This week I've been particularly bothered by comparative adjectives. It's a common mistake, so let's work on it today!
I'm growing a vegetable garden this year, so I'll use some examples from my garden. You can see some of the things I've grown below.
Here is my baby Japanese eggplant! Isn't it cute? Let's compare it to the full-grown vegetable.
SHORT WORD COMPARATIVE: + -ER
This eggplant is SMALLER than the other one.
The other eggplant is BIGGER than this one.
For short word adjectives (usually 1 or 2 syllables), add -er. Be careful to obey spelling rules about doubling letters or changing y to i (ex. easy->easier).
Wow, look how it's grown! Time to make some spaghetti!
LONG WORD COMPARATIVE: MORE + ADJ
This eggplant is MORE BEAUTIFUL than the other one.
I think it will be MORE DELICIOUS in my spaghetti.
For long word comparatives (usually 3 or more syllables), add "more" in front of the adjective.
Irregular comparative adjective forms: bad->worse good->better
*****CAUTION*****
We don't ever say "more -er"!!!! You have to choose between "more" and "-er."
EX. This eggplant is more bigger than that one. =INCORRECT
Let's try!
Exercise:
1) My sister is (pretty) than yours.
2) I think New York is (cold) than Los Angeles.
3) The book is much (good) than the movie.
4) Matthew is feeling even (bad) than he was yesterday.
5) The school system in our country is pushing the children to work (hard) than before.
6) My grandmother's apple pie is much (delicious) than the restaurant's.
7) The vegetables at the supermarket are (cheap) than at this place.
8) The birds are much (noisy) in the morning than in the afternoon.
9) The plot of this story is (magnificent) than I could have imagined.
10) Comparative adjectives are (easy) than I expected!
ANSWERS: 1-prettier 2-colder 3-better 4-worse 5-harder 6-more delicious 7-cheaper 8-noisier 9-more magnificent 10-easier
CHALLENGE: Post a reply to this message and make two sentences of your own using comparatives.
