Comparatives & superlatives (Short adjectives) Primary Longman Elect 4A Chapter 2 Comparatives & superlatives (Short adjectives)

Comparatives Comparison of a quality between two people or things Mr Jolly Mrs Bell Mr Jolly is tall. He is taller than Mrs Bell. Mrs Bell is short. She is shorter than Mr Jolly.

Comparatives: short adjectives Short adjectives Spelling rules Examples Usually + er long  longer short  shorter small  smaller large  larger nice  nicer Ending in -e + r Ending in a consonant + y heavy  heavier happy  happier funny  funnier –y  -i + er Ending in a vowel + a consonant double the consonant + er big  bigger fat  fatter thin  thinner

Practice light lighter long longer old older short shorter small smaller young younger

Practice large larger nice nicer funny funnier heavy heavier big bigger fat fatter thin thinner

comparative (adjective + er) Key structure Comparatives are used in sentences with than. Mary is younger than Jane. Mary’s ears are bigger Jane’s. verb comparative (adjective + er) than

Practice Joe’s tail is shorter than Bobby’s. Bobby’s tail is longer than Joe’s.

Practice The cheetah is lighter than the tiger. 190 kg cheetah 69 kg The cheetah is lighter than the tiger. The tiger is heavier than the cheetah.

Practice The pumpkin is larger than the tomato. The tomato is smaller than the pumpkin.

Superlatives Comparison of a quality among three or more people / things Jill 9 years old Timmy 5 years old Sam 7 years old Jill is the oldest. Timmy is the youngest.

Superlatives: Short adjectives Short adjectives Spelling rules Examples + est Usually slow  the slowest fast  the fastest tall  the tallest Ending in -e + st large  the largest nice  the nicest Ending in a consonant + y –y  -i + est hungry  the hungriest happy  the happiest funny  the funniest Ending in a vowel + a consonant double the consonant + est big  the biggest fat  the fattest fit  the fittest

Practice light lighter lightest long longer longest old older oldest short shorter shortest small smaller smallest young younger youngest

Practice large larger largest nice nicer nicest funny funnier funniest heavy heavier heaviest big bigger biggest fat fatter fattest thin thinner thinnest

comparative (adjective + er) superlative (adjective + est) Key structure Comparatives are used in sentences with than. Mary is younger than Jane. Mary’s ears are bigger Jane’s. verb comparative (adjective + er) than Always use the before superlatives. Betty is the youngest. Her eyes are the biggest. the superlative (adjective + est) noun

Practice Joe’s tail is long. Bobby’s tail is longer. Mimi Joe Joe’s tail is long. Bobby’s tail is longer. Mimi’s tail is the longest.

Practice The cheetah is heavy. The tiger is heavier. 190 kg cheetah 69 kg lion 200 kg The cheetah is heavy. The tiger is heavier. The lion is the heaviest.

Practice Tony is young. Danny is younger. Mark is the youngest. Mark 1 year old Tony 8 years old Danny 6 years old Tony is young. Danny is younger. Mark is the youngest.

Practice The peach is small. The strawberry is smaller. The cherry is the smallest.

Practice Henry is funny. May is funnier. Ben is the funniest. Ben May

Practice Harry is thin. John is thinner. Bill is the thinnest. Bill

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