Do you want to improve your English grammar? Try this easy lesson on comparatives. You will learn about comparative adjectives and how to form them. Then, practice with two activities.
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What are comparatives?
In English, we use comparatives to talk about two things.
For example, my hair is longer than my sister’s hair.
This house is more beautiful than my apartment.
We usually use a comparative adjective + than.
How to form comparative adjectives
First, you need to look at the adjective. How many syllables does it have?
One syllable adjectives: add -er
Examples: Old, Large, Long, Tall, Young
Old → older than
I am older than my brother.
Large → larger than
My desk at work is larger than my desk at work.
One syllable adjectives with consonant vowel consonant pattern: double the consonant, add -er
Examples: Sad, Wet, Hot
Big → bigger than
Her room is bigger than her sister’s room.
One or two syllables ending in -y: change -y to -i and add -er
Examples: Funny, Angry, Dry, Ugly, Crazy
Happy → happier than
I’m happier at my new job than I was at my old job.
Two or more syllables: use more
Examples: Beautiful, Intelligent, Important, Generous
Careful → more careful than
Be careful! Like a lot of things in English, there are some exceptions. For example, some comparatives can take two forms: quieter/more quiet. However, one form is more common.
Comparatives Practice Activity 1
Look at the pictures and complete the sentences using the adjective in brackets. The answers are at the end of this post.
- The water in the canyon is ___________ the water in the ocean. (dark)
- Visiting the beach is ____________ (expensive) visiting the the canyon.
- The canyon’s weather is ____________ (sunny) the beach’s weather.
- The beach is ___________ (tropical) the canyon.
- Taking pictures at the beach is ____________ (easy) taking pictures at the canyon.
Comparatives Practice Activity 2
Look at the pictures and write 3 sentences using comparatives for each one. To check your answers, email me at ESLTeacher365@gmail.com or post your answer in the ESL Teacher 365 Free English Lessons Facebook group.
Practice Activity 1 Answers
- darker than
- more expensive than
- sunnier than
- more tropical than
- easier than
