Adjectives Part I: Comparatives To get to know what an adjective is, lets finish these sentences: a/ The baby is.

b/ My house has a ..garden. c/ Einstein is an .scientist.

be inspiring

If we have a closer look at the words baby, house, and Einstein, we can see that there is nothing special about them. But, if we added some words like: a/ The baby is cute /good-looking / lovely /. b/ My house has a beautiful / big / vast / garden. c/ Einstein is an intelligent / outstanding / amazing /scientist.

Now, as you read each sentence with a word from the list (in blue colour), dont you see a change in meaning? Yes, there is a change. The words in blue colour are all adjectives. The adjectives role is to add a meaning and description to the noun or pronoun it goes with. Task 1: Match each adjective in column A with its opposite in column B:
Column A Column B

1/ modern 2/ small 3/ cheap 4/early 5/ ugly 6/ difficult 7/ clean 8/ stupid 9/ hot 10/ boring

a/ easy b/ exciting c/ dirty d/ cold e/ clever f/ beautiful g/ late i/ big j/ old k/ expensive

Salahouali

http://salahoua.wordpress.com

Key answers:

1->j 2->i 3->k 4->g 5->f 6->a 7->c 8->e 9->d 10->b As you see, these adjectives (in column A and B) are two types. What do you think they are?
For the sake our lesson here comparatives we will focus on short and long adjectives:

a short adjective is an adjective that has one syllable like: easy big fat hot small cheap cleanetc. a long adjective is an adjective three or more syllables like: beautiful difficult modern exciting expensive boring stupid

Lets now compare people based on this chart: Lucy 6 feet tall 21 years old Scores 17 at French beautiful Jane 5.5 feet tall 14 years old Scores 10 at French not beautiful Adjective tall young/old smart beautiful **

So, we can say: 1. 2. 3. 4. Lucy is taller than Jane. Jane is younger than Lucy. Lucy is smarter than Jane. Lucy is more beautiful than Jane.

Can you guess what the comparative is in the first three sentences? OK! See for yourself that the adjectives have taken something attached to them at the end, no? Yes, There is a little suffix attached at the end of the adjectives tall / young / smart .+ er.

Salahouali

http://salahoua.wordpress.com

Examples of comparative adjectives: tall -> taller smart -> smarter Short -> shorter hot -> hotter cold -> colder Remember that a comparative cannot function unless there is than and two entities being compared, as in our example here: Lucy and Jane are the two entities we are comparing. Finally, the rule must read as: A+ (short) adjective +er +B

(A here is Lucy and, B here is Jane)

Salahouali

http://salahoua.wordpress.com