Read the letter and follow the words in bold:
Dear John
Writing from my home. I'm In Bangladesh, Anally. It's late December. The weather is fantastic It's not at all humid. The temperature is moderate - in between 26-28 degrees. Unlike England, there Is no rain, no strong wind here. Usually, we have strong sun but now the sunlight Is very soothing. In fact, our winter begins in November and continues till February. January is the coldest month in Bangladesh. The most interesting feature of winter Bangladesh is - the country is full of Interesting vegetables and delicious pasta, a kind of handmade cake. Many foreigners like Bangladeshi winter as it is milder than the winter in many parts of the world such as England, Canada, or Russia.
You know, my father produces winter vegetables every year. I'm very fond of bottle gourds. This time the gourds are bigger and nicer than the previous years. Hope they will taste more interesting too. Well, I got to go now. Write to me soon.
Love.
Rima
What are the words in bold doing?
All these words in bold are adjectives.
Some of them come before a noun and modify it, e.g. give extra information about it. Some of the words are completing the sentences.
Thus adjectives work either as noun modifiers or as complements (that completes) of a sentence.
| Positive | use of adjectives without comparing e.g. The temperature is moderate. |
| Comparative | use of adjectives to compare two things or persons e.g. This time the gourds are bigger and nicer than the previous years. |
| Superlative | use of adjectives to show the best or worst (comparison between many) e.g. January is the coldest month in Bangladesh. |
Grammar Rules
We form comparative and superlative adjectives in this way: short adjectives with one syllable
1. for comparative: By adding-er.
mild milder
for superlative : By adding -est
mild milder mildest
short adjectives ending with one vowel and one consonant
2. for comparative: by doubling the consonant and adding -er
big bigger
for superlative: by doubling the consonant and adding -est
big bigger biggest
short adjectives ending with -e
3. for comparative: By adding -r for comparative
nice nicer
for superlative: By adding -st for superlative
nice nicer nicest
4. for comparative: by adding more with the adjectives
interesting more interesting
for superlative: by adding most with the adjectives
interesting more interesting most interesting
adjectives ending with -y
5. for comparative: by changing y to -ier
dirty dirtier
for superlative: by changing y to -iest
dirty dirtier dirtiest
6. There are some adjectives that do not follow any rule. We call them irregular adjectives. We need to remember their other forms. Such as
| good bad far | better worse farther | best worst farthest |
Use
We use comparative adjectives
- to tell about the differences between two or more things
- to give facts and opinions
- to compare and contrast
Activity 1 Read the following dialogue and indicate which of the above rules the adjective is following in each sentence. The first one is done for you.
: How was the food?
: That was the costliest food I had ever had. Rule 5
:But believe me, the food was really delicious.
: How was the service?
: It was also very good. The service was quicker than the one we had last week. Perhaps this is why the price of the foods is much higher than the neighbouring restaurants. Rule.......
: Once I went to that restaurant. I liked the restaurant but the curry
was thicker than what I like. Rule.......
: Really! I think it was lighter than that in your uncle's restaurant.
Rule.....
Anyway, and how about the ice cream? Rule...
Nicer than what we are eating now. Rule...
But don't you think the glasses are bigger here? Rule...
I don't know. In fact to me the most important thing is the taste not the quantity. Rule...
Activity 2 Trina is talking about his possessions. Fill in the blank spaces in the following sentences with comparative forms of adjectives in the brackets.
a. My laptop is quite slow and I want a..........(smart) one.
b. My father bought this camera many years ago. This is an auto camera. I would like to buy a digital one but that is............................(expensive).
c. My bike is quite old. I want a............(new) one.
d. My harmonium is okay but I want a...............(good) one.
e. My friends like my T-shirt. But next time when I go to Dhaka, I'll buy a (nice) one.
f. I won't ride my bike to go to your place because the road to your house is getting bad to..............(bad).
g. Our school has a students' association. They are doing well. Yet I want a ...........(powerful) association for..................(good) benefit.
Activity 3
Runi and Bony would like to go to the cinema. They are discussing which movie they should watch. Read the conversation and fill in the blank spaces using comparative adjectives. Use than where necessary.
Runi: Let's go to watch One Day at Bhola. I think that will be____________ (exciting) The Forbidden Planet
Bony: Well it depends. One Day at Bhola is a romantic movie. The Forbiden Planet is a science fiction. Last year it was a hit film in the box office.
Runi: That's true. The Forbidden Planet is _______________(violent)whereas
One Day at Bhola is _____________________ (romantic). And you know I like
romance and fun.
Bony: If you like fun, you can also see The Evening. Reviews say that One Day at Bhola is_________________(funny).
Runi:___________________(Good) is The Thrifty Man. I saw it and to be honest I couldn't resist my laughter for a single moment.
Activity 4
Read the following sentences. Megha is giving information about his classmate Urmila. In the left hand column she is giving clues about what she wants to say. Write comparative sentences using them + an object pronoun or a possessive pronoun. The first one is done for you.
| 1 I'm not very tall. She is. 2 She's good at English. I'm not. 3 She has a big family. I don't. 4 Her house is beautiful. My house isn't. 5 She wears very colourful dresses. I don't. 6 Her parents are young. My brothers aren't. 7 She lives near the school. I don't. | She is taller than me She is__________ She has_________ Her house is____ Her clothes are _ Her brothers are She lives |
Activity 5
Complete the following text about a comparison between the rural life and urban life. Use comparative forms of adjectives in brackets.
Many people say that those who live in the rural areas are ......................... (fortunate). They are ...........................(polluted) and ............................... (fresh) are. Their life is.......................... (relaxed) than that of the city people. Villages are also ........................... (green) than cities. Often cities are........................(dirty) than villages. But there are supporters of city life. They believe that city dwellers have...............(good) amenities
than the rural people. It's true that city dwellers have ..................... (much) freedom and social life but they have
..................... (great) facilities to enjoy. The houses and malls are.......................... (pretty) in the cities. Besides cities have.......................... (good) hospitals, schools, and restaurants. In fact, it depends on your choice - which one is...........................(important) to you.
Activity 6
Bishu is talking to his friend Steve and comparing himself. Complete the rewritten comparisons using as... as. The first one is done for you.
1. Your pencil is new. My pencil isn't. Mv Dencil isn't as new as vours.
2. Your school bag is expensive. My school bag isn't.
3. You work hard. 1 work hard too.
4. You are very smart. I'm not.
5. You are very intelligent. I'm not.
6. You are very brave. I'm brave too.
7. You can cook well. 1 can't.
8. My bike is very good. Your bike isn't.
9. You get many e-mails. I do not.
10. You are friendly. I'm friendly too.
Activity 7
Take one phrase from each of the two columns to complete the following sentences. You can use each phrase only once.
| as keen on going outside it's hotter in April more and more crowded more fun than less expensive one of the most famous tall as the was the best one our experience | makes us a bit wiser better beaches in the world trains every year her sister his friends I've ever had than going to Kuakata than in February |
a. Shapla isn't as________________________
b. Going to Cox's Bazar on holidays is____
c. Travelling by bus is___________________
d. Hot tea? Good. The hotter _____________
e. In Bangladesh _________________________
f. Last year's Pohela Boishakh celebration
g. Cox's Bazar has________________________
h. Dipak isn't ___________________________
i. The village side resorts are getting___
j. Every year_____________________________
Activity 8
Read the advertisements. Answer the questions using the superlative forms of adjectives.
| A | B | C |
|---|---|---|
| 2 bedroom, 2 baths, one large sitting room flat at Dhanmondi. 1200 square feet. Fairly modern. 10 mins walking distance from Dhanmondi 27. Spacious rooms with balcony. Sunny. Modern fittings. 30,000/month | Sub-let for 1 cosy bedroom. 500 square feet, bath and kitchen need small renovation work .old building with trees and garden at down town. Owner lives apart. Bachelor only. Girls preferred. 15,000/month. | 3 bedroom flat at Uttara. New building. 1750 sft. Very modern. 15 mins walk from the nearest bus stop. Family only. Sunny and airy. 20,000/month. |
Which flat is the...?
a. (small) Flat B is the smallest.
b. (sunny) ___________________________
c. (large) ___________________________
d. (near) the city centre ____________
e. (modern) __________________________
f. (noisy) ___________________________
g. (expensive) _______________________
Activity 9
Now write sentences using the opposite of the superlative adjectives you have written in activity 8.
Flat C is the largest.
Activity 10
Complete the questions using the superlative forms of adjectives in the bracket and ask them to one of your classmates.
a. What is best (good) place you have ever visited so far?
b. Tell me about your.....................(favourite) movie.
c. What is your.....................(exciting) experience in school?
d. Who is......................(funny) student in your class?
e. What is.....................(horrible) experience in your life?
f. What subject did you do......................(bad) in the last exam?
g. Who among your friends is the........................(cold) with you?
h. Who according to you is the......................(happy) student in this
class?
i. Why do you consider your school......................(good) in this
town?
Activity 11
Catherin Masuda is talking about her job. Complete what she says, using the words in brackets in the correct comparative or superlative forms and patterns.
This year my brother has changed his job. He says his new job is better than
(good) the previous one. He is now working in the_______________(big) and_________________(successful) school in this area. His students are very happy with him. My brother is a maths teacher. Students say that he is
the__________________(friendly) and cooperative teacher in the school. As a result, their performance is_______________(bright) in maths nowadays. My brother is also very happy as he getting_______________(high) salary.
To be honest, my brother is my icon. He always does the________________________(good) for his students. He is the__________________(high) professional person I have ever seen. I'm____________________(fortunate) than many of my friends to have such a brother. I must say - I'm happy to see my ___________________(happy) brother.
Activity 12
Say or write five sentences comparing two members in your family. Use comparative adjective + than to tell or write about them.
Activity 13
Say or write down another five sentences comparing you with someone else using as...as.
Activity 14
Say or write five sentences about places or something else using the superlatives.