. (NARROW)
6. People say women are ____________________ than men. (POLITE)
7. A computer is much ____________________ than a pocket calculator. (EXPENSIVE)
8. My sister is not as ____________________ as her mother. (TALL)
9. Snowboarding is ____________________ than skiing (EXCITING).
10.Children usually have ____________________ money to spend than teenagers.
(LITTLE) 11.July and August are normally ____________________ moths of the year
(HOT) .
12.Paul is ____________________ runner in our class . Nobody is
____________________ than he is. (SLOW)
13.In this test she has made ____________________ mistakes than in the last one.
(FEW)
14.Sandra is ____________________ girl I know. (CLEVER)
15.The film I watched yesterday was ____________________ than the one on Saturday
(INTERESTING)
16.Peter is ____________________ player on our team. He never gets anything right.
(BAD)
17.English is not as ____________________ as German but ____________________
than other languages (DIFFICULT).
18.Bill works ____________________ than ever. He wants to get a promotion. (HARD)
19.Mrs Simmons is ____________________ teacher I have ever met. (POLITE)
20.This chair is not as ____________________ as the one in the living room.
(COMFORTABLE)
Ex. 2 Choose the best option
 I feel ___ better than yesterday.
really
so much
completely
 It was ___ more expensive than I expected.
a little
exactly
roughly
 His way of thinking is ___ similar to mine.
much
even
really
 Jack's answers are ___ the same as Mia's on this test!
exactly
far
very
 We're ___ less prepared than we should be.
not quite
a bit
about
 Cats are ___ different from dogs!
so much
very
exactly
 The Coffee Café is cheap, but ___ as good as Coffee Central.
slightly
not much
not quite
 I'm ___ less organised than you.
very
much
more or less
 Could you be ___ more specific about what the problem is?
a little bit
almost
just
 I think being kind is ___ as important as being honest.
slightly
a little bit
just
 The film was ___ similar to the book that it's based on.
far
so much
very

Ex. 3 Choose the best option

1This tea tastes a bit ______ the other.

a. bitterest than
b. more bitter than
c. more bitter that
2She seems _______ since she got divorced.

a.happier
b.more happy
c.more happier
3Could you speak ______, please? I don't understand you.

a.slowlier
b.most slowly
c.more slowly
4The economy is getting ______.

a.more and more worse

b.every day badder
c.worse and worse

5Which two sentences mean the same?

a.Tom is more intelligent than David.

b.David is more intelligent than Tom.
c.David isn't as intelligent as Tom.
6I'm trying to do it ______ I can.

a.as fast as
b.as faster as
c.faster as
7He has more talent than ______. Choose TWO correct options

a.me
b.I do
c.I
8He is ______ .

a.the most boring teacher I've ever met

b.the most boring teacher I've never met
c.The boringest teacher I've never met
10It was the best day ______ my life.

a.of
b.in
c.than
 Ex 4 Complete the sentences with the comparative or superlative forms of the words in
brackets.

1This exam was (easy) than the exam in May.

2You should drive (slowly) or you'll have an accident.

3My new home is (near) from work than the old one.

4The test wasn't as (difficult) as I thought.

5This is the (far) place I've ever travelled to.

6You look much (thin) than the last time I saw you.

7My new computer is a bit (good) than the old one.

8September is the (busy) month of the year for us.

9There are (few) people today because it's been raining a lot.

10The (tricky) part of the exam was the listening.

Ex 5 Choose the correct forms to complete the following the… the… comparatives.
1______, the more you realise life isn't about how you look.

a.Older you get

b.The oldest you get
c.As older you get
d.The older you get
2The more he talks, ______ how stupid he is.

a.more you realise

b.the more you realise
c.the most you realise
d.you realise more
3Research shows ______ about getting a good job, the better you do in school

a.the least you care

b.the less you care
c.as less you care
d.the most you care
4______, the easier it is to beat the competition.

a.As more connections you have

b.The most connections you have
c.The more connections do you have
d.The more connections you have
5Studies suggest ______ at work, the more productive you become.

a.the happier you are

b.the happier are you
c.the happiest you are
d.happier you are
6If anything goes wrong, contact me as soon as you can; ______.

a.as sooner the better

b.the sooner is the better
c.the sooner, the better
d.the soonest, the better
7______, the less I care about what people may think.

a.The older I get

b.As older I get
c.The older do I get
d.As older as I get
8______, the better he gets.

a.The most practicing

b.The more he practices
c.As he practices more
d.More he practices
9In Halloween, people look for the creepiest costumes. ______.

a.The creepiest, the better

b.More creepy better
c.As creepier the better
d.The creepier, the better
10The more authority he has, ______ he becomes.

a.less reasonable
b.the less reasonable
c.the least reasonable
d.not reasonable
Ex 6 Rewrite the sentences using the… the… comparatives.

EXAMPLE: If we start soon, we’ll finish soon. ⇒ The sooner we start, the sooner we’ll
finish.

1The food I like best is spicy food.

the food, I like it.

2I like the lessons more if there are few students.

students, I like the lessons.

3If I read a lot, I learn a lot.

I read, .
4If I speak good English, I’ll have more opportunities.

I speak, opportunities I'll have.

5If I walk for a long time, I can get further.

I walk, I can get.

6Older people become wiser.

people are, .

7If you save more money, you can buy a new car soon.

you save, you can buy a car.

8If you give a lot you will receive more.

, you will receive.

9If I work a lot, I have no time.

I work, I have.

10If there’s a lot of unemployment, the situation gets worse.

there is, gets.

Ex 7 Open the brackets and write correct form of superlatives or comparatives.

1. My house is……………(big) than yours.
2. John isn’t so…………………(tall) as Kevin.
3. Mary is ……………..(good) student in the class.
4. I invited all my classmates to my party. As the saying goes: the………….(many),
the……………….(merry).
5. Linda doesn’t feel ……………..(good) today.
6. Our school is …………….(far) away than his.
7. I’m calling to ask for some……………………(far) information on this package
holiday.
8. Sandra did ………………(bad) of all in the test.
9. Their car is……………….(cool) in the neighbourhood.
10. Do you really think that Tina is…………..(clever) than Sandra?
11. He came to the party……………..(late) of all.
12. John’s………………….(old) brother is a pilot.
13. Monica has…………….(little) toys than Erin.
14. Luke doesn’t have as……………..(much) free time as Bruce.
15. Poor thing! That’s…………….(sad) thing I’ve ever heard!
16. Luke’s shoes are………………(dirty) today than they were yesterday.
17. I can say for sure that it’s …………………….(interesting) movie I’ve ever seen.
18. Tina is considered to be …………………(shy) person in class.
19. John’s grades are getting…………………(good) and…………………..(good).
20. Sally is much…………………..(pretty) than Kate.
21. Dan feels much…………………(good) today.
22. The…………..(old) she gets, the…………………….(beautiful) she becomes.
23. This exercise is very……………………..(difficult).
24. We have to hurry up as it’s getting………………..(dark) and
………………..(dark).
25. Everybody knows that Kevin is………………(strong) than Alan