Pre-intermediate Unit 3a Comparatives and superlatives
The three biggest cities in Switzerland are Geneva,
Zurich and Basel. Geneva is probably more famous than Zurich and Basel because the United Nations is based here. Basel is smaller than Geneva and Zurich, but it’s famous for its museums and it has the oldest university in Switzerland. Zurich is the biggest city in Switzerland but it’s less polluted than many other modern cities. It’s also easier to travel round because public transport is fast.
Basel
Presentation
• Use the comparative form to compare things. We Spelling rules
often use it with than: Geneva is more famous than • Add -r/-st with adjectives ending in -e: nice → Zurich and Basel. nicer/nicest • Use the superlative form to compare one thing • For adjectives ending in -y, change -y to -i: easy → with others in a group: Zurich is the biggest city in easier/easiest Switzerland. (= bigger than all the other cities in • For one-syllable adjectives ending in consonant– Switzerland) vowel–consonant, double the final consonant: Adjective Comparative Superlative big → bigger/biggest. But don’t double the w, x or y: slow → slower/slowest big bigger biggest small smaller smallest Irregular adjectives old older oldest There are three common irregular adjectives: new newer newest good → better/best fast faster fastest bad → worse/worst easy easier easiest far → further/furthest or farther/farthest famous more famous most famous modern more modern most modern less/least
good better best
To make a negative comparison, use less/least + adjective: polluted → less polluted / least polluted Add -er or -est to one-syllable adjectives: small → smaller/smallest With most adjectives of two syllables or more, use more/ most: famous → more/most famous With some two-syllable adjectives (often ending in -y, -le, -ow, -er), add -er/-est: easy → easier/easiest
Exercises 1 Complete the texts with the comparative form of the adjectives. I hate my job! I’ve worked here I love my new life! I can relax for ten years. Now, my hours are so I’m 4 1 (long) (happy). My hours are but my salary isn’t 5 (short) 2 (good). and I work in the countryside I’m only 40 years old but I look so it’s 6 3 (old). (health).
2 Write sentences with your opinion. Use a comparative form.
1 pizza / pasta (nice) I think pizza is nicer than pasta. 2 work / studying (stressful) I think 3 playing music / playing sport (relaxing) I think 4 travelling by train / travelling by car (fast) I think 5 learning English / learning Maths (easy) I think
3 Complete the text with the superlative form of the adjectives in brackets.
Tierra del Fuego is one of the 1 most beautiful (beautiful)
places on earth. The 2 (high) mountain is 2,448m and the region has the 3 (amazing) views. The 4 (easy) way to Tierra del Fuego is from Argentina. Ushuaia is the capital city of Tierra del Fuego and it is the 5 (popular) destination with tourists. For a quieter place, go to Puerta Toro. It’s one of the 6 (small) towns in South America, with a population of about 50 people.
4 Complete the conversations with a comparative or superlative form.
Conversation 1 A: So what did you think of Prague? B: Amazing. It’s 1more beautiful / most beautiful than lots of other European cities. And I think the food is 2 better / best than in Paris! Conversation 2 C: What’s 3better / the best way to get to London? D: The train, because it’s 4faster / fastest than going by car or bus. Conversation 3 E: What was your hotel like? errible! It was probably 5noisier / the noisiest hotel in the city because it was on the 6busier / the busiest F: T street. And the second night was 7worse / the worst than the first! There was a party in the room next to mine so I couldn’t sleep.
