Elementary

Unit 5: Are Cats Better Pets Than Dogs?

 Unit objectives
At the end of this unit, students can:

Make comparisons using

comparative adjectives

Compare different things or

places around the world
Can you compare the clothes in Jockey Plaza with those
in Polvos Azules?

The clothes in Jockey Plaza are more expensive than

in Polvos Azules.
The clothes in Polvos Azules are cheaper than in
Jockey Plaza.
Can you compare English and Chinese?

Chinese is more difficult than English.

English is easier than Chinese.
 Comparatives

Form:

subject verb to be comparative + than modifier

Polvos Azules is cheaper than Jockey Plaza.
Chinese is more difficult than English.
Elephants are bigger than horses.
 Comparatives

Form (continued):
The following table shows how to form the comparative form of an adjective:
 
adjective comparative
big bigger
For one-syllable adjectives or small smaller
nice nicer
two-syllable adjectives that finish
long longer
in –y, add –er to form the large larger
comparative heavy heavier
happy happier
beautiful more beautiful
intelligent more intelligent
fantastic more fantastic
For adjectives with two syllables dangerous more dangerous
or more, add “more” to form the expensive more expensive
comparative similar more similar
amazing more amazing
good better
Irregular adjectives bad worse
far further / farther
 Comparatives

Function:

The comparative expresses similarities or differences between

two people, animals or things.
Notice this is different from the superlative, which
expresses similarities or differences between
THREE people, animals or things.
 Comparatives

Examples:

The woman is happier than the boy.

 Comparatives

Examples:

The baby is louder than the girl.

 Comparatives

Examples:

The man is sadder than the boy.

 Comparatives

Examples:

The lion is more dangerous than the giraffe.

 Comparatives

Examples:

The rhinoceros is more aggressive than the antelope.

 Comparatives

Examples:

The elephant is more intelligent than the hyena.

 Comparatives

Exercise 1: Complete the sentences with the correct form of the adjective
in parentheses.

taller
1. People are now ten centimeters ………………..……. (tall) than 150 years ago.
2. Scientists say that green tea is ………………..……. better (good) for you than black
tea.
farther
3. Tumbes is ………………..……. (far) from Lima than Trujillo.
4. Around 1700, Peru was ………………..……. richer (rich) than what is today the USA.
5. Drinking is ………………..……. (bad) for your health than smoking.
worse
6. Dolphins are ………………..…….
more intelligent (intelligent) than sharks.
7. The Peruvian Amazon region is ………………..…….
more biodiverse (biodiverse) than the
coast.
8. The Huascaran mountain is ………………..……. higher (high) than the Alpamayo
mountain.
more important (important) than money.
9. Health is ………………..…….
10. Lima is much ………………..…….bigger (big) than Arequipa.
 Comparatives

Exercise 2:
Compare Homer and Maggie Simpson. Use the adjectives in the
box below.

old cute intelligent tall

Homer is older than Maggie.

1. ………………………………………………
Maggie is more intelligent than Homer.
2. ………………………………………………
Homer is taller than Maggie.
3. ………………………………………………
Maggie is cuter than Homer.
4. ………………………………………………
 Comparatives

Exercise 3:
Now compare Lisa and Bart Simpson. Use the adjectives in the
box.

nice good (at school) polite naughty

Lisa is nicer than Bart.

1. ………………………………………………
Lisa is better at school than Bart.
2. ………………………………………………
Lisa is more polite than Bart.
3. ………………………………………………
Bart is naughtier than Lisa.
4. ………………………………………………
 Comparatives

Exercise 4: Complete the following sentences with the superlative or

comparative form of the adjective in parentheses. Add any additional words
that may be required.

bigger than
1. My house is …..……………………….. (big) your house.
more dangerous than
2. Rats are …..……………………….. (dangerous) mice.
the most colorful
3. My garden is …..……………………….. (colorful) in the neighborhood.
more famous than
4. William Shakespeare is …..……………………….. (famous) Gabriel Garcia
Marquez. the wettest
5. What is …..………………………..
the nicest (wet) month of the year in Lima?
6. Daniela is …..……………………….. (nice) person I know.
older than
7. Is Angelina Joliethe
…..………………………..
richest (old) Sandra Bullock?
8. Who isThe
…..………………………..
highest (rich) woman on Earth?
9. …..……………………….. (high) building in the world is the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
more generous than
10. Women are usually …..……………………….. (generous) men.
the most popular(popular) video on YouTube, with more
11. ‘Despacito’ is …..………………………..
than six billion views!
Exercise 5: Complete the following sentences using the adjectives in
comparative.
 Comparatives

Exercise 6. Look at the following pictures and make sentences with Bart,
Lisa and Maggie Simpson using comparative and superlative adjectives.

Lisa
Bart
Maggie

Age: 10 years Age: 9 years Age: 1 year

Intelligence: Intelligence: Intelligence:
Height: 1.50 m Height: 1.40 m Height: 0.90 m
Weight: 30 kg Weight: 28 kg Weight: 5 kg
Naughtiness: Naughtiness: Naughtiness:

Example: Lisa is younger than Bart. But Maggie is the youngest.

……………………………………………….………………………………………
……………………………………………….………………………………………
……………………………………………….………………………………………
……………………………………………….………………………………………
……………………………………………….………………………………………
……………………………………………….………………………………………
Exercise 7. Look at the following pictures and make sentences with
Tom, Sally and Ellen using comparative and superlative adjectives.

Tom is older than Sally but Ellen is the youngest person in the
group.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………….
Exercise 8: Write a short composition. Compare your life now with your life
five years ago (refer to your studies, leisure time, family and friends). Use
one-syllable, two-syllable and irregular comparatives (at least 100 words).
……………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………..
Complete the following class survey. Write your classmates’ answers. Then,
report to the class.
Question Student 1 Student 2 Student 3 Student 4
Which is more delicious, ceviche or rice with
duck?

Which university is better, Lima University or

Pacifico University?

Which is more romantic, a candle-light dinner

or a walk along the beach?

Which is cuter, a puppy or a kitten?

Which is more entertaining, an action movie

or a science fiction movie?

Which is worse, losing your cell phone or losing

your wallet?
PAIR WORK:
In this communicative
activity you are going to
work with a classmate, put
your coins on the start
and throw the dice.
You are going to make
questions using the
adjectives in the
Comparative form to your
classmate and then he/
she has to answer corretly
according to his/her
opinion. Then, exchange
roles.
e.g. A: Which is more
difficult, reading or
listening?
B: I think listening is more
difficut than reading.