Science: The Brain
Presentation 7
Regular Comparative
Adjectives
Irregular Comparative
Adjectives
Copyright © Thomson Heinle. All rights reserved.
Grammar in Context
Genetically modified foods are made by combining genes from
different organisms. These foods are engineered to be more more
resistant to insects and viruses than normal crops, or to contain
more vitamins and minerals, or to be able to survive extreme
weather.
People in favor of these crops say that they are healthier,
healthier, taste
taste
better, last longer
longer, and are friendlier
friendlier to the environment than
than foods
that have not been modified.
`
One Syllable Regular Comparative
Adjectives
Regular One Syllable Comparative Adjectives
For most one syllable add –er or –r and Orange are sweeter than
adjectives: put the word than lemons
after it She’s nicer than her brother.
For one syllable double the final
adjectives that end with a consonant and add These are bigger!
consonant -er.
For adjectives with two add –er.
vowels: It’s cooler in the winter months.
For adjectives that end in add –er. GM crops grow faster than
two consonants normal crops.
Exercise A
Fill in the blanks with a comparative adjective.
faster
1. GM foods grow (fast) __________ than regular crops.
larger
2. They produce (large) __________ apples and pears
than other farmers.
longer
3. His products last (long) _________ than the ones sold
in the supermarkets.
harder
4. We have to work (hard) __________ than they do to
make a profit.
older
5. The (old) __________ plants produce more than the
young ones.
Comparative Adjectives: Two
Syllables
Comparative Adjectives: Two Syllables or More
Some two syllable • add –er or –r and the This is a [simple]
simpler way to
adjectives word than after it. plant crops than the one
that is more common.
• can be compared in There are more
[simple]
simple
two or more ways: angry, ways of planting crops.
clever, common, friendly
gentle, handsome,
narrow quiet, simple
• put more or less before Some farmers are
more honest
[honest] aboutthan
howothers
they
the adjective and than
abouttheir
grow howcrops.
they grow
after it.
their crops.
Exercise B
Raise your hand if you agree:
simpler
tastier
healthier
1. Food in the United States is _____________ than in
your home country.
more gentle
friendlier
honest than
2. People in your home country are ____________
people in the United States.
more clever than
handsomer
happier
3. Children in your home country are __________
children in the United States.
more
less friendly than in
easier
angry
4. Teachers in the United States are __________
your home country.
Comparative Adjectives: Three
Syllables or More
For words with three syllables or more: put more
or less before the word, and than after it.
The food here is a lot The food here is
more expensive than supposed to be
more delicious
I thought it would be. than anywhere
else in town.
I think I’ll just have
coffee!
Grammar in Context
A Better Choice!
This coffee is far
better than I
It’s less
less expensive
expensive
expected.
than the last place,
too.
I’m not going back
to the Diner. The It’s farther away
portions are aa lot
lot from work than the
smaller and the Diner, but we can
service is worse at come here instead
the Diner than from now on.
here too.
Irregular Comparative Adjectives
Irregular Comparative Adjectives
Irregular Adjective Comparison Phrase Example
good This GM fruit is (good) better than
__________
better than the fruit we used to buy.
worse than
Hot weather is (bad) ___________
bad worse than
cold weather for these crops.
This irrigation system reaches
far farther than farther than our old one.
____________
Exercise C
Discuss with your partner:
1. Which is more interesting, reality TV or
the News.
2. Which is better, a college education or
hands-on experience.
3. Which uses less expensive, organic food
or GM good.
Be sure to use more than, less than, better than, worse than in
your discussions.
Irregular Comparative Adjectives with
Nouns
Irregular Comparative Adjectives with Nouns
Irregular Adjectives Comparative Countable Example
Noun
a few We raised_______
fewer
fewer … than crops
than you
crops _____
did.
more
a lot more You raised _____
than we did.
Crops _____
Non-count
Noun
GM crops need
a little less… than _____
less water
much _____normal
than crops.
These cost _____
more
more … than than those.
_____
Exercise D
Complete the Chart
Adjective Comparative Adjective Comparative
good better a little less
bright bighter handsome handsomer/more handsome
healthy healthier cute cuter
bad worse practical more practical
clever clever/ fast faster
more clever
far farther expensive more expensive
much more dangerous more dangerous
