UNIT 86 old/older expensive/more expensive old older heavy heavier expensive more expensive Older / heavier / more expensive are comparative forms. The comparative is -er (older) or more ... (more expensive). B -er (older/heavier etc,) Short words (1 syllable) —> -er: old —> older slow —> slower cheap —> cheaper nice —> nicer late —> later big -» bigger Spelling (=> Appendix 5): big —> bigger hot —> hotter thin —> thinner Words ending in -y —» -ier: easy —> easier heavy —» heavier early —> eailier • Rome is old but Athens is older, (not 'more old*) • Is it cheaper to go by car or by train? (not 'more cheap') • Helen wants a bigger car. • This coat is OK but 1 think the other one is nicer. • Don't write a letter. It's easier to phone, (not 'more easy') far —> further: • 'How far is it to the station? A mile?' 'No, its further. About two miles.' more ... Long words (2/3/4 syllables) more ... : careful —» more careful polite —» more polite expensive —> more expensive interesting —> more interesting • You must be more careful. • I don't like my job. I want to do something more interesting. • Is it more expensive to go by car or by train? D good/well —> better bad —> worse • The weather wasn't very good yesterday but it's better today. • 'Do you feel better today?' 'No, I feel worse.' • Which is worse — a headache or a toothache? 5.2 5.3 Write the comparative, old .°L4*r... strong ......................... happy ......................... modern ..................... good ... large ... serious pretty . important ........................................................................ 10 crowded Write the opposite. 1 younger 2 colder 4 better 5 nearer 3 cheaper ................................................................................ 6 easier ............................................................ \A Complete the sentences. Use a comparative. 1 Helen s car isn't very big. She wants a ...^99?^.....one. 2 My job isn't very interesting. I want to do something .^P.r^J^^.^twig...... 3 You're not very tall. Your brother is.............................................................................. 4 David doesn't work very hard. I work.........................................................................'..... 5 My chair isn't very comfortable. Yours is............................................................................. 6 Your plan isn't very good. My plan is.............................................................................. 7 These flowers aren't very nice. The blue ones are........................................................................... 8 My bag isn't very heavy. Your bag is.............................................................................. 9 I'm not very interested in art. I'm.............................................................................in history. 10 It isn't very warm today. It was.............................................................................yesterday. 11 These tomatoes don't taste very good. The other ones tasted................................................ 12 Britain isn't very big. France is.............................................................................. 13 London isn't very beautiful. Paris is.............................................................................. 14 This knife isn't very sharp. Have you got a.............................................................................one? 15 People today aren't very polite. In the past they were................................................................... 89 the oldest the most expensive Box A is bigger than Box B. Box A is bigger than all the other boxes. Box A is the biggest box. HOTEL PRICES IN KIN TON (per person per night") Ivropi Hotel £^5 Gro&venor 160 Grand Hotel #55(1 Bennetts i5h Koyal i« Carlton /S5 Alto™*. {70 tXw JSC Palace 165 Station ti5 The Europa Hotel is more expensive than the Grand. The Europa Hotel is more expensive than all the other hotels in the town. The Europa Hotel is the most expensive hotel in the town. ■ Unit 86). The superlative form is -est (oldest) or most ... (most expensive): Bigger / older / more expensive etc. are comparative forms (= Biggest / oldest / most expensive etc. are superlative forms. Short words (old/cheap/nice etc.) —> the -est: old —> the oldest cheap —» the cheapest nice —> the nicest but good —> the best bad ~» the worst Spelling (=> Appendix 5): big —» the biggest hot —» the hottest Words ending in -y (easy/heavy etc.) —> the -iest: easy —> the easiest heavy —> the heaviest pretty —» the prettiest Long words (careful/expensive/interesting etc.) —> the most ... : careful the most careful interesting —> the most interesting C We say: the oldest ... / the most expensive ... etc. (with the): • The church is very old. Its the oldest building in the town. (= it is older than all the other buildings) • What is the longest river in the world? • Money is important but it isn't the most important thing in life. • Excuse me, where is the nearest bank? D You can use the oldest / the best / the most expensive etc. without a noun: • Ken is a good player but he isn't the best in the team, (the best = the best player) E superlative + I've ever ... / you've ever ... etc. • The film was very bad. I think its the worst film I've ever seen. • What is the most unusual thing you've ever done? Complete the sentences. Use a superlative (the oldest etc.). 1 This building is very old. It's .fyl.olAAsbbutiAmq.....m the town. 2 It was a very happy day. It was.............................................................................................of my life. 3 It's a very good film. It's.............................................................................................I've ever seen. 4 She's a very popular singer. She's.............................................................................................in the country. 5 It was a very bad mistake. It was.............................................................................................I've ever made. 6 It s a very pretty village. It's.............................................................................................I've ever seen. 7 It was a very cold day. It was.............................................................................................of the year. 8 He's a very boring person. He's.............................................................................................I've ever met. Write sentences with a superlative (the longest etc.). 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